By John Howell
City officials postponed final approval of the subdivision of Tubbs Road property owned by Dr. Walter T. Hudson after nearby residents cited drainage problems in the area.

Hudson’s proposal was recommended by the Planning Commission and reviewed and approved by the city engineer before coming before the mayor and alderman at the June 16 meeting.

Paul Brewer, one of four Tubbs Road residents who attended the meeting to express concern that construction on the Hudson property would aggravate water problems, said that the drainage project completed in 2013 to improve drainage along the road had not stopped water from overflowing ditch banks during heavy rains. The $828,000 project replaced smaller culverts along Tubbs Road in an effort to increase drainage capacity.

“It comes over in several places over there,” Brewer said. “Nothing’s going to stop it because it’s all that water that comes from behind Dunlap and Kyle comes down that ditch,” he added, describing the watershed drained through the Tubbs Road ditch.

“I think one thing we need to do is to get Blake (City Engineer Blake Mendrop),” Mayor Jerry Autrey said. Mendrop was out of town and unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting.

Aldermen postponed action on the proposed two-lot subdivision until Mendrop could be consulted. Dr. and Mrs. Hudson arrived at the meeting shortly after the discussion but did not speak after learning of the board’s decision to postpone the approval.

Further west on Tubbs Road, aldermen approved a contractor’s quote of $8,500 to remove debris from a culvert entrance. Johnson Construction of Batesville submitted the lower of two quotes to clear the ditch at Coles Creek where accumulated sediment and debris is hindering drainage.