By John Howell
City officials during Tuesday’s meeting extended until December 15 a moratorium on permits for uses of buildings on the Public Square.

The moratorium suspends the Batesville Code Office from issuing certificates of occupancy for buildings on the Square without approval from the board of mayor and aldermen.

Aldermen during a July 1 special called meeting had adopted a temporary moratorium to consider what steps need to be taken to prepare for the proposed basing of the Polar Express Train Ride in Batesville during several street and sidewalk renovation projects that will soon get under way. Tuesday’s action extended the moratorium.

“Anybody that came to our office to apply for a Certificate of Occuppancy, before it gets an inspection, it would come before y’all,” Code Administrator Pam Comer said.
On related matters:
• City Engineer Blake Mendrop said that he expects the sidewalk renovation, parking realignment and landscaping project finance through a Mississippi Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) grant to begin within 10 days. The contract calls for completion within 120 days, he said;
• Code Officer John McCollum told city officials that he had received price quotes of $9,800 and $9,755 for the removal of the wrought iron balcony on the Baker Building.
MDOT requires the balcony to be removed prior to the start of the downtown renovation project it is funding.
Last month city officials agreed to pay for the removal of the balcony and its replacement following completion of the work.
“It’s probably going to be just as much to put it back up,” one alderman said.
McCollum said that Baker told him he would remove it for $9,500.
“I’d rather him have that responsibility,” Alderman Eddie Nabors said;
Aldermen voted 5 to 0 to pay Baker to remove the balcony, pending a written letter containing his price quote;
• Batesville Main Street Manager Colleen Clark told the mayor and aldermen that she expects a visit from an Iowa Pacific representative next week for “production planning” to prepare for the arrival of Polar Express Train Rides.