By John Howell
City officials voted Tuesday to apply for a railroad crossing to allow public access to the Indian Mounds property on Highway 35 North.
Aldermen approved payment of a $1,000 application fee to IMG Rail Consulting to begin a study that could allow a 30-foot vehicle crossing at the site. The application is the next step following a meeting last month between city engineer Blake Mendrop Iowa Pacific Railroad officials about the city’s request for better access to the site.
The entrance to the Mounds site currently in use crosses the railroad in a curve  north of the proposed crossing location.
In other business:
• Aldermen also gave unanimous approval to pay Belinda Stewart Architects up to $3,500 for preliminary design studies on the renovation of Batesville City Hall;
• City officials also heard from Clark Insurance representative Brad Clark and Morgan White representative Brad Camp in a follow-up report about an increase in premiums for city employees’ medical insurance coverage. Clark said the coverage to both Aetna and Humana, neither of which chose to bid to offer coverage at a lower price than the premiums that will be implemented by the present carrier, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Mississippi, at its renewal;
• The officials also agreed to invite an official of Shreveport Credit Union to speak to them about a proposal the financial institution has submitted for city consideration.