By Rupert Howell
City of Batesville aldermen agreed to spend $5,333.64 for conduit to bury 2,100’ of electrical service wire to the new well near the new Pine Lodge-House-Carlson Drive connector road during a called meeting Tuesday morning.

Aldermen also agreed to use Brocato Construction for up to 80 hours of dozer work and 40 hours of track-hoe work at the site in preparation for paving.

The board agreed to spend $1,325 to provide electrical service for the stage at SpringFest with Alderman Bill Dugger questioning the expenditure.

Dugger said he thought the city had previously paid to have all the electricity needed for the SpringFest stage placed in front of Caldwell’s Insurance at the corner where College Street enters the square.

Alderman Teddy Morrow explained the stage will be moved this year by the railroad track.
“Oh. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to say, ‘hey, you can’t move the stage?’” Dugger replied.
Morrow further explained that rearrangement of the Batesville Downtown Square last year caused the need to move the stage, thus the power.

Aldermen also discussed having surveillance cameras online for security during SpringFest questioning, Police Chief Tony Jones about a time frame to completion of the project. The cameras were placed the previous week.

Jones responded that he would look into the matter and report to board members at their meeting next week.

Aldermen discussed at length hook up or connection fees on annexed areas that have just recently been provided sewer service.

Connection fees for those who have been without city service for a while may be waived. Residents in newly annexed areas currently have 90 days to hook up while those with new or recently replaced treatment plants have three years to hookup.

Following a lengthy discussion attorney Colmon Mitchell was asked to put the discussion into a proposed board order for approval at next week’s meeting.

The City will hold their regular first Tuesday meeting next week at 2 p.m. May 3.