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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-08-11 A ili$'ORi� 'llililSl:lti n� a.. �knvsAso�.n�5c��� CITY OF BATESVILLE COUNCIL REGULAR CALLED MEETING City Hall August 11,2026 5:30 P.M. COUNCILMEMBERS: OTHERS: Kyle Christopher, Ward 1 Position I Rick Elumbaugh,Mayor Scott Fredricks, Ward 1 Position 2 Jessica Davis, City Clerk Fred Krug, Ward 2 Position 1 Tim Meitzen, City Attorney Robb Roberts, Ward 2 Position 2 Julie Hinkle, Ward 3 Position 1 Brittany Bennett, Ward 3 Position 2 (Absent) Paige Hubbard, Ward 4 Position I (Absent) Lackey Moody,Jr., Ward 4 Position 2 CALL TO ORDER The Mayor called the meeting'to order at 5:30 p.m. INVOCATION Bryce Cash ROLL CALL BY CITY CLERK The clerk verified the roll. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Councilmember Roberts, seconded by Councilmember Moody to approve the minutes from the July 28,2026 regular called meeting. The motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made by Councilmember Fredricks, seconded by Councilmember Christopher to approve the agenda. The motion passed unanimously. COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS None UNFINISHED BUSINESS None Cate Council Nfeet€ng August 11,2026 Page Z of 4 NEW BUSINESS A) POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT Chief Scarbrough addressed the council and provided an update on a K-9 that was surrendered by an officer after he resigned. The K-9 was held at the Animal Control Department and a suitable handler was located to take it. He requested council approval to purchase a new police vehicle and sell the used K-9 unit as it is not compatible with their new equipment. There was a brief discussion regarding the possible transfer of it to Animal Control Department. There was no action taken on the request. B) FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT Chief McCollum addressed the council and informed them the department has secured funding for the installation of a baby surrender box at Station 3. They are trying to stay on top of tornado siren maintenance and testing. He stated Mr. Barry Welch has been providing his services for next to no cost to service the sirens. The Mayor asked Mr. Welch to come up and accept a certificate of appreciation for his efforts and service to the community by enhancing the safety and well-being of our citizens. C) ENGINEER'S REPORT City Engineer, Damon Johnson addressed the council and provided updates for various departments and operations in the city. Mr. Johnson mentioned there was a sewer backup issue at 710 Elm St that caused damage to a citizen's property. The citizen reported it to their insurance and was informed there would only be a$5,000.00 coverage amount. The quote they received to make the necessary repairs was for$28,268.37. He recommended the council consider amending the ordinance to raise the maximum amount the city would pay for incidents like this. It is still set at$10,000.00 from approximately 20 years ago. He would like to raise it to $20,000.00. A brief discussion was held regarding homeowner's insurance coverage and the possibility of updating the ordinance first. Mr. Johnson explained it was a time sensitive issue and requested the council approve the payment of$20,000.00 for the citizen and update the ordinance at a later meeting. A motion was made by Councilmember Roberts, seconded by Councilmember Moody to approve $20,000.00 for this incident and update the ordinance for future incidents. The motion passed with 5 votes for and 1 against(Krug). The Street Department finished the storm drain project at Hawkins St. and they are working on multiple projects for road resurfacing and patching jobs. Water Construction is busy repairing water leaks and assisting in overseeing the sewer rehab project. Waste Water department will begin sludge removal next week at the water ponds. The Water department is still in the process of selecting a new meter reading company. They hope to have that done before the end of the year. City C 04111 1 Meeting August 11,2026 Page 3 of 4 D) MS. CRYSTAL JOHNSON,BATESVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CEO,WITH AN A&P UPDATE Crystal Johnson and Chris Hill were present to address the council with their A&P update. Ms. Johnson introduced Amanda Roberts who handles membership engagement and Chief Operating Officer,;Novella Humphrey. She expressed her gratitude for their hard work at the Chamber. Chris Hill presented a PowerPoint to the council. He provided data on tourism' in Batesville, highlighting the economic impact of visitors. The A&P Commission is.funded by a 3%lodging tax and aims to attract visitors and improve their experiences. The commission supported various events including the Batesville Rodeo, which had a significant economic impact. Ms. Johnson discussed some of the challenges they face as well as advantages of tourism in Batesville including capacity limitations and data driven strategies. E) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE CONTINUATION OF TRAILS GRANT The Mayor opened the item up for discussion. Councilmember Moody stated he met with representatives with American Ramp Company out of Joplin, MO and was confident they could provide quality work. He explained the project will include a skills course and an individual mountain bike trail that runs parallel to our existing asphalt trails. It will be a single track with basically some version of a pump track and skills course. The Mayor called for Mr. Meitzen to read the resolution by title only. Mr. Meitzen read the resolution. A motion was made by Councilmember Moody, seconded by Councilmember Roberts to approve the resolution. The electronic roll call was 6 for,0 against. The resolution was given#2026- 08-61-R. F) FINANCIAL REPORT A copy of the July,financial report was provided to the council. COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR The next council meeting is scheduled for August 25, 2026. He requested the purchase of a chlorine controller for the pool from the perpetual maintenance fund in the amount of approximately $3,500.00. A motion was made by Councilmember Hinkle, seconded by Councilmember Christopher to approve the purchase. The motion passed unanimously. He explained the requested funds for updates at the police department evidence room that was approved at the last meeting would need to come from Alcohol Tax funds instead of the No Insurance Account. A motion was made by Councilmember Fredricks, seconded by councilmember Hinkle to approve the purchase from the Alcohol Tax Fund. The motion passed unanimously. City Council Meeting August 1-1,2026 Page 4 of 4 Dates to Remember: • Council Meeting August 25t—" LIAISON REPORTS Councilmember Moody reported on the Planning and Zoning Commission activities including discussions of the impact of data centers. He acknowledged the county's.help with the passage of a 5-year moratorium on data centers. COUNCIL COMMENTS Brittany Bennett—Absent Kyle Christopher—None Scott Fredricks—None Julie Hinkle—None _ Paige Hubbard—Absent Fred Krug—None Lackey Moody,Jr.—None Robb Roberts—None ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Councilmember Hinkle made the motion, seconded by Councilmember Fredricks to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m. , Rick El umb ayor Jessica Davis, rty herk