First Regional requested $170,000 be allocated for the Batesville Public Library. That is an increase of $12,000 over the $158,000 the city budgeted for the present fiscal year.

Catherine Nathan told the board that the expansion of the library has increased its usage tremendously.

"To tell the absolute truth, your library is going like gangbusters," she said.

According to statistics presented during the meeting, the library services more than 2,600 people during a week’s time.

"Almost every person who uses the library in a week will check out a book, magazine or other materials," she said.

Nathan said one of the biggest surprises at the library has been the response to this year’s summer reading program.

"Our children’s specialist set a goal of enrolling 600 children for the program over the entire summer," she said. "To date, she has already signed up more than 850 kids and most of them have completed the requirements.

"Many come for library programs," she said. "Both children and adults."

Statistics indicate that last year the library averaged two programs per week that were attended by more than 3,800 people each.

One Batesville alderman seemed puzzled at why city crews couldn’t take care of a ditching problem in his ward.

During the meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, a request was again made to have a ditch on Hoskins road cleaned out.

"I don’t understand why something as simple as this can’t get done," Alderman Rufus Manley said. "The only problem is the tree limbs stopping up the culvert."

Manley said he has presented the matter to Mayor Bobby Baker, City Clerk Judy Savage and Teddy Austin and it has yet to be resolved.

"I know for a fact I have given this to the mayor twice, Judy twice and Teddy three times over the phone and once in person," he said. "If it is something this simple, why can’t we get it taken care of?"

Baker explained that he had Austin and the city crews working at the Civic Center while the weather was holding up.

"The city only has one crew," Baker said. "I have them working at the Civic Center while we have a chance to get some things taken care of there."

Manley said he understood the importance of completing the work at the Civic Center, but he also feels like there are other matters the city needs to take care of as well.

"This matter has been discussed several times with several different people, and it is time that something gets done about it," he said.