The next time the new administration of Sardis meets, their could be changes to the Farmer’s Market near the railroad tracks.

During Thursday night’s meeting, Ward 2 Alderman Rufus "Bill" Smith told other city leaders he wanted to see something done about the popular rummage sale location.

"There are people out there every day selling brand new merchandise," he said. "And the city isn’t getting any sales tax off of it."

Smith said he wanted to see the Farmer’s Market put out of commission.

"The structure was put up to be a farmer’s market where people could come sell their produce," Mayor Alvis "Rusty" Dye said. "Over the years, it has become nothing but a place for people to sell whatever they want to get rid of."

Dye said one reason the city cannot close down the Farmer’s Market is because three-month permits are issued to out-of-county residents.

"The problem is you might have somebody that buys one permit and then they tell you their sister or cousin is going to help them," Smith said. "There is no way of controlling who does and does not have a permit."

Dye advised the aldermen to go speak with people in their wards before taking action.

"We have elderly people who sell things there as a mean of income," he said. "You need to go out there and see what the backlash is going to be before you make a decision on it."

The board tabled the matter until its next meeting.

"I don’t mind waiting until the next meeting, but the thing is an eyesore, and I am sick of looking at it," Smith said. "So we need to be ready to do something about it the next time we get together."
  

Batesville city leaders allowed one water line extension and denied another during the first meeting of the new administration last week.

Water and Sewer Superintendent Rickey Shirey first presented drawings of property owned by Royce Locke on Bethlehem Road.

"Jason Locke wants an extension off of the line his father is on," Shirey said.

The superintendent said the line would have to be extended 875 feet to provide water to a double-wide manufactured home owned by Locke.

Shirey said the cost to the city to extend the water line would be $4,167.

Ward 3 Alderman James Yelton said he didn’t feel like the city should provide water to the home because it is not in the city limits.

"These people were taken out of the annexation a few years back," he said. "They don’t want to pay city taxes, and I can’t see where we should provide them with water.

"People who want the services should accept a friendly annexation," Yelton added.

The request was unanimously denied.

In another matter presented by Shirey, the board voted to extend a water line on Pine Lodge Road to provide water to another home.

Shirey said to provide a water line, the city must bore under the road.

"If we are going to bore under the road, I would suggest putting in a six- inch line," he said.

Yelton asked why Shirey was felt like a six-inch line is needed.

"I was thinking about what could happen in the future," he said. "There is a good chance for expansion out there and this will keep us from having to upgrade line."

Cost to the city for the installation of the line would be approximately $10,000.

"These people are without water now because their well is out," Shirey said.

Yelton said his is more sympathetic to this situation than he was to the first.

"These people have been in the city limits for six or seven years, they pay city taxes and they have never asked us for anything," he said. "We need to do whatever we can to get them water."

Yelton suggested boring under the road for a six-inch line but only installing a two-inch line.

"If we do it that way, we will be prepared for the potential development," he said.