By Jason C. Mattox

The City of Batesville issued a letter denying the Mississippi Community Development Foundation use of property near the Boys and Girls Club for recycling drives each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The matter came to the attention of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen during a meeting Tuesday afternoon when they learned of the planned drive.

“They have not gotten permission from the city or the county to use the property,” assistant city attorney Colmon Mitchell explained.

A letter from Mitchell to Paul Morgan, president of Mississippi Community Foundation, explained that the city and county jointly own the property and have not made arrangements with the city to use the location for the non-profit organization’s Recycling Recyclables program.

“Anyone who wants to use the property must make the appropriate arrangements,” the letter states. “Until the arrangements are made, no one may use city property under any circumstances.”

In reply to the letter, Morgan issued three identical letters to the South Panola School District, North Delta School and the City of Batesville requesting use of properties owned by the three entities for use the first four Saturdays each month to collect recyclable materials.

Morgan, who did not address the board at the meeting Tuesday, had made multiple requests of the city in recent weeks including use of city property to store 18-wheeler trailers and to borrow the city’s tractor trailer to haul materials to recycling centers in Memphis.

The most recent request came when the organization asked the city to develop a renewable energy budget.

Aldermen asked the group to prepare a presentation for their consideration.

“They need to let us know exactly what it is they are wanting so we can consider it and act on it,” Mayor Jerry Autrey said.

Meanwhile the organization has asked that anyone who can offer a spot for the recycling trailer to be parked on Saturday, November 29, contact spokesman Tammy Perry at 662-934-0929.

In other business discussed during Tuesday’s meeting:

• Cherry Goodson was given a temporary mobile home placement permit for 299 Harmon road.

• Edith Mister, Nancy Wilson and Nancy Kenzie were hired part-time at the Batesville Civic Center.

• A 1992 GMC Sonoma was transferred to the City of Sardis.

• Rickey Shirey was given permission to attend the Underground Construction Technology Conference and Exhibition on Jan. 20-22, 2009 with expenses paid by the city.

• Batesville Police officer Kerry Pittman was given permission to accept outside employment as a security guard at First Security Bank.

• The resignation of Bill Shephard as a volunteer from the Batesville Fire Department was accepted.