By John Howell Sr.

The City of Batesville will soon begin construction along Tubbs Road to help curb flooding that has occurred when heavy rain sends runoff water coursing through the deep drainage ditches on either side of the street.

Engineering for the project that will likely include pipes, improved crossings and rock placement will begin late this year, followed by construction in the spring, city engineer Blake Mendrop said.

Officials of the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) on Monday joined Batesville Mayor Jerry Autrey, Ward Two Alderman Ted Stewart, Mendrop and representatives of Jimmy G. Gouras Urban Planning Consultants to finalize paperwork for the $828,000 project. A $414,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for public facilities through MDA will be matched by $414,000 provided by the city.

“This was the greatest need for a drainage project I’ve seen in my 15 years,” said Gouras consultant Frankie Meeks, who said that she studied photographs of flooding in the area that had been submitted as part of the grant application.

Still, the project was not initially accepted, Autrey said. Batesville was able to secure the grant when another municipality which had been selected for the CDBG funds was unable to come up with its matching funds.

“We were able to come up with the money thanks to Laura (City Clerk Laura Herron); thanks to her we’ve been putting it aside,” the mayor said.

“That makes a difference with the state,” Meeks said, citing the grant approval leveraging advantage wielded by cities able to provide the 50 percent match.