What has been a problem for the last few years for the residents on Acorn Lane has now become a problem for a major portion of the City of Batesville. According to a recent article in this newspaper, a large part of the City of Batesville will be designated area required to buy flood insurance.

However, having the insurance will not bring peace of mind. These areas will still flood. The article quotes City Engineer Blake Mendrop as saying the city could have areas removed from the flood zone map by “providing more up-to-date engineering and hydraulic information.” New construction raised above the flood level would help new owners, but that does not help those of us who built homes before all of this flooding began. It is our contention, those of us who live on Acorn Lane, that certain actions by the City, notably dredging, stabilizing, and maintaining what is known as Sand Creek and its tributaries, would go a long way toward mitigating the flood problems we have experienced over the last few years.

I would urge all affected residents and business owners to attend the Board meeting scheduled for December 7 at 2:00 at Batesville City Hall  when we will once again ask the City to take the actions necessary to eliminate the flooding in our neighborhoods. Interested parties may also want to attend an open house meeting December 1 from 4:30 to 6:00 at the old Sardis National Guard Armory to view the proposed flood zone map.

/s/ Miriam Wahl