By John Howell Sr.

The City of Batesville will sell land to Tri-Lakes Medical Center for medical office buildings for $1.1 million, aldermen agreed during their July 17 meeting.

City officials and representatives of the medical facility have negotiated the sale for months to arrive at a price for land between the present hospital building and the Batesville Civic Center. Hospital representatives have presented several plans to demonstrate how the property would be used for medical buildings intended  for medical specialists’ offices.

Last Tuesday’s  action by aldermen approved a resolution declaring the property surplus and stating that the sale would be “in the economic best interest of the city,” Assistant City Attorney Colmon Mitchell said as he guided the elected officials through the sale.

The city attorney’s report also included a maintenance agreement between the city and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) for high-mast lighting to be placed at the intersection of I-55 and Highway 6/278.

Near the end of the July 17 meeting, Mitchell met with the mayor and aldermen in executive session to update them on two bankruptcies that affect the city.

Mitchell said later that he gave the city officials an update on a lawsuit and bankruptcy involving Framed Picture Enterprise/Art Horizons, which has defaulted on a loan from the city’s revolving economic development fund, and LSP Energy, which declared bankruptcy owing the city approximately $800,000 in ad valorem taxes.

Also discussed during executive session was Cube Ice Company’s plans to build a new facility in the W. M. Harmon Industrial Park.

Cube Ice Company owner Dennis Lott said that he has encountered city and fire regulations that he did not anticipate when he announced plans to build an ice-handling facility to replace the existing facility on Court Street.