By John Howell Sr.

Batesville aldermen meeting Friday, October 19, adopted an ordinance setting the city’s Halloween curfew at 9 p.m for people under age 18.

The ordinance will apply to Wednesday, October 31 and to subsequent Halloweens unless repealed or amended.

“This will keep us from having to do this every year,” said Assistant City Attorney Colmon Mitchell, who prepared the ordinance at the request of the mayor and aldermen.

“There are going to be so many kids out and so much traffic out and they’re going to be walking and riding — for their safety and … for people whose houses are being trick-or-treated, so to speak, at a reasonable hour,” Mitchell said, citing reasons justifying the ordinance.

The ordinance language makes unlawful “… for a minor to be in any public place between the hours of 9:00 o’clock p.m. on October 31 until 6:00 a.m. o’clock on November 1 each year.” It also makes unlawful for parents “… to allow such minor to be in any public place.”

Exceptions are made for a minor accompanied by a parent, engaged in traveling to or from a job, involved in an emergency or “engaged in or traveling to or from an extracurricular school activity or activity sponsored by a religious or community based organization.”

The fine for violations was set at $50 or one day of community service.

The ordinance was adopted by unanimous vote with all aldermen — Teddy Morrow, Bill Dugger, Stan Harrison, Ted Stewart and Eddie Nabors — and Mayor Jerry Autrey attended.

The city officials also moved cautiously forward with the purchase of the old service station building where Eureka Street enters the Downtown Square.

Three contingencies were identified as conditions to be met before the purchase can be consummated, Mitchell said: “Good title, a good report environmentally and confirm that y’all can reroute the traffic across the property.”

City officials plan to demolish the service station building and widen the Eureka Street at its juncture with the Square. They voted to pay property owner $33,000 for the property, pending satisfaction of the contingencies.