By Rupert Howell

Batesville’s three Democratic mayoral candidates stood before the local Democratic Committee members giving their priorities as leader of the city during a meeting Monday evening at the courthouse in Batesville.

Candidate Brad Baker called for a “spirit of unity” among local government entities and others interested in development, stating he would work closely with Panola supervisors, Panola Partnership and Tallahatchie Valley, the city’s electric power provider.

Baker said his candidacy offered “new leadership and a new vision” that would compare to a Friday night football game with the “spirit of unity,” that would drive momentum, “throughout the week.”

Baker mentioned new construction, stating that through the spirit of unity his administration would be construction-friendly and encourage new construction.

“Together, we can build a better Batesville,” Baker said.

Asked of his number one priority, Baked said, “Recruiting jobs. People move to where jobs are,” he said before explaining that creating jobs would produce a population that would support restaurants, theaters and bowling alleys.

Former Batesville alderman Rufus Manley told the group he didn’t know how anyone could say we didn’t need jobs and acknowledged and that should be everyone’s number one priority before devoting most of his words to activities or businesses that would occupy the youth.

Manley led speeches by announcing he would save the city $100,000 in four years by accepting only one-half the current mayor’s salary due to requirements for his participation in the state retirement system.
Citing the need for entertainment for children, he told the two dozen or so assembled, “If we can build a ball field we can get donations to bring a movie, bowling alley or swimming pool…something to give our children something to do beside run the streets and wind up in jail or detention.”

Manley also said he would like to get churches in Batesville to get together and take on the Panola County Food Pantry, each committing to make with a small donation each week to go to supply food for the needy in our town through the food bank.

The former alderman also mentioned the need to sit down with existing businesses to see, “What we can do for them.”

Stating the need for attracting new business, Manley said it’s more important to keep businesses we have and suggested a monthly dutch treat luncheon with business owners to see “what we can do for them and what they can do for us.”

He also said there is a need for studying traffic controls in the city.

“I have been told by numerous people that there’s too many traffic controls, too many corners with three or four stop signs…a block away from each other.”

Incumbent Mayor Jerry Autrey listed his record of achievements for the two terms he has served, naming improvements seen and unseen such as 23 miles of repaved streets, drainage improvements, sewer improvements in different areas throughout the town.

He also mentioned construction totaling over $5.5 million had occurred last year during a bad economy.

He said his priority was quality of life in Batesville, telling the group that quality of life is one of the top items on industrial developers’ lists, behind good schools.

Autrey mentioned that many of the improvements, including parks and recreation improvements, were funded mostly with grants with the city paying only a small portion of the total cost.

He warned that new regulations would require the city to upgrade the current waste water system and his administration was already researching grants to help fund the project.

“We’re going through a lot of government grants to get that done,” Autry stated.

“They talk about building a better Batesville, I am building a better Batesville and I have proof that I am building a better Batesville,” Autrey ended.

Asked about property taxes, Autrey responded that the city could only lower millage, “but that would lower the millage on everything… Eight years ago … we were going month to month, we now have a surplus. Our budget is balanced.” he said.