By John Howell
City officials kicked the can down the road in their Tuesday discussion of expanding Batesville city limits — but only for two weeks.
The mayor and aldermen have since last summer been discussing a version of corporate limits expansion that is considerably scaled back from annexation discussions that began in 2010 when a Highway 6 bypass south of the city appeared to be pending.
Discussion during Tuesday’s “work session” that started at 1 p.m. rambled, with Water and Sewer Superintendent Mike Ross telling city officials what services — water, sewer and gas — are available in or near the areas proposed for annexation.
Urban planner Mike Slaughter of Slaughter and Associates of Oxford has worked with city officials in annexation planning for over a decade.
Alderman Eddie Nabors said that annexation planning is also available from the North Delta Planning and Development District through its relationship with the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District.
“I’d like to hear a different perspective,” Nabors said.
“Mike started it; I’d like to see him finish it,” Mayor Jerry Autrey said.
“I don’t agree,” Nabors said, without hearing from another planner’s point of view.  “I do want to hear somebody else address the same issues.”
“You got Mike Slaughter to do all this and now you’ve got somebody else; it’s not kosher,” the mayor said.
“In all fairness, … I’d like to hear another perspective before making a big decision,” Nabors said.
“I haven’t got any problem at all with getting a second opinion,” Alderman Bill Dugger said.
During the discussion city officials had a tentative annexation proposal map prepared by Slaughter and Associates that showed areas originally to have been annexed when the bypass was under consideration as well as the areas proposed for annexation after bypass construction plans had been dropped.
City officials appear primarily interested in annexing corridors extending east and west along Highway 6 and the area that includes the airport, jail and Airport Industrial Park.
“Anything going toward Oxford, I’m in favor of doing fairly soon,” Alderman Stan Harrison said.
“How long?” Alderman Teddy Morrow asked assistant City Attorney Colmon Mitchell.
“If there’s no opposition…,” Mitchell began.
“Does that ever happen?” Morrow interjected.
“Forty-five to 60 days with no opposition,” Mitchell continued.
Aldermen agreed to ask the urban planner for Golden Triangle Planning and Development District to meet with them — again at 1 p.m. — Tuesday, February 16.