Article by Emily Wang, White River Now
At Tuesday’s Batesville City Council meeting, various updates and plans were discussed, ranging from the safe relocation of the homeless population to ongoing city projects.
A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing property for the area homeless to locate.
Autumn Raviscioni, the director of the local organization Our Father’s Table, presented its plans for a tent-based community on a proposed piece of property on the lower end of College Street.
“There are lots of groups behind this effort to donate with both volunteers and finances,” Raviscioni told the council. “We want to use property on lower College Street as a homeless community where they can set up tents and be allowed to stay without asking them to leave, as long as it is properly governed. We are asking the city for a few things to help us get started and are anticipating a successful partnership with the city and community.”
Phase one of the proposal included requests for potential property, proper zoning, and the availability of essential services like fresh water, restrooms, and trash disposal.
Raviscioni said the phased plan aims to establish a communal living space with the intention of assessing progress after one year. She noted the efforts from various groups in the community, including Batesville’s ministerial alliance and the Batesville Rotary Club, to put together plans and resources to ensure the safety and relocation of the homeless community.
During phase three of the plan, Raviscioni shared the possibility of placing more permanent structures on the potential location to give more dignity to those seeking shelter.
The mayor acknowledged the community support.
“We [the council] passed an ordinance for the safety of public as well as for themselves, and being in the [Poke Bayou] area is not a good place with flash floods and such. I commend you,” the mayor told Raviscioni. “I drove by Our Father’s Table. There was a crowd there, and there very much is a need. Thank you to everyone who helps.
“We talked about some property on lower Main Street, lower College Street, and are trying to come up with best we can for our citizens who are less fortunate,” Elumbaugh said.
The council members expressed their recognition of the situation’s urgency and committed to addressing the next steps.
(To learn more about Autumn Raviscioni and Our Father’s Table, click here for a recent profile from Region 8 News.)
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During a special presentation by Batesville Fire Chief Mark McCollum (far left), firefighters Logan Gleghorn (center) and Michael Ring (next to Mayor Elumbaugh, far right) were promoted to lieutenant, while Randy Jones (next to McCollum) was promoted to captain. Chief McCollum also presented Mayor Rick Elumbaugh with a jacket and made the mayor an honorary member of the Batesville Fire Department.
In his thanks, Elumbaugh made a humorous remark, asking, “Does this mean I need to get up when I hear a fire alarm?”
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Batesville City Engineer Damon Johnson provided a detailed overview of the current state of the wastewater treatment plant.
Johnson reported that, despite challenges posed by the saturated ground during this time of the year, the plant continues to operate efficiently. He highlighted recent maintenance issues, specifically pump and electric motor concerns, and emphasized the success of the original equipment that has been in use for up to 60 years.
He told council members that designs for the new wastewater treatment plant are expected to go to the health department for review next month, with construction slated for August or September and significant work commencing in February 2025.
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