(Batesville, IN) – Business owners and others with downtown interests packed Batesville City Council chambers this week to give their thoughts on a pair of connected resolutions.
During a public hearing, council was required to identify a specific blight area in order to apply for a $625-thousand Community Development Block Grant for Main Street Revitalization.
The city would kick in $125-thousand toward the grant.
The area identified was in the George Street/Inspiration Park area, but business owners say they’re concerned about losing parking spaces there, which would hurt the bottom line and have other negative impacts.
“There’s a likelihood that we don’t get this grant but we thought, ‘Let’s try to get it.’ Because the reality is, with our downtown plan, over the course of the whole thing, if you look at it in pieces, it’s going to take a lot of funding,” said Mayor John Irrgang.
Following public comments and much discussion, council voted 3-2 in favor of the resolution to identify the blight area.
Brad Dreyer, Beth Enneking and Doug Stock voted in favor while the “no” votes were cast by Melissa Tucker and Darrick Cox.
Council then voted 5-0 to authorize the resolution to apply for the funds.
Mayor Irrgang was Wednesday’s guest on WRBI’s The Daily Pod. You can listen to the interview on demand on wrbiradio.com.
