Council approves sale of lots to Pace family on third try

The Olney City Council approved the purchase of two foreclosed lots with historical significance to the Black community by longtime resident Brenda Pratt and her brother Michael Pace.

The Council approved the sales of 409 E. Elm St. and 411 E. Elm St. after six months and three tries by the siblings to reclaim land that had belonged to their uncle.

Mrs. Pratt and Mr. Pace wanted to use the land adjacent to Mrs. Pratt’s home as a place for friends and family to gather.

Mr. Pace also had discussed placing a marker to show where Olney’s one-room schoolhouse and church for the Black community once stood, Mrs Pratt said.

At the Nov. 13 Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Tom. Parker said he had “a long conversation” with Mr. Pace about the lots, adding that he objected to the family’s purchase of the lots because the City may one day want to locate a Tractor Supply store or other commercial business or housing on the approximately quarter- acre site, which sits behind The Pipeliner Inn.

“This is zoned so that those two lots could have six homes, multi-unit homes that could house four to six familes. We don’t have that planned yet but it’s one of the few places that we could,” he said. “Tractor Supply ... yeah, that also could fit in there.”

Mr Parker also objected to the fact that Mr Pace, who grew up in Olney and was among the first African Americans to graduate from Olney High School, does not live in Olney.

“Is he intending to move back -- because then it ends up being an out-of-town ownership which is one of the things we are trying not to do,” he told Mrs. Pratt.

Mr Parker suggested that Mrs. Pratt could lease the land and maintain it for the city for a dollar a year until the City found another use for the property.

“What if we structure an agreement where you don’t buy it, do what you want with it - if you don’t have any intent of building a permanent structure, do what you want,” Mr. Parker said. “You would then keep up the lots. ... If your intent is to enjoy it as a family area, go do it. I think we should open it up to everybody in town. allow them utilitization for a fee and you can do what you want with it but to own it with no plan that’s not what we’re here for.”

When asked what would happen to Mrs. Pratt if Tractor Supply or another business wanted the lots, he said, “She moves.”

The City Council has been discussing a city wide rezoning for at least 18 months and placed moratoriums on mobile homes and shipping containers to try to shore up property values.

Councilmember Harrison Wellman said the sale of the land to the Pace family ran counter to the City’s plan to rezone.

“My only concern with this property is the business district where it resides,” he said. “Not saying that Tractor Supply or Home Depot is coming to Olney but ... we need to sit down and think about our future growth ...”

Councilmembers Tommy Kimbro, Brad Simmons, and Chuck Stennett supported the sale.

“We approved one [lot purchase] that was a similar situation,” Councilmember Simmons said. “I’m all for it. I don’t see any issues or discrepancies with a local family owning it that’s been here.”

“I’m for it,” Mr. Kimbro said.

Mrs Pratt said she was gratified to finally have the land back in her family.

“I’m satisfied with the way things turned out,” she said. “The meeting could have been a disaster but I’m proud of the way Mayor Rogers stepped up and handled things. To my surprise, people in the community also shared their enthusiasm about me winning the lots.”