OEDC presses Council over building delays

The Olney Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) board confronted city leaders about delays in setting up a building department, a move the OEDC said is crucial for keeping local housing projects on track. The lack of a centralized process for permits and utilities has frustrated developers, including one group that has already abandoned plans to build ten homes in the city, OEDC Board President Johnny Moore told the City Council at its Oct. 14 meeting.

OEDC board members Kelly Mahler, Rick Turner, and Clancy Myers expressed their concerns, noting that the delays reported by builders are stalling projects that Olney’s economic development board hope to jump start to house the 700-plus workers who commute from surrounding communities. OEDC board member Debbie Shelley also attended the Council meeting.

“What’s been the holdup?” Mr. Moore asked the Council. “We had a meeting four to six months ago, and we were assured that the building department would be set up right away. Since then, nothing has happened, and we’ve had three or four building groups that want to come, but we are deadlocked because we don’t have a process in place.”

City Manager Rue Rogers acknowledged the delays but assured the OEDC that progress was being made. “We are closer today than we were four months ago, so that is a positive,” he said. “We’ve factored the building department into the budget, and a job description has been put together. The Council will create the position at the next meeting, and we already have someone interested in applying for the role.”

The OEDC reports that the lack of a building department has caused significant delays for developers, including Crombie Properties of Jacksboro and Lance and Corey Groves of Possum Kingdom, who have been held up by financing issues because they cannot obtain the necessary permits. The Crombies, who had planned to build ten homes in Olney, abandoned their project after facing numerous obstacles with the city’s approval process, OEDC executive director Tom Parker said.

“These builders are used to coordinating with a building department from the start, and here, they’ve had to hit the brakes after already beginning work,” Mr. Parker said.

Mr. Mahler noted that developers were still eager to move forward but were stalled by unanswered questions about permits, utilities, and zoning. “There are builders here now, ready to go, but they don’t want to make a misstep with permits or digging in an alley without proper guidance,” Mahler said. “They need answers, and only the city can provide those.”

Mayor Rogers expressed the city’s commitment to getting the building department up and running as soon as possible. “Our goal is to have that building department be a one-stop shop for permits and information, so all of this can be addressed on the front end,” he said. He said the department could be operational by the end of November.