Parker to step down as pro tem

Olney Mayor Pro Tem Tom Parker will resign from City Council in January to focus on his role as executive director of the Olney Economic Development Corporation, Mr. Parker told the Council on Dec. 11.

When asked about the timing of and reasons for his resignation, Mr. Parker said, “It’s time.”

Although the resignation was on the Dec. 11 agenda, Mayor Rue Rogers asked Mr. Parker to delay his departure until the Jan. 8 meeting to give the Council longer to find someone to appoint to the position until the May municipal elections.

The Council has 10 days after his resignation to appoint Mr. Parker’s replacement. That person will serve until the May election, and would be eligible to run for a full two-year term for the seat.

Mayor Rogers and Councilmember Tommy Kimbro also are up for re-election in 2024.

Mr. Parker’s departure comes three months after the City Council approved his hiring as the executive director of the new Olney Economic Development Corporation, and a month after Wiley Hughey retired from the predecessor corporation, the Olney Industrial Development Corpora- The OEDC wrote its bylaws to allow Mr. Parker to take the paid position while serving as a councilmember. As OEDC chief, he is tasked with finding infrastructure funding at state and federal levels, and investing in an expanded mandate of “quality of life” projects in the community using revenue from city sales taxes.

The OEDC board rejected a proposal by its president, Johnny Moore, that would have barred city councilmembers and city employees from serving as EDC directors or executive director.

Mr. Parker now will turn to managing the construction of the new municipal swimming pool, building new housing, repurposing of the Olney Savings Building, and attracting and supporting retailers.

He also serves on the Texas Water Development Board for the local region.