White County Commissioners failed to pass a resolution to sell an estimated 20-acre property that surrounds the Rock House State Historic Site.
County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the county purchased the property a year ago. The plan was to sell it to the state for the estimated $240,000 the county paid. Though the vote was 7-1 in favor, but eight votes were needed. Commissioner Chris Brewington was the lone commissioner to vote against selling the property to the state.
“The commissioner that killed selling it back to the state was the commissioner that was against purchasing it for the state to start with,” Robinson said. “So I really don’t understand. I’m sure there is a reason, I just don’t know what it is.”
Robinson said he would like to sell the property to get the county’s money back.
“I would love to get that back,” Robinson said. “That needs to go back into the taxpayer funds.”
Robinson said the state wants to preserve the land around the Rock House.
“Honestly, I would hate to speak for what the state has planned in the future, but basically, it’s just more conservation,” Robinson said. “Just trying to save that area and that history. Like I mentioned earlier, the old stagecoach road does run through there. There’s a natural spring up there where the water came from that supplied the rock house, just that type of stuff.”
Robinson said the county will have to revisit and see what the plan is for the property moving forward.
“One option to present that back next month,” Robinson said. “We’ll talk about it in committee. You know, it’s a possibility that the county commission wants to retain that land for the county. Of course, the vote last night with the resolution not passing to sell it, that might be what they are thinking. I just need to get a read on what the commission is wanting to do.”
The county’s committee meetings are set to take place on Monday, October 6.