Lincoln City Council:
Keller seeks debt forgiveness for Allen Chapel Church

 

[October 28, 2021] 

At the Tuesday evening Committee of the Whole meeting of the Lincoln City Council, local historian and former alderman Ron Keller addressed the council regarding Allen Chapel Church in the 900 block of Broadway in Lincoln.

Keller was there seeking debt forgiveness for the church’s past due sewer bills and the release of a lien held against the church by the city due to those past due bills. He explained that as a National Historic site and a city of Lincoln historic site, the building is in need of repairs including a new roof. To get the funding for the repairs for the church, Keller plans to apply for grants. However, many grant applications will disqualify an applicant that has debt and or liens against the property. Keller said that the only debt and lien against Allen Chapel is that with the city. If the city will forgive that debt, then he stands a better chance of getting the grant funding he needs to repair the church. The total debt is just over $1,900.

As an introduction to the request, Keller offered history of the church.

Allen Chapel is an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. The AME church began in the 1790s by Richard Allen in Philadelphia. The church was formed as a result of segregation in Philadelphia, when Black Americans were denied the right to worship at St. George Methodist Church in that city. That then began the AME denomination, which is the oldest black denomination in the United States.

Allen Chapel is named for Richard Allen, and the Lincoln congregation formed in 1868. The congregation purchased the current location that then housed a very small building that had been a school and prior to that a Catholic Church. The congregation outgrew the church building and in 1880 tore it down and built the structure that is still standing at 902 Broadway Street today.

Keller said that it was notable to local history that ex-slaves and free blacks built the existing church “with their own hands and out of their own meager income.” He said that the black church was more than a place of worship, but also a place for social gathering, a safe place, a place to train young members of the community. “So, it has historical importance,” Keller concluded.

The church, at its best had a membership of about 100 people. Keller said that there were some notable people who were members of the church including former slave Aaron Dyer who was involved in the Underground Railroad “in Springfield and apparently in Lincoln.” Dyer’s son Billie became a surgeon and was one of the most prominent black surgeons serving during World War I.
 

Langston Hughes was a member as a teenager when he lived in Lincoln.

In 2003, Allen Chapel Pastor Peggy Seymour wrote an application to have the church placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Then the city followed suit and passed a resolution that the church was a city historic site, Keller said.

As church membership began to fall, some of the members formed the “Friends of Allen Chapel” group. Among those in the group were Nancy Saul, John Sutton, Jackie Pfeiffer, also Keller and others.

Keller said that many of those original members have passed on or moved on. Still it is felt that the church is too important to local Black history and town history to let it go. So, Keller was approached to be the guardian of the church and he accepted.

He said that there have been improvements to the church. John Sutton did tuck pointing, and heating and air conditioning were updated. He said overall the building is in good shape with some concerns. First, the roof is showing signs of sagging. There are also some issues with the drop-down ceiling inside and one small area that looks like it is mold infested and will require remediation.

Keller said that he was going to form a new Friends of Allen Chapel group. He plans to seek grant funding for repairs to the church and wants to work with the Logan County Tourism Bureau on future promotion of the church. He wants to hold some small events at the church including his goal to have the 2022 Juneteenth celebration in part at the chapel.

Keller said to keep his projects moving forward, he wanted apply for grants but was being hindered by the debt the church owes the city. He asked that the council hear from City Clerk Peggy Bateman on the debt.

Bateman said that currently the debt against the church is $1,957.33. She said that she was certain that the majority of that debt was late fees. However, because of switches in software and loss of specific details, she could only verify that $850 is penalties. She said that the city has a lien against the property for the debt.

With Keller finished, Mayor Tracy Welch said that what Keller is seeking is something that Welch feels is in line with the work of the Economic Development Commission as they strive to keep local businesses moving forward in Lincoln. He said that with the church being a historic landmark in Lincoln he felt that it was in the city’s best interest as well as the church’s to waive the debt and permit Keller the opportunity to seek out the funding he needs.
 

Rick Hoefle asked if the Covid recovery grants that the city has access to would be available to the church. Those recovery funds might be used to pay the debt rather than seeking the waiver. Hoefle also asked if the church was still active.

Keller said that the church is closed with no remaining congregation. He also noted that the building and property are owned by the AME diocese, but that diocese does not have the money to help Allen Chapel.

Welch said that yes, if the building property is zoned commercial, then grant monies could be used to pay the debt. However, he said that it if the money were taken out for the chapel so it could pay the city, nothing would be gained. He felt that forgiving the debt and keeping the grant money for a more useful purpose was a more responsible way to go.

Wanda Lee Rohlfs wondered what would happen on down the road. If the city forgave the debt, how would the church handle the future debt? Keller said that right now, the building will not be utilized in a manner that requires water or sewer. Right now there is not even electricity and though it may be a challenge to do repairs without electricity, he doesn’t plan to have it turned on in the future.

Steve Parrott asked if there was a reason that the diocese was not willing to pay the bill. Keller said that the diocese leaves financial management including debt payment to the individual churches.

Parrott asked if the diocese wants to continue owning the property. Keller said yes the diocese does want to keep the building. Keller said he had also made it clear that while he will oversee the church and will rebuild the Friends group, neither he nor the group will want ownership of the building to leave the diocese.

Parrott then asked if the diocese would help out in the future? Keller said yes, they had a small amount of funding they were willing to help out with. But they, like many other religious organizations are stretched and can’t afford to put out large sums of money for Allen Chapel. He did elaborate that there are some small things around the church that need done, such as changing of locks and opening locked doors that no keys can be found that the diocese will pay those bills.

Welch said that there are many buildings in the city that have willing buyers who can’t get them because the buildings are being “held hostage” for taxes. He said that in essence, the city would be giving up $1,100 and he felt it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

Sam Downs questioned the amount Welch had stated, noting that the document in front of him said the church owed $1,900 put Welch had said $1,100. Welch explained that it is not an unusual practice for the City Clerk to work with customers on the late charges to their accounts if they can bring the actual sewer fees to current. The Clerk can verify $850 in late charges even though it could be more. Therefore, Welch determined that if the late fees were forgiven, then the city would be surrendering $1,100 worth of possible revenue.

Kevin Bateman said he was also in favor of wiping out the entire debt and the lien.

Rohlfs asked if Keller or the diocese has plans to do fundraisers to support the church in the future. He said yes those discussions have taken place, but before he can move forward in that direction he needs to build up the membership of the Friends group and get volunteers who will help him organize those fundraisers.

Hoefle asked how many other unpaid bills the church has to deal with. Keller said that the only debt against the church is the sewer fees. Hoefle then said, if and when the city waived this debt, if Keller could move forward with grant applications. Keller said yes, he was ready to go as soon as the debt questions were answered.

Keller was asked if there were historical markers at the church to attract tourists. He said not really, but he is planning on talking with the tourism bureau about such things.

Hoefle had suggested that the item go on the next voting agenda, and Welch asked if the council was in favor of doing so.

Rohlfs said that while she was not against doing so for the church, she wondered how many others would come forward asking the same favor. Welch said that was a question with no obvious answer. The city would have to deal with each one as it came forward. He said what was exceptional about this request was that Allen Chapel is a historic landmark.

At the same time, Welch said that the goal of the city is to keep buildings occupied and in good repair. That is why the economic development grant commission was created.

Rohlfs then wondered if liens to the city were something that should be put into the hands of that same commission. Welch said that was a possibility that could be taken to the commission. He noted that the commission is meeting on Friday, October 29th and the topic could be added to that meeting agenda.

It was decided that the commission should discuss it, and Peggy Bateman was asked to put a line on the commission agenda regarding liens. It was noted that the reference to liens will apply only to liens held by the city of Lincoln and will not impact any liens imposed by other creditors.

In regard to Keller’s request, the council agreed to place the total debt forgiveness and waiver of the lien on the Monday night voting agenda.

The next voting meeting of the Lincoln City Council will be Monday, November 1, 2021. This item will be on the agenda for voting. However, the council has the right to table any agenda item if they feel they are not prepared to make an informed decision.

[Nila Smith]