Commissioners Court narrows in on courthouse rehabilitation design for planning grant
The Burnet County Courthouse. Staff photo by Caden Senn
The Burnet County Courthouse is one step closer to a major rehabilitation after the Burnet County Commissioners Court narrowed in on a design plan during its Tuesday, Feb. 10, meeting. The plan will be used for a grant application that could ultimately help fund the expected multi-million-dollar renovation.
While costs and plans could change, the total construction costs for the rehabilitation are about $9 million. According to county leadership, the overhaul is needed to address leaks, mold, cracks, and structural damage, and to make major repairs to the building’s basement.
The court’s approval on Tuesday did not greenlight construction, but it did approve the court to move forward with a Texas Historical Commission grant application for project planning. This grant would cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs, with the county providing $496,236 in matching funds. The application deadline is in May.
The courthouse, which was built in 1937 and extended in 1974, has undergone significant deterioration in the last decade that has prompted calls for a renovation.
The commissioners court was presented with three options to address the aging courthouse: rehabilitate the courthouse and its 1974 addition, restore the courthouse while removing the 1974 addition and extending the basement, or restore the courthouse to its original 1937 design with removal of any additions.
The court unanimously decided on the first option, citing recent renovation work and worries about losing space in the already cramped courthouse.
“We spent an untold amount of money revamping the clerk’s office the last few years,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery said. “So for us to choose any option that loses space is not an option to me.”
County Judge Bryan Wilson was also in favor of the rehabilitation project, pointing out structural damage to the virtually defunct basement and other issues throughout the courthouse.
“The basement is leaking and subject to mold,” Wilson told DailyTrib. “This option would (rehabilitate) everything as it is, and fix major settling, cracks in the walls, and security issues.”
For more information on the project leading up to the planning grant deadline in May, visit the Burnet County Commissioners Court website or call (512) 756-5420.