The Cannon County Commission voted Oct. 2 to approve Resolution 2025-13 supporting a state historic development grant application for the Cannon County Courthouse and committing local matching funds drawn from previously earmarked ARP dollars.

Commissioners discussed the county’s eligibility and matching-share requirements. A presenter said the county is considered Tier 2 because of its proximity to Murfreesboro, which requires a 70/30 split (state/local). The county has earmarked at least $100,000 in ARP funds for courthouse projects, and speakers indicated the county is treating an additional $50,000 (previously set aside for windows) as available, bringing the local match pool to roughly $150,000. County leaders described the state program as offering up to $500,000 per eligible historic courthouse; actual award amounts would be set by the state.

Representative Michael Hale and Shane Reeves were credited with securing the program’s availability to counties and helping Cannon County become eligible. Commissioners asked whether historic-commission approvals would be required for certain work; staff said the county will still need to work with the historic commission and that some projects (for example, window replacements) had previously been constrained by historic-commission conditions.

Chair Nathan Sanders and all commissioners present voted to approve the resolution.

The county will pursue the state grant and combine awarded funds with its local match; staff said a third-party administrator will be required for grants over $75,000 and the county plans to use its current vendor. The commission did not specify a final grant request amount during the meeting; staff said they would consult with Representative Hale about the target request.