Anderson County delays purchase of Commercial Bank building for elections office, schedules workshop

County commissioners on Wednesday declined to approve a contract to purchase the former Commercial Bank of Texas building at 412 East Lacey Street in Palestine and instead directed staff to hold a public workshop on April 7 to study the proposal and alternatives.

The building was offered for a cash price of $350,000 with a $125,000 donation from Commercial Bank of Texas, bringing the county’s net cost to $225,000 under the terms presented at the meeting. Jessica Hawkins and David Walker, representatives of Commercial Bank of Texas, reviewed the building and the bank’s offer during the meeting and answered questions about recent renovations and the bank’s timeline to list the property.

Commissioner Wilbanks, who introduced the idea to the court, described the renovations Hawkins and the bank had made: four new air‑conditioning units installed in 2020, a new roof installed in 2020, new carpet and ceiling tiles installed in 2018, and bathroom upgrades in 2024. Hawkins said the bank had negotiated with county staff and had…