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Commissioners review courthouse roof progress, consider removing annex to pursue THC grant
Summary
Officials discussed progress on courthouse roof replacement, engineering submittals, material timelines, and plans to remove an attached annex to restore the building to its historic 1912 appearance under Texas Historical Commission guidance; no removal decision was made.
Clay County Commissioner’s Court received an update Feb. 24 on the courthouse roof replacement and early planning to remove an attached annex that commissioners said could be restored later under Texas Historical Commission (THC) guidelines.
Commissioners said engineers recently submitted materials for interior work and that shingles and roofing materials are expected in a roughly two‑ to three‑week window. The court said an OAC (owner‑architect‑contractor) meeting later in the week would produce a contractor update.
On the annex, officials described site visits by several contractors and concerns about what lies beneath interior paneling. County staff said the annex’s interior presently has paneling covering older plaster (described in the meeting as gypsum/plaster) and that removing the covering could expose damaged brick and nail holes that would affect restoration cost and feasibility. Commissioners said removing the annex would, if done under THC guidance, move the courthouse closer to a 1912 period appearance and potentially improve the county’s eligibility for future THC preservation grants, but that THC expects projects to deliver watertightness first.
The county described three contractor options for the annex that officials found financially unattractive and said the building is in poor condition. The court agreed to prioritize exterior work needed to make the building watertight and to delay any full interior restoration pending grant reviews and more detailed cost estimates. Commissioners said they will tear away some material to reduce unknowns and gather more contractor bids.
No formal vote to remove the annex was taken; commissioners said they will discuss the project in greater detail at the upcoming OAC meeting and return with updated cost estimates and possible grant strategies.
