Commission agrees to match $5,000 for Vance House assessments as group seeks larger restoration funds

A local preservation group told Harrison County commissioners that the Vance House is structurally unstable and should be converted from a museum into a public meeting and education space. The group asked the county for financial help in completing necessary architectural and structural assessments.

Speaker 10 said two of the assessments from consulting firm WYK had already been completed and that the group had paid $8,282 toward the work; Laura Davis, identified as a member of the group's board during the discussion, contributed to assessments and the city had provided $5,000. Speakers described shifting conditions in the building, including a moving central staircase that makes the structure unsafe for public use.

The county president moved that the county match the city's $5,000 contribution. The motion to contribute $5,000 from county funds was approved by voice vote. County staff and the group said the assessments will guide decisions about whether the work requires state historic-preservation approvals and that subsequent phases could require substantial fundraising.

Supporters emphasized a step-by-step approach: complete geotechnical and architectural assessments, consult the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and then prioritize work items for fundraising and contracting. The group told commissioners they did not yet know final costs; one speaker said it "could well be hundreds of thousands of dollars."

The commission’s $5,000 match is intended to help complete the next round of assessments and to position the project for state or private funding.