Commissioners OK sale of downtown properties

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

During a brief meeting on Monday morning, the majority of Caldwell County Commissioners voted to sell the two nearly-vacant properties on the Caldwell County Courthouse Square.

The properties, formerly the Caldwell County Courthouse Annex and the Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office, were set to be va

cated as county offices took residence in the new Caldwell County Judicial Center, and as a result, other offices shifted back into the historic Courthouse.

However, Commissioner Joe Roland has long been an opponent of selling the properties, suggesting that in the future, the County would likely need the additional office space. In fact, Roland, speaking as a citizen, addressed his colleagues during the Citizens’ Comments portion of the meeting to express his concerns about selling the properties – particularly the “old bank building” located at 201 E. San Antonio St.

Civil Attorney Jordan Powell suggested that “if the word ‘sell’ is what’s making you anxious, there is always the possibility of leasing the property.”

However, other Commissioners, primarily Precinct 2 Commissioner Eddie Moses, noted the Commissioners had voted, upon beginning the renovation of the Caldwell County Judicial Center, that the properties would be sold to replenish the reserve funds used in the construction of the judicial center.

“Even to make it an office building that we could rent out, that’s going to cost us money up front,” Moses said. “I don’t think we should spend any more on the building, I think we should sell it.”

Indeed, the Court agreed, voting 4-1 to work toward selling the two properties. According to Powell, the Commissioners can consider, at a later time, the sale price and minimum bids on the properties.

In brief news:

Caldwell County Judge Kenneth Schawe reminded his colleagues as they paid the county’s bills that the Court is already $25,000 over budget on contracted professional services for the fiscal year, and that total will rise as they receive bills from contractors, including the attorneys representing the County’s interest in contested case hearing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

They considered the preliminary plat for a subdivision at the intersection of FM 20 and Callihan Road, near Fentress.

They heard reports from County departments, and approved bonds for several county employees.

The Caldwell County Commissioners Court routinely meets on the second, third and fourth Monday of each month at 9 a.m. in the second floor courtroom of the Caldwell County Courthouse. The meetings are open to the public and webcast at www.co.caldwell.tx.us.