The Van Zandt County Commissioners Court unanimously and conditionally accepted a $9,576,428 Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program grant from the Texas Historical Commission. The grant will go toward restoring the historic county courthouse. The vote was taken at the court's regular meeting on Oct. 21.
Acceptance depends on voters approving a bond proposition scheduled for May 2027. County Judge Andy Reese was authorized to sign related documents. Reese said the county applied for the grant in April 2026 and was notified of the award on July 31. He said recipients have 90 days to accept or reject a grant.
Reese said the election is set for May 2027 rather than November of this year because there was not enough time to prepare for a November vote. He said the Texas Historical Commission is aware of this. He said the project costs a little over $24 million, leaving the county owing roughly $15 million. The bond would cover that amount and renovation of a courthouse annex, formerly the Paul Michael building. Reese said the courthouse would need to be vacated for two to three years during the restoration.