Overton County Commissioners approved a resolution to acquire a cost estimate for building improvements to the county’s courthouse.
The Overton County Courthouse was built in 1868 and is the eighth-oldest courthouse in the state. Resident and Contractor Kelly Coleman said while working on downtown improvements, he has noticed the poor condition of the building.
“I’m just gonna be honest,” Coleman said. “It really, the decay around the window seals, and the windows, and the doors, particularly, it just stands out more than ever because of the work that we are doing over there.”
Commissioner Darwin Clark said the courthouse is part of the county’s heritage and that he would hate to see it go to the wayside.
Coleman mentioned that there is a grant the county could pursue that ranges from $50,000 – $500,000. Coleman advised that seeking professional help would drastically improve the likelihood of receiving funding.
“Having that hard number is good, but don’t stress it if you don’t have exact numbers, cause nobody expects that right now,” Coleman said. “They really need a professional opinion on the big picture needs, right. Not strictly numbers.”
Coleman said he would think Upland Design out of Crossville could come and look at the building to see what improvements would be needed. Barlow said he will also see what grant opportunities could be available during his meeting with the UCDD on Friday.