County May Purchase Downtown Property

Hoping to meet growing office space needs, Van Zandt County has made a purchase offer for property at 205 and 207 Tyler Street in Canton.

"We need the office space and that is what our tentative plans are for it, if we are able to purchase it," Precinct 2 Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr. said.

The decision came after county commissioners met in closed session last week. The offer of $180,000 is subject to an option period during which the county can have the property inspected and possibly order a new survey.

The commissioners’ court voted to do just that, hiring Gregg Fisher to do the property inspection and Beasley Land Surveying for the new survey.

"We may be looking at moving the district attorney’s office there and possibly the tax assessor/collector’s office," Melton said.

The district attorney’s office is currently housed in a building adjacent to the courthouse annex on Capitol Street. The tax assessor/collector’s office is on the second floor of the county courthouse.

Melton added that a potential deal is only in the beginning stages because the property became available about three weeks ago.

"We’ve had meetings on it to try to negotiate a price," he said. "There are some problems with the roof that will have to be looked at. Pending an inspection, we hope to determine what we really can offer for it."

The commissioners’ court had another closed session scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m.

In an unrelated matter last week, the commissioners’ court voted to donate salvage electronic equipment to Reclamation Station in Canton.