By Erika Hernandez

Updates on the many renovations and expansions in Kleberg County including, the courthouse, Exxon building, and county jail, were discussed at a special Kleberg County Commissioner’s Court meeting held Friday.

Sharon Fleming with the Texas Historical Commission was on hand to deliver an update on the grant process that is to fund most of the cost of the Kleberg County Courthouse restoration through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation program.

“The county did not receive any money this round of the grant (process), but the application is still out there and we are hoping to get back on the next round,” Kleberg County Judge Pete De La Garza said.

“The historical commission wanted us to demolish the current annex, which currently houses the County Clerk and Tax Assessor-Collector offices, in order to keep with the original 1914 layout of the building; however, we opted not to, and therefore we lost some points with the commission.”

The process to renovate the Exxon building for county use has begun with the asbestos abatement scheduled to take place next week. Some $2 million in certificates of obligation have been set aside for the project.

“The abatement is costly but it is well worth the money because once it is completed we will be able to go forward with our plans,” De La Garza said.

The commissioners court decided to go forward with one of the two options presented on how the building would be most efficiently used.

“We decided to go ahead with Option B which would keep the Exxon building as is; however we are only allotting the top floor for office space and the first floor will be warehouse storage,” De La Garza said.

Offices proposed to be moved to the top floor office would be the Veterans office, Taxes and Licensing, Welfare and Indigent, and also a 1,000 sq. ft. space for the county use in the future. The expansion of the Kleberg County Jail, which will add accommodations for 45 more prisoners will be funded with certificates of obligation. The county is currently seeking bids on the project. The project has an estimated $2 million price tag. “We are on target with the jail expansion,” the judge said. “We have received the blue prints and the job should be completed within the next six to eight months.”