Coryell County officials search for new facility in Copperas Cove for tax office, voting center

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

Coryell County officials are currently looking for new space in Copperas Cove, for the county tax office as well as the early voting center. 

Both are currently located in Cove Terrace Shopping Center, in separate leased space. 

Discussions about both offices took place during the Oct. 8 meeting of the Coryell County commissioners court. 

Coryell County Judge Roger Miller said that the current lease for the early voting center is expiring at the end of 2024. 

This means that early voting will take place for the final time at the voting center ahead of the Nov. 5 election. 

The tax office will be able to remain in its current space for the time being. 

However, in the meantime, the county is searching for a space to purchase that will be large enough to accommodate both services and also have enough parking. 

Judge Miller did not specify which possible locations the county has narrowed down for the new facility. 

In a separate conversation, Judge Miller said that early voting had previously taken place at the justice center on South 1st Street in Copperas Cove. However, that location did not have enough parking when the Justice of the Peace courts were in session. 

The commissioners also unanimously approved the sale of county property, a vacant lot that is just under one-half an acre, located at 804 E. Leon St. The offer the commissioners voted to accept was for $100,000, the highest and best offer received for the property which was priced at $70,000, according to Judge Miller. 

This discussion took place in a closed session at last Tuesday’s meeting, after which the commissioners took action to approve the property sale.

Also in closed session, county officials discussed other initiating other properties that the county plans to sell, via the same brokerage. Judge Miller did not elaborate on which properties those were. 

One of the judge’s and court’s initiatives has been to reduce the number of county-owned properties that are not being used and/or are vacant, and get those properties back on the tax rolls. 

According to Judge Miller, the number of those properties have decreased over the past several years. However, he did not respond to a request to confirm the number of properties then and now that the county owns. 

While the county is reducing its own real estate footprint, the county has a new construction build in the works, the new justice center one block over from the historic courthouse. 

At Tuesday's meeting, the county officials received an update on the status of the new justice center, which has been under construction since early 2024.

Commissioner Scott Weddle reported that 80 percent of the walls are sheet rocked and tile is being installed in the restrooms. The AC and power will be up and running as of this week. Temporary doors are being installed in the front columns, and the monument is now complete.

Altogether, the project is about 70 to 75 percent complete. The judges' platforms are being constructed, and irrigation, fencing, and millwork are upcoming.

The county should see a notice of substantial completion by mid-December, which Weddle said could allow for a public open house between mid-December and January 1st.

It was suggested that the open house and funding for that event be discussed at the next meeting of the commissioners.

Weddle even commented that he wanted to start pricing Christmas trees for the open house, and he added that the new lobby area will be suitable for hosting public events, with ample parking available across the road.