Architect chosen for master plan

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Donley County Commissioners’ Court selected an architect to draw up the master plan for the courthouse during their regular meeting Monday.

The court selected Volz and Associates, Inc., to come up with the plan, which will hopefully lead to the restoration of the courthouse.

The Austin based firm was highly recommended to Judge Jack Hall by several other counties and cities in the state. Volz appears extremely qualified to assist with preserving the Donley County Courthouse. The company led restorative work on the Texas Governor’s Mansion, prepared the master plan for restoring the state capitol building in 1990, and has done the master plans for the courthouses of Blanco, Gonzales, and Caldwell counties.

Monday, the commissioners’ court also set aside $33,332 for a two-thirds matching grant to help pay for the master plan.

Brad Patterson, a preservation consultant with the Texas Historical Commission, told the court via speakerphone that choosing the architect and creating the master plan is the next step in being prepared for courthouse restoration funds that will hopefully be set aside by the Texas Legislature this session. Counties that aren’t ready when the money becomes available may get left behind, Patterson said.

Governor George W. Bush is asking the Legislature to set aside $100 million to preserve and restore the state’s most historic courthouses.  Patterson said the state historical commission is optimistic that money will indeed be appropriated, and two bills – one in the house and one in the senate – have already been introduced to do just that.

“We have an opportunity here,” Judge Hall told the commissioners, “and if we don’t take it, down the road we will wish we had.”

Donley County Historical Commission Chair Jean Stavenhagen was encouraged by the commissioners’ actions.

“Now we can move forward to the next step in our grant and be in line when the governor’s legislation is passed,” said Stavenhagen.

The Donley County Courthouse was built in 1891 and is the oldest surviving courthouse in the Texas Panhandle. Its age and the fact that it is still in use today gives it a high ranking on the state’s list of courthouses needing preservation.