Smith County approves property purchase for new courthouse

TYLER – Smith County commissioners have approved the purchase of property for a new courthouse that has been on the drawing board for some time. According to our news partner KETK, a unanimous vote entered the county into nearly a half-million-dollar contract with Brigadier Enterprises on N. Spring St. The $495,000 that was voted on had already been set aside for the courthouse project, which has been a top priority for County Judge Nathaniel Moran since the new decade began. While there seems to be a design that commissioners have signaled they would approve, the project has been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic. Moran said earlier this year that the court did not feel comfortable putting such a large bond on the public during a time of economic hardship.