Smith County approves next step for new courthouse

TYLER — On Tuesday, the Smith County Commissioners Court voted to approve the eminent domain proceedings for two businesses on the east side of the square. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County hopes to acquire MJL Holdings at 206 and 214 East Erwin and Rodney Kamel’s at 211 East Ferguson. Smith County Judge Neal Franklin explained this has been a work in progress for years. “We’ve been working for quite some time now, even multiple years for purchasing property on the east side of the square to build our new courthouse,” he said. Franklin is hopeful the two business will accept the final offer letter they sent out recently, so they don’t have to move forward with the eminent domain. He also explained what the next step is if the business decides not to accept the offer. “It will go to another court, another judge, and they’ll assign three special commissioners that their duty is only to say, ‘this is how much this property is worth. This is the value of these properties. Then, we have to pay that value, and they have to give us the deed,’” said Franklin.