Milam County Annex open for business
Milam County moved toward the future with the grand opening of the new Milam County Annex on July 21.
Hundreds gathered in the newly renovated facility to get a peak at the one-stop shop for county services with a dedication of the building and tours.
“This is an exciting day for the county,” Milam County Judge Steve Young said. “This Annex was an important and ambitious undertaking for the county. There was a need for a one-stop shop for county services as all services were scattered around in different buildings in downtown Cameron. The buildings were also in a state of disrepair and lacked cost-effective utilities.”
When the Cameron hospital closed the opportunity for the county to move over to that building came about allowing for business growth in downtown Cameron.
Through a trade with the banks that owned the 8.5-acre hospital property – Classic Bank, Citizens National Bank and Buckholts State Bank – the county took control of the property. An agreement was made for the county to trade all of its downtown buildings for the complex. That agreement was finalized in June 2021. The banks allowed the county to stay downtown until the renovations were complete.
With the assistance of Jim Reed with Central Texas Council of Governments the county was able to apply for a $4.7 million grant to fund the project through the Economic Development Administration. The grant request was two-fold, first to renovate the building and second to improve economic revitalization in downtown Cameron.
The EDA grant was approved and renovations began under the direction of architect Stan Graves with Architexas and EBCO General Contractor and John Egger.
For the first time in many years, almost all county services are now under one roof. The Milam County Clerk, Tax Office, Treasurer, Auditor, District Attorney, Emergency Management, Adult and Juvenile Probation, AgriLife Extension Service, Bea’s Kitchen, Texas Workforce Solutions, and Twin City Services are all housed in the new building.
Plans are also underway to fully renovate the adjacent Professional Building for use by the Milam County Health Department and WIC programs.
Almost all of the downtown buildings have been purchased and renovations have began on several of them. A coffee shop and restaurant will open in the JC Penny building, a microbrewery is planned for Bea’s Kitchen, a nail salon is set for the AgriLife Extension Office, and a restaurant is planned for the Tax Office.
The program for the opening of the Annex included speakers Hap Nielsen with Congressman Sessions office, Jeff Williford with Senator Cornyn’s office, CTCOG Director Jim Reed, EDA Regional Director Jorge Ayala, Commissioners Jeff Muegge and Donald Shuffield, former Commissioner John Fisher and Judge Young.
The Annex offices are now open for business daily at 806 N Crockett in Cameron.