Paddock to consider annual match for Carnegie restoration after state grant moves to next step

Staff told the board that the Terrell Heritage Society’s Carnegie Library restoration has advanced to the next step in a state preservation grant process and asked whether Paddock would consider sponsoring the required local match on an annual basis.

Raelynn said the city worked with the Terrell Heritage Society to apply for the Texas Preservation Trust Fund (referred to in the transcript as a “Grama Program”) administered by the Texas Historical Commission. The program is described in the packet as a 50/50 matching program. Staff said the Carnegie renovation master plan prepared by Mark Thacker totals about $1.5 million in work; staff proposed breaking the larger program into roughly $60,000‑per‑year restoration packages and asked whether Paddock would include a sponsor match in its annual budget for those dollars.

Jessica, representing the Terrell Heritage Society, told the board the first application package would be for two front windows (noted as more than 90% failure) at an estimated $60,000 for that scope. Staff said first‑year awards are capped at an amount the transcript described as $30,000 in that year, with the possibility of higher award amounts in later years (transcript: “first year you can only get 30; next year you can get up to 50”). The board discussed offering to include up to $30,000 per year in the Paddock budget as a contingent match subject to the grant award.

Why it matters: The Carnegie restoration is a multi‑year preservation project on a historically significant downtown building; a sponsor match can unlock state preservation dollars and reduce the fundraising required of the Heritage Society.

Process and next steps: Staff will include an annual budget line item proposal for Paddock to consider; if the grant is awarded, Paddock’s participation (if approved) would be contingent on the award and the specific annual scope. Staff and the Heritage Society are pursuing additional private and foundation fundraising to complement the match.