The Hendry Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution at its meeting last week authorizing staff to submit a grant application for continuing the facade preservation of the Old Hendry County Courthouse and committing the required matching funds. Grants and Special Projects Coordinator Janet Papinaw had asked the board’s consent to the application to the state Division of Historical Resources (DHR) for $500,000 to do a second phase of the project. Hendry County had applied for and was awarded a special category grant of $350,000 for rehabilitation of the foundation. That phase has been completed, with a portion of the project being funded by the second award of $500,000 for the facade preservation first phase, which is underway. “We did not receive additional funding in 2018,” Ms. Papinaw reported. The old courthouse needs further repairs, and the county is eligible to apply for a 2019-2021 special category grant from the Florida Department of State’s DHR, her report explained. All grants are awarded by the secretary of state based on recommendations of the Florida Historical Commission, and money is appropriated by the Florida Legislature. This application will be for facade preservation phase two, which will continue to address water intrusion issues by tucking and repainting the mortar between the bricks; making soffit and downspout repairs; and re-flashing of the windows as needed. The project is estimated to cost more than $500,000, which is the maximum allowable under the special category historic preservation grant-eligible activities, she said. The total required matching amount is $50,000, of which $12,500 can be an in-kind services match, over the two-year grant period.