The Lampasas County Commissioners Court on Monday unanimously approved a tax abatement for Lometa Independent School District property at 409 E. Main St. in Lometa.

Larry Morrison, a member of Lometa ISD's board of trustees, told the court a home on the property has been abandoned for 10 years or more. The structure attracts transients, he said, and has become a target for break-ins and vandalism.

The school board plans to use the property for a parking lot after demolition of the house.

The Lometa school district and city of Lometa already have agreed to abate the taxes they levy on the property. The school board authorized the waiver of taxes once the abandoned struture is demolished, Morrison said.

"This seemed like the best for all entities to get this out of the way," he said.

Also Monday, the Commissioners Court unanimously approved a 25-year agreement with the city of Lampasas for an animal control facility to be built at 205 College St. The city will provide 1.7 acres for the facility, which will be located within the city's wastewater treatment plant and public works yard.

County Attorney Larry Allison suggested adding the word "planning" to a section of the agreement dealing with liquidated damages. The wording will ensure the city and county split the cost of architectural services, Allison said.

The Commissioners Court approved the change, along with an adjustment of the length of renewal terms. After the first 25 years, the agreement can be renewed for successive five-year periods.

In another item, commissioners voted 5-0 to use both brown and red brick for the north side of the addition to the Lampasas County Office Building.

The west face and first quarter of the new building's north side will use brown brick, and the rear three-quarters of the structure's north side will use red brick similar to the color of the existing annex building's exterior. The east side of the addition will use red brick to match the color of the current annex.

Architects have said a mix of colors on the building's side wall will replicate 19th-century style more accurately than would the use of a single color, County Auditor Jack Clark said.

Nancy Gray, who is providing artistic direction for the annex expansion project, added that a covered breezeway to be constructed north of the county office building addition would look too dark if the whole north side of the new building used brown brick.

At its next meeting the Commissioners Court will discuss design proposals for the breezeway. The most recent cost estimate for the entire annex project, which Clark presented to the commissioners, totals $3.57 million.

In other business, commissioners voted to open bids Jan. 22 for asphalt and worker's compensation insurance. The court will select the winning bids at its Jan. 26 meeting.