TISHOMINGO, Okla. (KTEN) — Johnston County Commissioner Cacy Cribbs said expanding the courthouse has been discussed for years.

On Monday, the county made an offer on a property located across the street from the current courthouse, which was built in 1992.

"As time progresses and more court cases happen, more property exchanges hands, the amount of documents that we have to store just continues to grow," Cribbs said. "At some point, we have to expand and have more room."

A commercial appraisal valued 106 North Fisher Street at $412,000, but Commissioners made an offer for $500,000, using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

"The justification for offering more than the appraised value, in this case, that's the last property adjacent to this courthouse property that is not already owned by either the county or the Chickasaw Nation," Cribbs added. That's our last option as far as expanding and not having to move out from the courthouse property."

But that's not the only project on the wish list for county commissioners.

"We want to see if we can possibly renovate the existing building because I think that would be a significant savings cost," Cribbs said. "We have no idea what condition its in as far as foundation, plumbing and things like that."

The purchase of 106 North Fisher street is currently in closing, and Cribbs said the added property will help with county growth.