Bill Graham / The Meridian Star The ramp at the main entrance of the Lauderdale County Courthouse is being replaced with one that is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project is being funded in part with a federal Community Development Block Grant.

As progress continues on a new ramp outside the Lauderdale County Courthouse, the board of supervisors is looking at a state grant to improve the building’s interior.

Supervisors agreed Monday to apply for a Community Heritage Preservation Grant through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The funds could be used for continuing renovations at the courthouse, County Administrator Chris Lafferty said last week.

It’s not clear how much money would be available through the grant, but MDAH would be responsible for 80 percent of the total cost of the project and the county would be responsible for 20 percent, according to Lafferty.

According to the MDAH, Community Heritage Preservation Grant funds can be used for roof repairs or replacement, window repairs, exterior siding repairs, repair or replication of dilapidated columns, turrets, cupolas, domes, or clock towers; removal of artificial siding; foundation or masonry repair; repairs to floor and ceiling joists, rafters, trusses, beams, or rotted floors; repair of mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems or exterior cleaning.

The ramp at the main entrance of the courthouse is being replaced with one that is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project is being funded in part with a federal Community Development Block Grant.

With a new county government complex in the works at the old Village Fair Mall site, the current courthouse is expected to be turned into a museum.