The big picture
City staff and consultants presented updated planning and cost estimates for the justice center, a long-term project intended to consolidate police operations, emergency management and municipal court functions. The estimates were based on a timeline that assumes a May 2026 bond election, with design beginning in September 2026 and construction starting in 2028.
Several council members challenged those assumptions, noting the city already has funding available to begin design sooner. Mayor Mike Snyder said postponing design could unnecessarily inflate costs due to construction escalation.
Denny Bowles, a principal with Brinkley Sargent Architects, said the projections were built around the bond election timeline and acknowledged that starting design earlier would reduce escalation.
“For this exercise, I used the May schedule just to be able to set some prices,” Bowles said. “If that changes, I can make the adjustment and update everything.”
Bowles estimated construction escalation at roughly 7% annually, noting that costs depend on when the project is bid and construction begins.
“That’s our best crystal ball at this point in time,” he said.
Council members expressed frustration that the estimates did not reflect the city’s ability to move forward sooner, with one member saying the assumptions were already outdated given current funding availability.
“I’m kind of like, 'Why are we presenting on old information that’s already out of date?'” Snyder said.
The takeaway
No vote was taken on the justice center, but council members signaled they want updated cost projections that reflect an accelerated design timeline. The discussion sets up future decisions on whether to begin design before a bond election in an effort to limit escalating construction costs.
How we got here
Hutto City Council first identified the need for a new justice center in June 2025, pointing to overcrowding at the city’s roughly 10,000-square-foot police facility and rapid population growth.
At that time, council reviewed early size and cost concepts from Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, including smaller facilities designed to meet 10-year needs and larger, long-term options intended to serve the city for up to 20 years.
Preliminary estimates ranged from around $50 million to well over $100 million, depending on the scope.
