Brazos County Commissioners Court unanimously approved allocating $20 million for projects concerning the repair of public buildings throughout the county during the July 28 meeting.
What you need to know
The approved money comes from the general fund and will be given for repairs for deferred maintenance:
- The county courthouse annex building
- The county administration building improvements
- Professional services associated with the projects
Previous reporting by Community Impact stated there was some resident pushback, but the court ultimately approved the certificates of obligation needed for the projects in May.
Zooming in
County Auditor Marci Turner presented a timeline for the project that went back nearly a year. She said all the funds likely wouldn’t be spent in fiscal year 2026-27, but would be budgeted for the year and allow for work to get started faster.
“This demonstrates to citizens, current bond holders and future bond holders that the county desires to issue debt to long-term capital assets and use fund balance to maintain current county buildings,” Turner said.
Trevor Lansdown, director of project management for Brazos County, said bundling work for smaller workloads allows contractors to work more efficiently, along with helping save money for the county and taxpayers.
“Working around the parameters that every other county gets to work around, I think we leverage those opportunities in a way to get work turned [around] quicker,” Lansdown said.
What’s next
The court was encouraging of allocating the funds, and Commissioner Bentley Nettles said he was completely supportive of approving the resolution. The court voted unanimously to approve, with the measure being effective immediately.
Also on the agenda
The court also heard presentations about Texas A&M University’s 150th anniversary festival plans, along with a potential 24/7 sobriety test program. Other items on the consent agenda include:
- FY 2025-26 budget amendments: The court amended the budget by about $1.825 million for the potential purchase of a building in Bryan to be the new headquarters for the Brazos County Elections Administration Office. Commissioners said the convenient location off Hwy. 6 would help with Election Day turnout and a smoother voting process.
- Local Provider Participation Fund wire: The court is approved to send up to $1 million to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for the Uncompensated Care Demonstration so local hospitals can allocate the funds.
- Juvenile Justice Center expansion: Construction is expected to cost $221,203 to expand the Juvenile Justice Center. This is the fifth change order for the center since the project’s approval in 2018.
- Comcast utility permits: Comcast has been working for months to install 2-inch conduits and road crossings along Brazos County roads. In this next round, Precinct 4 will receive 12 crossings at six different county roads, including the Fall Creek Ranch subdivision.
