Montgomery County extends lease on active-shooter training facility pending state funding decision

Montgomery County will continue to fund its active-shooter training facility for at least 90 days while it waits for final word from the state on funding for full-time staff, according to a decision made at the March 7 Commissioners Court meeting.

Commissioners Court received an update on its request to the Texas Legislature for funding to purchase and outfit an active-shooter training facility, outlined by Jason Millsaps, executive director of the county's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“This is a big project that we're working on with the sheriff's office and Sheriff [Rand] Henderson. His team has staffed it every day since we've been open, and they continue to agree to staff it,” Millsaps said regarding the training facility. “Ultimately, if we get the state award, we'll be able to hire a full-time crew to run the facility.”

The court voted unanimously to approve a 90-day lease extension on the facility, located at the former Keefer Crossing Middle School on FM 1485 in New Caney, using American Rescue Plan Act funds. This funds it through June, which allows time for Millsaps to know if the state approves $15.5 million in funding for the facility, he said.

“I was in Austin last week, and we were able to get a writer from our sponsors in the Senate and the House in the budget to continue that program full time,” Millsaps said. “It still has to pass final passage, but the writer is at least now in the budget.”

Even if the facility funding is approved, the court may have to approve another few months of funding for the leasing of the facility until the state funding is actually received by the county, he said. However, Millsaps did inform the court that while the resolution sent to the state requested $15.5 million, the state does have $23.7 million allocated to potentially go to the project.

Commissioners Court also voted to put Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack in charge of oversight to the court collections department after a nearly two-hour executive session held before addressing the agenda. Community Impact reached out for clarification on the reasoning behind the decision, but according to Millsaps, the information could not be provided due to discussion occurring in executive session.