WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS REVIEW COURT NEEDS RELATED TO JUDICIAL CENTER PROJECT

  

Washington County Commissioners learned more on Tuesday about the data driving the potential building of a new judicial center.

PlanNorth Principal Architect Katie Burch shared information from a judgeship needs study conducted by court planning firm Fentress, Inc., examining growing caseloads and security concerns as primary factors in why the facility is being considered.

Burch said there are multiple future-facing objectives with this project, as it will need to be designed to address current conditions and meet challenges that could arise later on.

According to Burch, Fentress interviewed court-facing departments like the district judges, district attorney, county and district clerks, and sheriff’s office.  Those conversations were incorporated into recommendations for a roughly 70,000-square-foot facility that houses two district courtrooms, a county court at law courtroom, and a community space that can also serve as an extra courtroom.  It would also have a detention area for inmates that connects to the jail via a secure inmate corridor.

Washington County is part of a four-county circuit that includes Bastrop, Burleson and Lee counties, so Washington County shares judicial bench time with those other counties.  Burch said based off of caseload trends over the past two decades and projections over the next two decades, the county will soon need to have court active more often.

Burch also talked about the safety issues at the courthouse that can be rectified with a new facility.  She spoke about fire egress and the need to have separate space for those who are incarcerated, so that the “extremely burdensome situation on law enforcement” can be alleviated and that court-facing officials and the public are better protected.

District Attorney Derek Estep said his office is allotted roughly ten jury trials in a year, split between criminal and civil.  He said his office files around 300 cases on average, with a majority being pleaded out.  He noted that last week, trial dates were being set for March or April of next year, with a reason being the amount of time that judges are able to allot to each of the counties within their jurisdiction.

Burch said she hopes to come back at a later meeting to further discuss design elements of the judicial center, as well as the proposed covered rodeo arena at the Expo. 

Commissioners will vote on Tuesday, August 11^th on whether to issue up to $45 million in certificates of obligation to fund the judicial center project.  The rodeo arena is expected to be the subject of a bond election on the ballot this November.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners:

• Recognized Washington County employees and retirees for the second quarter.  Recognized were Beth Ann Schramm (30 years), John Howard (15 years), Travis Bader, David Jones, Tammy Rosenbaum and Yasmeen Youssef (all 5 years).  They also recognized retiring employee Tomas Weidmer (2016 – 2026).
• Approved the hire of a deputy clerk in the county attorney’s office for a pay rate exceeding the 6 percent allowable amount.
• Approved a resolution for the 2026 Indigent Defense Grant Program.
• Accepted a $50 donation from Bobi Anderson for deposit into the Washington County Sheriff’s Office donations account.
• Heard reports from the EMS department, sheriff’s office, county and district clerks, justices of the peace, auditor, tax assessor-collector, treasurer, constables, elections and veterans service office.
• Discussed formal notices from Periti Group for new fiber installation in the county right-of-way of Old Independence Road and Hopmann Road in Precinct 3.  No action was needed.

Click here to view the agenda packet for Tuesday's meeting.