Brazos County approves $10 million amendment to add fourth floor to 101 North Texas Avenue project

Brazos County Commissioners on Tuesday approved an amendment to contracts for the 101 North Texas Avenue project that adds a fourth floor and expands the parking garage, a change county staff estimated will cost approximately $10,000,000.

The change was part of agenda item 3, which commissioners debated for more than an hour before taking a roll-call vote. Commissioner Watson moved approval of the contract amendments; the motion was seconded and ultimately passed with a 4–1 vote (Commissioner Nettles, Commissioner Kondrala, Commissioner Watson and the judge voting yes; Commissioner Brown voting no).

County staff and the court’s construction manager told commissioners that design work for the project is nearly complete and that the current construction contract is written for a three‑story facility. “That project is being designed currently as only a 3‑story facility,” a county staff member said. Officials said adding a fourth floor now requires amending design and construction instructions immediately so the fourth floor can be included in construction documents rather than trying to add it later.

Commissioner Brown proposed an amendment to remove the $10,000,000 allocation from the project budget and return it to the general fund, then pursue a bond in the spring to fund the fourth floor; Brown said the move would reduce the tax impact on residents. Brown moved that the court “take this $10,000,000 and put it in a general fund and reduce our tax. And then we go out in the bond market in the spring to ask for $10,000,000 or more for 101 across the street.” The amendment required acceptance by the maker of the original motion; Commissioner Watson declined to accept Brown’s amendment, so the amendment was not adopted.

Budget staff explained the court could use a reimbursement-type debt issuance in the spring to return the $10,000,000 to the general fund after the county initially pays for the work. Nina Payne and other budget staff clarified that approving the contract amendment now would obligate the county to have the $10,000,000 available in the budget to issue the necessary purchase order. Payne said the county could later seek reimbursement when the court chose to pursue debt if the court approved such a step.

Commissioner Nettles, after reviewing courtroom space needs and long‑term cost trends, said she supports building the fourth floor now because future construction costs are likely to be higher and adding a floor later could require buying land or a separate building. Other commissioners spoke in favor of preserving options, including pursuing partial debt in the spring to reduce general fund impact.

The court’s action preserves the county’s option to pursue debt reimbursement later, according to staff. Court records show the vote approving agenda item 3 was recorded as a roll call: Commissioner Nettles — yes; Commissioner Kondrala — yes; Commissioner Brown — no; Commissioner Watson — yes; Judge — yes. The court recorded the estimated total cost of the addition as approximately $10,000,000.

Next steps: county staff instructed the design and construction teams to proceed with plans that allow for the fourth floor. Commissioners also said they will hold a workshop in coming months to review debt opportunities and consider reimbursement bond options for capital projects.

Ending: The contract amendment for the fourth floor and parking expansion was approved; work on design and early procurement will proceed with the cost committed in the fiscal year budget and with later options to seek debt reimbursement in the spring workshop.