Training center contract, gun range and asbestos concerns remain under review

County staff told the Victoria County Commissioners Court they have identified a low bidder on the Regional Public Safety Training Center and accepted the base bid plus two alternate bids for building construction, but an executed contract had not been received at the time of the workshop. Commissioners discussed follow-on site work and requested a plan for asbestos removal for future finish-outs.

Why it matters: the training center is a multi‑phase county facility intended to host law‑enforcement and public‑safety training; completing the building and adjacent site work (parking, septic, fencing, later a gun range and metal storage buildings) is a recurring court priority.

Contract status and budget John (staff member) said the court had selected the base bid and alternate 1 and 2 for the building; staff were still awaiting the executed contract from Logger (the apparent low bidder). He gave a working building total of about $2.1 million for the accepted base bid and alternates; sitework (pavement, fencing, grading, septic) remains a separate cost to be contracted later.

Asbestos removal and future finish-out Carrie (staff member) told the court she wants the asbestos survey and remediation for areas not currently in the project scope either added as a future phase or incorporated into the contractor’s contract to avoid future re-mobilization and extra cost. Commissioners agreed that remediating asbestos-containing materials in areas that may be finished later would produce future savings and reduce remobilization risk.

Phasing and priorities: gun range and metal buildings Commissioners pushed to prioritize a gun range and at least one metal storage building in coming phases. John said the court had identified multiple future phases — site fencing and parking (phase 2), the gun range (future phase), metal buildings for storage and SWAT dress‑out areas — and commissioners suggested moving the gun range and one metal building up the priority list because the site remains underused until secure fencing and target areas are completed.

Ending Staff said they will continue to press for an executed contract and will return with updated cost and remediation options, a recommended sequencing for site work and alternatives for addressing asbestos in areas that may be finished after the building is occupied.