County officials on the Victoria County Commissioners Court’s capital-projects workshop reviewed upcoming priorities for an expected certificates-of-obligation (CO) sale and reported cost revisions and timing updates for the county safe room and the proposed mental health hospital.

County Judge (name not specified) opened the workshop and said the purpose was “to revisit the status of all of our projects that are currently underway, as well as to look at what will be the priorities of the court, with the proceeds from the next CO issue that we do,” which staff said is expected Sept. 29.

Why it matters: both projects are large, bond-eligible undertakings that will shape how the county spends limited local dollars. The mental health hospital has a state appropriation but could still require local funding or scope cuts; the safe room has an identified site and updated cost estimates.

Staff updates
John (staff member) told the court the county has acquired a roughly 20-acre site for the safe room and has been working with multiple consultants and grant administrators. He said the safe-room cost estimate was refined from earlier conceptual numbers to about $16,000,000.

On the mental health hospital, John said the state has provided $40 million in funding for the project but that current consultant estimates and value-engineering discussions put the all-in cost in the mid-40 millions. John said the project team is seeing variations by day — “we’re at 44, 45, 43,000,000. It kinda depends on what day we're talking to our consultant” — and that soils reports delayed by heavy spring and summer rains continue to hold back a final construction estimate. He told the court staff currently expect to go to construction “sometime in January,” contingent on geotechnical results.

Bed count and contingency options
John reported the team is examining value engineering that could reduce the financed portion of the project. He said if sufficient savings cannot be found, the project could be constructed as a 40‑bed facility rather than the previously scoped 60 beds, leaving additional wings or expansions as shelled space for future finish-out.

Court direction and next steps
Commissioners did not take a formal vote but directed staff to treat both projects as high priorities while staff continue to refine cost estimates and pursue grants and value‑engineering opportunities. Staff said they will return with revised numbers after the auditor and project consultants complete a closer accounting of what has already been charged to the 2023 CO bond and what remains eligible for 2026 financing or other funding sources.

Ending
Staff emphasized uncertainties that will affect local financing needs: pending soils reports, negotiations over utilities with local providers, and day-to-day changes in contractor contingencies. The court asked staff to return with refined cost estimates and funding scenarios before final decisions about the 2026 project list.