Wichita County unveils multi‑year facilities roadmap; officials flag HVAC, exterior and courtroom projects

Wichita County officials presented a draft multiyear facilities plan to the Commissioners Court on July 11 that schedules exterior repairs, HVAC upgrades and courtroom and office renovations through 2029 and allocates an estimated $786,000 for upgrades to be completed in 2025. County staff told the court the near-term list includes concrete work on the courthouse east side, replacement of an air-handler serving the first floor, exterior-door replacements for an IT entrance, completion of annex construction projects, resurfacing and sealant work in the juvenile detention dormitories, and renovation of an IT suite and archives space. County staff estimated total permanent-improvement spending for the remainder of 2025 at about $786,000, leaving a projected permanent-improvement fund balance of roughly $4.2 million at year-end. Looking to 2026, the court’s draft plan allocates about $2.4 million for larger items: an HVAC system replacement on the courthouse annex second floor, ceiling replacement, parking-lot lighting and security work at the Law Enforcement Center. The county also budgeted partial funding to start construction of the Burke Burnett Annex expansion, noting about $770,000 of ARPA funds already dedicated to that project. Courtroom and office reorganization is central to the longer-range plan. The draft proposes moving the District Attorney’s suite to underused fourth-floor space, building a new Eighth District Court suite and courtroom, then renovating vacated space to create additional Ninth District and County Court courtrooms. County staff estimated the DA and new courtroom buildout at about $3.75 million in 2027 and additional courtroom renovations in subsequent years, with the multi‑year run approaching $7 million for the projects outlined through 2029. Judge Johnson framed the roadmap as a planning tool: "I want to be able for the public to clearly know if we're taxing them to have money sitting in permanent improvement. What the plan is for for spending it," he said, urging public transparency while noting plans could change for emergencies or funding shifts. Commissioners discussed staging work so offices and courtrooms would not be displaced during renovations and emphasized humidity and antiquated HVAC systems as major technical drivers of the work. County staff described the plan as intentionally phased to avoid a single large bond or tax increase and to allow transfers into the permanent-improvement fund over multiple years rather than a one-time large transfer. No transfer decision or formal commitment was made at the July 11 meeting; commissioners said they expect to consider transfers during the 2026 budget process. Why it matters: the plan would affect courthouse operations, courtroom scheduling and long-term county spending for capital maintenance. Upgrades aimed at HVAC and humidity control also respond to recurring comfort and equipment‑risk issues reported by staff and judges. What comes next: the county judge asked staff to circulate the draft roadmap to commissioners and stakeholders for feedback; county staff said final budgeting and scheduling will be considered in the 2026 budget cycle and that project costs remain preliminary.