Facilities director outlines multi-year capital plan; parking garage and 09/16 life-safety work top list

Natalie, the county facilities director, told the Commissioners Court the county faces a backlog of deferred maintenance across dozens of buildings and presented a prioritized, multi-year capital plan that would phase large projects rather than attempting a single-year large bond.

Lede: Natalie said the county's facility condition assessment (completed in 2022) shows several high-priority sites that need urgent attention, including the downtown annex parking garage, portions of the 09/16 courthouse campus and the Adult Probation Office (APO). The facilities office requested about $15 million in project work the office could oversee during the coming fiscal year but presented alternatives and smaller, phased packages.

Nut graf: The 2022 facility condition assessment uses an FCI (facility condition index). Several buildings fall into ranges that suggest either major renovation or replacement. The annex parking garage and sheriff's garage scored worst; the report shows the annex garage needs work that could cost into the millions and that replacement costs exceed repair costs at high FCI values. Facilities proposed a phased approach focused first on life-safety and roof and water-intrusion repairs.

Key priorities and estimates - Parking garage: The director estimated an early planning figure of roughly $8 million for a replacement-sized project (250 parking spots) and said design funds should be added to the FY26 budget so the court can compare cost and location alternatives. She warned that underground utilities and code-required exiting for a new garage could change absolute cost once engineers design the structure. She also noted the possibility of alternate sites but stressed design work is needed to make an apples-to-apples comparison.

- 09/16 courthouse life-safety and facade work: Facilities recommended phased work on the courthouse, starting with life-safety upgrades, air-handling and roof repairs, and addressing window/curtain-wall water intrusion. The facilities condition index projects the courthouse's condition would materially worsen without recurring capital maintenance.

- Medical Examiner's Office (MEO) and TAGG site: Natalie gave a construction update on the new MEO facility and the Technical/Administration/Generation Group (TAGG) building. She reported MEO remains within the construction budget and that work should be substantially complete this winter; TAGG and MEO both add new square footage that increases maintenance and utility needs beginning in FY26.

- Adult Probation Office (APO): APO's building has legacy systems, single-pane steel windows and asbestos-containing caulk; facilities presented a long list of deferred repairs that would be costly and complex because abatement is required before many renovations can proceed. Facilities estimated demolition and rebuild figures as part of long-term planning and recommended considering leased office space or using other county properties during phased replacement planning.

Capital and operating impacts Natalie asked the court to consider phased funding rather than trying to pay for all needs at once. She identified $15 million as a manageable FY26 program the facilities staff could oversee, with professional services budgeted separately for design. She also noted material and construction costs have risen substantially since the 2022 assessment and asked the court to treat cost projections as preliminary and to authorize design work so the county can get definitive bids.

Ending: The court did not adopt final funding decisions. Commissioners asked facilities to return with clearer cost and design options and to work with the county's budget staff to show last year's funded capital alongside the current requests.