Commissioners free $915,900 from annex contract to reallocate ARPA funds, approve several annex change orders

Rockwall County Commissioners on April 22 approved several construction change orders for the county annex project and voted to free $915,900 in project savings so the county can reallocate those American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to another ARPA-qualified project, the sheriff's office remodel.

The court voted 5-0 to approve proposed change orders 34, 36, 37 and 39, which include additional concrete and guardrail work, door and frame revisions, an IT allowance for infrastructure and wiring adjustments related to the generator and low-voltage systems. Commissioners also approved a separate proposed change order (No. 40) that would extract $915,900 of project savings from the annex contract and make those dollars available for reallocation to another ARPA-eligible project.

Why it matters: The county is using ARPA funding for several facilities projects (the annex, the Third Floor courtroom infill and the sheriff's remodel). Freeing savings from the annex would let the court move ARPA dollars directly into the sheriff's remodel without returning them to the general fund, provided the county follows ARPA rules and documents the transfer.

Most important facts - Change orders 34, 36, 37 and 39 approved 5-0. The tally was recorded on the meeting floor and the court's minutes show unanimous approval. - Proposed change order 40 (to free $915,900 in annex savings for reallocation) passed on a 5-0 vote. The court described that approval as a procedural step: the contractor will prepare a revised contract and the court will later take the follow-up actions that actually move funds into the sheriff's project. - County staff and contractors reported the annex remains under budget overall; Commissioners said roughly $400,000 of contingency will remain after the proposed transfer. - A separate construction issue identified earlier (undersized existing fire suppression piping feeding the courthouse additions) requires about $32,500 in repairs and will be covered from contingency.

Details and next steps Commissioner Stacy described the proposed transfer as a two-step, documented process intended to keep the money segregated in ARPA-eligible accounts: "This is a proposed change order ... it will need to go to another ARPA qualified project," he said, adding that the auditor and GrantWorks were consulted about allowable transfers. Commissioner Stacy also said the court intends to immediately obligate any freed funds to the sheriff's remodel so the county never holds the money as uncommitted ARPA balances.

Construction manager comments in the meeting noted the annex remains on schedule for early January substantial completion for the related Third Floor work and that the contractor reported savings on millwork of about $166,000. The manager also said mockups and fixes are being used to address leaking window flashings discovered during an energy test: "They've been able to resolve the issue, so I'm glad," he told the court.

The court also ratified two previously executed PCOs (project change orders) for developmental services buildout and grading so that concrete pours and other immediate work could proceed without delay.

What the votes covered (summary of items approved) - PCO/Change Order 34: additional concrete work and guardrail — approved (owner contingency) - PCO/Change Order 36: door/frame/hardware changes and FRP wall panels in storage — approved (owner contingency) - PCO/Change Order 37: technology/IT infrastructure allowance ($114,890) — approved (allowance) - PCO/Change Order 39: generator wiring and related wiring adjustments (~$33,000) — approved (owner contingency) - Proposed Change Order 40: restructure annex contract to free $915,900 in ARPA-eligible savings for reallocation — approved as proposed; follow-up change-order and transfer steps were described by staff and will return to court for final ratification.

Budget and ARPA compliance County officials said they consulted the county auditor and GrantWorks (the county's ARPA consultant) and plan to cite the federal guidance that permits reallocation of project savings between ARPA projects. Commissioners emphasized the money is federal in origin and must remain ARPA-eligible as it moves between qualified projects.

Ending note County staff said construction will continue through the spring and early summer. The court directed staff and counsel to prepare the formal contract documents and the subsequent change order steps to effectuate the planned ARPA transfer without breaking program rules.