Brazos County votes 3–1 to renew ITS transportation contract after months of public criticism

Brazos County Commissioners Court voted 3–1 on Nov. 18 to renew and step down portions of the Innovative Transportation Solutions (ITS) program-management contract after extended debate and repeated public criticism.

The court’s decision follows hours of discussion in which critics argued that ITS duplicates county staff work, lacks transparent termination language and creates a middleman that may charge the county indefinitely. Commissioner Brown described the contract as "a total waste of money" and said he planned to oppose renewal. Citizen speakers assembled at the podium pushed for explicit, near-term contract step-down dates and clearer monthly deliverables.

County Engineer Ratna Banerjee defended ITS, saying the consultant has “consistently delivered the technical coordination needed to keep the current projects … progressing.” She said ITS manages environmental and schematic processes, maintains schedules and budgets, coordinates with TxDOT and design engineers, and provides monthly updates to the court. “Program management remains a necessary function, and for ITS, they have fulfilled that role effectively for Brazos County,” Banerjee added.

Several citizens who spoke opposed renewing the contract. Adam Purdue told the court that outside consultants and individuals tied to multiple counties had undermined local process and urged the court to "begin to work on discontinuing the relationship between Brazos County and John Polster." Steven Pearsall and Jody Quimby echoed concerns about transparency and contract terms, with Pearsall saying the contract’s renewal language could allow indefinite month-to-month continuation absent court action.

Supporters of a limited extension cautioned that abruptly replacing the consultant mid-project could delay work and raise costs for local design teams and contractors already under contract. Kyle Greenwood urged a limited extension to allow current contractors to finish their work, saying it could avoid disruption and added expense.

County leadership told the court it would document step-down dates and provide clearer, written monthly deliverables. The judge said the contract would be adjusted transparently so that ITS’s role is reduced as projects reach completion, citing expected step-downs tied to project milestones.

The court recorded the vote as 3 in favor and 1 opposed. The renewed contract includes provisions the court said would reduce ITS’s role on the schedule identified for the trip bond projects and commit to clearer public reporting on deliverables. The court did not adopt the specific edits some citizens requested during public comment; several speakers said they will continue to press for contract language changes.

The debate highlighted a broader tension: commissioners and staff who argue specialized TxDOT experience is needed to shepherd federally influenced projects toward future TxDOT funding, and community members who say the county should build its in-house capacity and tighten contract oversight. The court signaled it will follow up with more transparent reporting and documented step-down dates tied to project completion.