Hardin County approves jail and courthouse renovation contracts and hurricane safe-room agreements
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Summary
Hardin County Commissioners on Dec. 10 authorized contracts and amendments for renovations to the county jail and courthouse and for a Hazard Mitigation Program hurricane safe room, approving agreements with Construction Managers of Southeast Texas, The LaBiche Architectural Group and N&T Construction by unanimous vote.
Judge Wayne McDaniel and the five-member Hardin County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a series of construction and design agreements on Dec. 10 that clear the way for renovations to the county jail and courthouse and for construction of a hurricane safe room under a federal hazard-mitigation contract.
The court authorized the County Judge to execute a Standard Form of Agreement with Construction Managers of Southeast Texas, LLC, to oversee renovations previously approved by the court on Nov. 12. The motion to authorize the agreement was made by Commissioner Amanda Young and seconded by Commissioner Ernie Koch; the court recorded unanimous support from Judge Wayne McDaniel and Commissioners Chris Kirkendall, L.W. Cooper Jr., Amanda Young and Ernie Koch.
Commissioners also approved Amendment 2 to the architectural-services agreement with The LaBiche Architectural Group, Inc., under Hazard Mitigation Grant Program contract DR-4332-0233, and authorized the County Judge to sign a Standard Form of Agreement with N&T Construction, Inc., for construction of the Hardin County Hurricane Safe Room. Commissioner L.W. Cooper Jr. moved to approve the LaBiche amendment; Commissioner Amanda Young seconded. The motion carried with all members voting in favor.
Separately, the court authorized repairs to county buildings damaged in the Spring 2024 storms. Purchasing Agent Misty Sims told the court the repairs will be funded through insurance proceeds from a property-damage claim filed with the Texas Association of Counties, less the county’s deductible of $25,000. Commissioner Chris Kirkendall moved to approve the insurance-funded repairs; Commissioner Ernie Koch seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
Why it matters: the construction-manager agreement and the HMGP safe-room contracts are the procedural steps required to move previously approved capital and mitigation projects into the implementation phase. The judge is authorized to sign agreements, after which design, procurement and construction scheduling will proceed according to contract terms.
Next steps: each agreement authorizes the county judge to execute the contract documents; the court did not amend funding lines at the Dec. 10 meeting beyond approving insurance-funded repairs and contract signatures. The court recorded formal approval on the record; contractors and architects now can proceed with the administrative steps required by their respective contracts.