Cameron County approves $1.08M plan to protect records at San Benito Annex, orders bids

County staff presented findings from an inspection of the San Benito Annex and recommended installing a high‑density filing system and repairing building envelope problems to protect county records.

County Clerk's Office representative (speaker 2) outlined the scope: moving approximately 303 shelving sections, thousands of volumes and files back from offsite storage, addressing water intrusion and rodent access, and either a comprehensive building‑improvement option (Option 1) or a scaled‑back option (Option 2). The initial estimate for the filing system alone was $312,445; after detailed assessment staff presented two packages: Option 1 with building envelope work and the system at an estimated total of about $1,082,298 and Option 2 (scaled back) at about $522,747. Moving vendors’ costs ranged from a local movers option at roughly $45,000 to a contractor quote near $237,646.

Commissioners voted to proceed with Option 1 and to include a $45,000 moving allowance as part of the approved scope; the court directed staff to prepare bid specifications and pursue a job‑order contract to shorten procurement timelines. County staff emphasized urgency, noting some microfilm and judicial records are exposed to vinegar syndrome and that delaying work could increase loss and cost.

What it means: the county will begin procurement work to hire contractors for both the filing system and the necessary building repairs to protect judicial and county records; funding sources discussed included interest earnings and sale proceeds from a Los Fresnos property if needed.