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Commissioners hear Justice Center progress; deny $44,305 change order for pretrial suite
Summary
County Engineer gave a construction update showing roughly 90–92% completion and a projected temporary certificate of occupancy in late July; commissioners denied a $44,305 pretrial/adult‑probation suite change order after concerns about timing, cost and late scope changes.
San Patricio County’s Commissioners Court received a detailed progress report on the new Justice Center and voted to deny a $44,305 change order requested by the adult‑probation office.
County Engineer John Hernandez said the current pay application for the project is roughly $1.6 million and that the contractor reports the project is about 90–92% complete. Hernandez told the court his team expects substantial completion by the end of July and a temporary certificate of occupancy in early August, with a full certificate and move‑in targeted around Sept. 1 if external tasks proceed on schedule. He identified two timeline risks outside the county’s direct control: AEP completing easements and energizing the sanitary‑sewer lift station (estimated 6–8 weeks) and a private property water‑line tie‑in that requires coordination with the developer and the city.
Jason Wood, adult probation supervisor, asked the court to approve revisions to the pretrial/probation suite — including moving a reception desk, reconfiguring a restroom entry and adding power/data for a testing/kiosk area — and said the changes would improve operations. Wood described the requests as “minor things” but said his team only discovered the need after physically visiting the nearly finished space.
Multiple commissioners pressed staff on why the items were not raised earlier in the design process and on the cost and schedule impacts of tearing out finished work. Commissioner Yardley said the project is “too far along” to make the proposed changes without substantial rework; others noted the construction crew availability and long lead times for some components. After discussion, the court voted on a motion to deny the change order; the judge announced the motion carried and the proposed modifications will not proceed at this time.
The engineer emphasized the county’s remaining tasks: final furniture selection and purchase (to be budgeted and approved), resolving the AEP easement and power work to the lift station, and a minor water tie‑in where a property owner’s fence encroaches into the city easement. "If everything progresses as we hope, we're looking to get substantial completion at the end of July," Hernandez said.
The denial leaves the Justice Center to proceed toward the previously announced schedule; staff and the architect team will continue coordinating outstanding items and return to court with procurement and budget requests as needed.
