The Collin County Commissioners Court considered a number of multimillion-dollar items at its latest meeting ahead of an anticipated bond election in November.
The commission’s planning board appeared before the body on August 7 and recommended a number of projects. Among the recommendations were a new medical examiner’s office, expansions to the county’s criminal justice and animal shelter facilities, and road repairs.
Potential road projects include the rebuilding of county roads that have become “overloaded” due to population growth and development, according to the board’s presentation. The road projects are expected to take about five years to complete and will cost taxpayers as much as $380 million.
The planning board also recommended expansions to the county’s adult detention center, courthouse, and juvenile justice facility. The adult detention center would see the addition of a new infirmary building, renovations, and the relocation of its kitchen.
The Russell A. Steindam Courts Building would see the addition of 12 new courts and a parking garage with over 400 spaces. Potential projects for the juvenile justice facilities include the construction of another housing cluster and the relocation and expansion of the probation office. The project is expected to cost taxpayers $261.8 million.
Other projects that could be included in the bond election include a $22 million allotment for the development of new parks and the rehabilitation of Myers Park, $13 million for the construction of a new 20,000-square-foot medical examiners office, and $5.7 million for the construction of a 10,000-square-foot extension to the county’s animal services building.
Officials estimate that the projects would cost taxpayers $683 million. The board, however, advised that the commission increase the budget for road projects to $600 million, raising the total costs to over $903 million.
Rusty Glover, chairman of the planning board, said that the initial bond estimate of around $683 million would not be sufficient in light of the growth the county’s been seeing.
Collin County Judge Chris Hill said he supports every one of the items. However, he said that the court cannot operate without “financial constraints” and said the measures would also need the support of citizens.
“My concern is after we potentially raise your taxes, we are going to ask you if you are willing to raise your own taxes. Even knowing all of that, I am still in favor of a bond election,” said Hill, according to The Dallas Morning News. “I am concerned. We are going to have to craft this very well to the citizens about why it’s important. That means taking out anything that is not absolutely necessary right now.”
