WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT
Commissioners accept county fire marshal’s resignation
GEORGETOWN — Williamson County Commissioners Court members have shed further light on plans for a new jail/justice center complex estimated to cost $600 million, including a potential timeline.
In other business, officials accepted the resignation of the county fire marshal and went behind closed doors for an executive session that included an item linked to more legal fallout from the defunct police show “Live PD.”
During the Oct. 22 commissioners court hearing, an open-session agenda item authorizing a purchasing agent to advertise and receive bids for programmanagement services at the new jail/ justice center complex was pulled from the consent agenda.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Valerie Covey wanted to table the item for more discussion.
“The goal here is to hire a project manager for the jail and justice center project,” Covey said. “This is the beginning of the process to do that. But I wanted to share with you some thoughts about timing and what we’re looking at and get feedback.”
Covey then outlined her vision for a timeline to complete the project by 2030: “If the goal is to have both buildings built by the end of 2030, which is six years — an aggressive schedule by most people, then we would build for three years. I’m giving it three years — ‘28, ‘29 and ‘30. If we can get the project manager on board by the end of January, first of February, we would add to that process the two architects — and two, we might have one — one probably a specialist for jail and a specialist for justice center (construction).”
Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long cautioned not to rush into the process.
“This is jumping about eight steps forward because there was an interim plan that we talked about that maximizes current space. That seems as though something that we ought to talk about …” she said.
“That’s why I pulled it onto the regular agenda,” Covey responded. “The original problem that we’re trying to solve is that the (current) justice center is out of space. And so in order to accommodate that by the end of ‘25 — so a year and some months — we will have some of the basement folks moved out. That building will accommodate in the interim for a while.”
Still, Long urged for greater study.
“But I kind of want to see this on paper and what construction costs are,” she said. “I don’t know that I’m comfortable jumping out with that plan. We’ve had a very brief discussion about it, but there’s a lot of interim sites and I don’t know if that’s coming from the committee or somebody else. This is presuming an answer that we haven’t even voted on yet.”
Covey also supports the idea of an interim process whereby county staff would transfer as new buildings are constructed.
“Even if we proceed with the timeline, we’re talking six years that the interim solution would have to work. So, we’re going to empty out this building, we’re going to empty out the tax office and where our internal audit is. And that would give us some additional space. It would also be able to put some very strategic buildings on the market.”
Long continued to insist on a more formal process.
“Let’s see that in writing with costs and dates and what that looks like,” she said. “If we go forward with this now, it’s saying we’ve already made that decision, and we haven’t even voted on it. It seems like putting the cart before the horse. Maybe I’m the only one who wants more details. I’m not comfortable leaping off yet.”
Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles concurred.
“I want more details, too,” he said. “At some point how we are about funding this — we’re going to have a conversation with the public. And I need the information that says this is when we think we need it and why. I need more information for myself but also to have a conversation.”
In the end, commissioners opted to schedule a workshop to discuss the plans in greater detail, set for Dec. 17.
Fire marshal steps down
Commissioners also voted to accept the resignation of Williamson County Fire Marshal Hank Jones.
County spokeswoman Connie Odom declined to provide a reason for his departure.
“Williamson County does not share details regarding the departure of employees, just the dates of employment,” Odom wrote in an email, adding Jones’ last day was Oct. 17.
Jones was appointed in October 2019, succeeding the county’s first fire marshal, Marty Herrin upon the latter’s retirement.
As part of his duties, Jones oversaw fire investigations, devised fire-prevention programs and had oversight over fire personnel response to hazardous materials leaks among other duties.
More “Live PD” settlements in the offing?
Commissioners also met in a closed-door, executive session, with one topic listed on the agenda hinting at a connection to the sincecanceled “Live PD” reality show showcasing sheriff’s deputies.
One of the listed items was litigation filed by resident Scott Phillip Lewis, who was arrested Jan. 25, 2019, while “Live PD” was taping. Detained on suspicion of drunk driving, Lewis is alleging excessive force, lack of due process and other violations at the hands of deputies.
Former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody championed his deputies’ participation in the defunct A&E cable show, despite complaints the rolling cameras promoted aggressive tactics for the benefit of the show’s dramatic arc.
The county has since shelled out millions of dollars in settlements stemming from lawsuits from those affected by the incidents depicted on the show.
Last week, the county agreed to pay $2.5 million to Cedar Park resident Gary Watsky after he alleged the Sheriff’s Office orchestrated his son’s arrest for the benefit of the show’s drama.
This followed a $5 million settlement awarded three years ago to the family of Javier Ambler, a 40-year-old Black man who died after being handcuffed on the ground in 2019, despite complaining he was unable to breathe.
