Montgomery County commissioners killed any chance of a November bond election for a proposed $350 million justice center Thursday, Aug. 6, rescinding the motion after more than 45 minutes of debate over the building's size, cost and whether it would be outdated before anyone moved in.
The vote means the Monday, Aug. 17 deadline to place a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot will pass without action. For Woodlands-area homeowners, who pay county property taxes as unincorporated Montgomery County residents, the decision removes a potential $0.0160-per-$100-valuation tax rate increase from the fall election cycle, according to Community Impact.
"Here we are sitting here, and we're still confused about this," County Judge Mark Keough said during the meeting. "I don't think we're ready to move forward on this at all."
What the court objected to
All four commissioners and County Judge Keough raised concerns, though each pointed to different problems with the plan presented by Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects.
The architects showed a 10-floor concept with a basement totaling about 316,000 square feet, a 777-space parking garage and an estimated price tag of $342.3 million in January 2029 dollars. The design assumed 21 courtrooms and included two unfinished shell floors for future expansion.
That wasn't enough, according to Judge Kristin Bays of the 284th District Court. Bays told commissioners the county currently has 23 judges sharing just 17 courtrooms and could need 27 if four additional courts previously backed by commissioners win approval from the Texas Legislature.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said the compressed timeline was his biggest concern, arguing the court should push the decision to May or November 2027. Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray said he would not support asking voters to authorize hundreds of millions of dollars without a plan that accounts for growth through 2050 or 2060. Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Walker questioned the downtown Conroe site itself, arguing a larger property footprint would let the county build outward instead of stacking 10 stories. Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler called for a committee and more input from the tax assessor and county clerk before locking in a design.
How the project got here
Commissioners voted 4-1 in March to seek architectural services for a justice center adjacent to the Alan B. Sadler Commissioners Court Building at 501 N. Thompson in downtown Conroe. Wheeler cast the lone dissenting vote. On July 9, the court unanimously hired BSW Architects to refine earlier facility studies and develop a firmer cost estimate.
Earlier projections ranged from about $250 million for a courthouse alone to $700 million under broader courthouse-and-jail scenarios. The current courthouse dates to 1936.
County financial advisor John Robuck of BOK Financial Securities told commissioners at a July 24 meeting that a $350 million bond would translate to a $0.0160-per-$100-valuation increase in the county's debt service tax rate by 2029, according to Community Impact.
What's next
Commissioners said they plan to hold additional workshops after the county wraps its budget process, tentatively after Sept. 1. No specific workshop date has been set. The next available ballot opportunity is May 2027; to make that deadline, the court must call the bond election between Jan. 31 and Feb. 12, 2027.
Residents who want to weigh in can attend Commissioners Court meetings, held Tuesdays at the Alan B. Sadler building in Conroe.
