As Randall County continues to grow, so too does the demand on its public infrastructure. In response, the Randall County Commissioners Court met Tuesday morning, June 10, to discuss a range of challenges related to county growth and maintenance — with one of the primary focuses being an expansion and renovation of the Randall County Justice Center.
To fund the proposed improvements, commissioners approved a resolution to begin the process of issuing $9.9 million in Certificates of Obligation (COs) — a form of municipal debt that does not require voter approval but must follow strict legal procedures and transparency requirements. The measure allows the county to proceed with publishing a notice of intent, one of the early steps in the issuance process.
The Justice Center, which occupies a repurposed former Walmart building in Canyon, was originally acquired and designed under the guidance of former County Judge Ernie Houdashell with future expansion in mind. That foresight is now proving valuable as the county grapples with the demands of a growing population, which has increased from 115,000 to nearly 150,000 residents in recent years.
“One of our needs we’ve identified is with this growth,” said Randall County Judge Christy Dyer during the meeting. “Our District Attorney’s Office is bursting at the seams. They need additional office space, as does our grand jury room. We’re going to have to expand at some point and add an additional courtroom.”
The proposed renovations and additions to the Justice Center include:
A remodeled witness room
Renovations to the grand jury room
A new courtroom, complete with judge’s chambers and related areas
Expansion of the jury room
Construction of a new courtyard
Creation of a District Attorney Administration area
The county hopes to complete the Justice Center improvements within two years. “We’re waiting for the design phase of it,” Dyer said, adding that the project will likely use the same contracting company as past renovations.
Commissioner Tam Boatler noted that he recently served on jury duty and found the jury room to be overcrowded. “It badly needs expansion,” he said — a sentiment echoed by other commissioners.
Judge Dyer emphasized the financial responsibility the county is taking in funding the improvements. “We anticipate that it will be absolutely zero impact to the tax dollar,” she said. The county aims to keep the issuance under $10 million, taking advantage of the tax-exempt status for such COs — which makes them more appealing to investors and helps secure lower interest rates.
“We’ve always tried to use Certificates of Obligation under $10 million,” Dyer explained. “They’re tax exempt, they’re more marketable, we get a more favorable interest rate, and it saves the citizens of the county money.”
The county currently has about $64 million in total debt, well below the legal limit. According to Dyer, the county could legally issue up to 100 times that amount, but has instead chosen to remain fiscally conservative. “We’ve tried to be mindful and frugal with the citizens’ money, but also not forget the future commissioners courts with obligations that they need to pay for.”
As Randall County continues to grow, officials say projects like this are essential to maintain services and ensure the justice system can function efficiently.
