Why a Justice Bond Program?
Parker County is growing at a rapid pace. From 2010-2022, the county population grew by over 34% and is increasing at an annual rate of just under 5%. Simply put, an average of 33 new people move to the county every day.
This growth rate has left the county faced with the critical need for updated justice infrastructure. The jail is overcrowded. As a result, the county pays millions of dollars each year to house inmates in other counties.
The county currently has four courts operating in three different buildings. The courthouses are at capacity and often require jurors, inmates and judges to navigate the same shared public spaces, which can compromise security. There is a need for additional courts in Parker County and office space is needed for prosecution staff to handle criminal cases but there is currently no space to add those courtrooms or offices for this staff.
After years of patchwork repairs and solutions, county leadership determined that now is the time to invest in a long-term solution that will maintain the public safety standards that Parker County citizens expect.
In a series of unanimous 5-0 votes, the County Commissioner’s Court chose to submit two bond proposals to voters in the November 4 election to fund the construction of a new justice center and expanded county jail.
Each project will be presented as a separate question on the ballot. Parker County residents will vote on each project as an individual bond initiative. Should one or both initiatives fail, there will be a two-year waiting period before the project funding can be put forward again. During that time, the county will continue to pay extensive maintenance costs on aging facilities and incur additional costs for housing jail prisoners out of county, while future construction costs continue to rise.
The Justice Bond Program includes two components:
A New Justice Center project
A County Jail expansion project
Parker County residents will vote on each project as an individual bond initiative.
Justice Center Project
The justice center project includes spaces for 8 courtrooms, the District Attorney, County Attorney, District Clerk, County Clerk (court units only). Additionally, space will be allocated for adult probation, juvenile probation, Parker County Sheriff’s Office, courthouse security and a jury assembly room.
- Size: 173,000 sqft (approximately)
- Parking spaces: 1,144
- Bond Amount: $181.6 million
The justice center project includes spaces for 8 courtrooms, the District Attorney, County Attorney, District Clerk, County Clerk (court units only). Additionally, space will be allocated for adult probation, juvenile probation, Parker County Sheriff’s Office, courthouse security and a jury assembly room.
- Size: 173,000 sqft (approximately)
- Parking spaces: 1,144
- Bond Amount: $181.6 million
County Jail Expansion Project
The county jail project will provide for a jail capable of housing an additional 720 inmates. 384 of those inmate beds will be left to be completed at a future date.
- Size: 124,000 sqft expansion onto existing 483 bed jail
- Additional Bed Count: 336 completed bed addition, 384 bed addition created as shell space (not fully completed)
- Bond Amount: $104 million
The county jail project will provide for a jail capable of housing an additional 720 inmates. 384 of those inmate beds will be left to be completed at a future date.
- Size: 124,000 sqft expansion onto existing 483 bed jail
- Additional Bed Count: 336 completed bed addition, 384 bed addition created as shell space (not fully completed)
- Bond Amount: $104 million
Tax Impact
If both bond initiatives pass, the total tax impact to Parker County property owners is estimated at $50/$100,000 of property valuation.
- Approximately $4.16 per month per $100,000 of property valuation
- Approximately $50 annually per $100,000 of property valuation
- These approximate costs are based on current population and development levels and are expected to decrease annually as county residential and commercial development continues. This does not include homestead exemptions.
- Residents 65 years of age and having filed for Homestead Exemption, and those with disabilities will not be impacted. Their taxes are frozen and cannot be increased by a bond.
Upcoming Project Information Presentations
Town Halls
Oct 2
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Go West in Walsh
Sept 23
6:00 pm
Lakeshore Baptist Church, 200 S. Lakeshore Dr, Hudson Oaks
Sept 20
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Springtown Wild West Festival
We will also be presenting at the following organization meetings. Each organization may be contacted for meeting information and attendance requirements.
- Aledo Lions Club
- Parker County Bar Association
- Parker County Chamber of Commerce
- Parker County Conservatives
- Parker County Republican Party
- Parker County Republican Women
- Parker County Retired Teachers Association
- Parker County Women's and Newcomers' Club
- Springtown Chamber of Commerce
- Weatherford Chamber of Commerce
- Weatherford Rotary Club
If you do not see your organization represented and you’d like to have a project representative present at one of your upcoming meetings, please use the contact form below to request a speaker.
Artist rendition of the proposed courthouse
FAQs
Parker County is one of the most rapidly growing counties in the country.
The age and capacity of the county jail and courthouse cannot accommodate the increasing public safety needs that come with a growing population. As a result, limited court space is creating a backlog in case hearings and leading to longer stays in the county jail.
With the jail already beyond capacity, Parker County pays a fee to neighboring counties to house our inmates who are unable to post bond and are awaiting a case disposition, by trial, plea, or otherwise. In the future, this option may become increasingly limited as other counties also face their own challenges with overcrowded jails.
A new justice center and expanded county jail will enhance public safety and create efficiencies in the court system and, ultimately, save money for county residents.
The total estimated bond amount for the total project is $285.6 million. This includes the approximate $181.6 million for the justice center project and $104 million for the jail expansion project.
These amounts account for inflation and escalation costs for final design and construction over a five-year period. This will ensure sufficient funds to complete the project.
Construction of secured facilities is higher than that of typical structures.
After considering the various options available to them, the Parker County Commissioner’s Court voted to submit a bond proposal to voters.
Two separate ballot questions will be presented in the November 4 election asking voters to fund the construction of the new justice center and jail expansion.
Residents 65 years of age or those who are disabled who have filed a homestead exemp-tion will not be impacted as their taxes are frozen.
If both proposals pass, property owners will experience an annual impact of approximately $50 per $100,000 of property valuation. For those with a homestead exemption, this will not impact the first $100,000 of valuation ($140,000 if Proposition 13 passes).
The portion of the bond that each current resident pays will decrease every year as that cost is spread to newcomers and new commercial development.
If voters choose to fund the jail expansion but not the justice center project, the jail population will increase more quickly due to a backlog in court cases. The county may incur additional expenses to explore temporary options to accommodate the need for additional court space.
If voters decide to fund the justice center but not the jail expansion project, the county will continue to pay fees to neighboring counties to rent space in their jails amounting to millions of dollars per year.
If residents vote against both initiatives, there will be a two year waiting period before the question can be brought before voters again. During that time, it is expected that Parker County will receive an additional District Court and temporary accommodations will be explored while we continue to pay fees to neighboring counties to house pretrial Parker County residents.
Justice facilities have specific requirements to ensure the safety and appropriate functionality of these buildings. Retail buildings and other types of spaces that were not designed to accommodate high security needs require extensive retrofitting that is often cost-prohibitive and impractical.
Constructing a new justice center will ensure that the building is designed to meet the community’s full scope of need including court rooms, offices and designated juror assembly space, and separate secure circulation zones to separate inmates, judicial staff, and the public. The proposed justice center is expandable so that it can continue to be used as the first phase a justice complex that will take Parker County through the next 100 years.
The existing jail was originally designed to meet the specific requirement of housing pretrial inmates. Expanding onto the building offers a practical and cost-saving solution to address overcrowding and provides a 15-year solution to address jail population needs in the most economical manner.
Resources
If both bond initiatives pass, the total tax impact to Parker County property owners is estimated at $50/$100,000 of property valuation.
- Approximately $4.16 per month per $100,000 of property valuation
- Approximately $50 annually per $100,000 of property valuation
- These approximate costs are based on current population and development levels and are expected to decrease annually as county residential and commercial development continues. This does not include homestead exemptions.
- Residents 65 years of age and having filed for Homestead Exemption, and those with disabilities will not be impacted. Their taxes are frozen and cannot be increased by a bond.
Upcoming Project Information Presentations
Town Halls
Oct 2
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Go West in Walsh
Sept 23
6:00 pm
Lakeshore Baptist Church, 200 S. Lakeshore Dr, Hudson Oaks
Sept 20
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Springtown Wild West Festival
We will also be presenting at the following organization meetings. Each organization may be contacted for meeting information and attendance requirements.
- Aledo Lions Club
- Parker County Bar Association
- Parker County Chamber of Commerce
- Parker County Conservatives
- Parker County Republican Party
- Parker County Republican Women
- Parker County Retired Teachers Association
- Parker County Women's and Newcomers' Club
- Springtown Chamber of Commerce
- Weatherford Chamber of Commerce
- Weatherford Rotary Club
If you do not see your organization represented and you’d like to have a project representative present at one of your upcoming meetings, please use the contact form below to request a speaker.
Artist rendition of the proposed courthouse
FAQs
Parker County is one of the most rapidly growing counties in the country.
The age and capacity of the county jail and courthouse cannot accommodate the increasing public safety needs that come with a growing population. As a result, limited court space is creating a backlog in case hearings and leading to longer stays in the county jail.
With the jail already beyond capacity, Parker County pays a fee to neighboring counties to house our inmates who are unable to post bond and are awaiting a case disposition, by trial, plea, or otherwise. In the future, this option may become increasingly limited as other counties also face their own challenges with overcrowded jails.
A new justice center and expanded county jail will enhance public safety and create efficiencies in the court system and, ultimately, save money for county residents.
The total estimated bond amount for the total project is $285.6 million. This includes the approximate $181.6 million for the justice center project and $104 million for the jail expansion project.
These amounts account for inflation and escalation costs for final design and construction over a five-year period. This will ensure sufficient funds to complete the project.
Construction of secured facilities is higher than that of typical structures.
After considering the various options available to them, the Parker County Commissioner’s Court voted to submit a bond proposal to voters.
Two separate ballot questions will be presented in the November 4 election asking voters to fund the construction of the new justice center and jail expansion.
Residents 65 years of age or those who are disabled who have filed a homestead exemp-tion will not be impacted as their taxes are frozen.
If both proposals pass, property owners will experience an annual impact of approximately $50 per $100,000 of property valuation. For those with a homestead exemption, this will not impact the first $100,000 of valuation ($140,000 if Proposition 13 passes).
The portion of the bond that each current resident pays will decrease every year as that cost is spread to newcomers and new commercial development.
If voters choose to fund the jail expansion but not the justice center project, the jail population will increase more quickly due to a backlog in court cases. The county may incur additional expenses to explore temporary options to accommodate the need for additional court space.
If voters decide to fund the justice center but not the jail expansion project, the county will continue to pay fees to neighboring counties to rent space in their jails amounting to millions of dollars per year.
If residents vote against both initiatives, there will be a two year waiting period before the question can be brought before voters again. During that time, it is expected that Parker County will receive an additional District Court and temporary accommodations will be explored while we continue to pay fees to neighboring counties to house pretrial Parker County residents.
Justice facilities have specific requirements to ensure the safety and appropriate functionality of these buildings. Retail buildings and other types of spaces that were not designed to accommodate high security needs require extensive retrofitting that is often cost-prohibitive and impractical.
Constructing a new justice center will ensure that the building is designed to meet the community’s full scope of need including court rooms, offices and designated juror assembly space, and separate secure circulation zones to separate inmates, judicial staff, and the public. The proposed justice center is expandable so that it can continue to be used as the first phase a justice complex that will take Parker County through the next 100 years.
The existing jail was originally designed to meet the specific requirement of housing pretrial inmates. Expanding onto the building offers a practical and cost-saving solution to address overcrowding and provides a 15-year solution to address jail population needs in the most economical manner.