Commissioners Court Accepts Lowered Guaranteed Maximum Price For Jail, Public Safety Building Construction

“The Commissioners Court was determined to keep the promise it made to the public about the costs – that there will not be a dollar more spent than was approved by voters,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said.

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – On Tuesday the Hays County Commissioners Court accepted a lower Greater Maximum Price (GMP) from its building team for a jail renovation and addition project as well as a new Emergency Communications/Operations building that were approved by voters in November 2016 for $106.4 million.

The Court had instructed its project manager and contractors Turner Construction Company and HOK to return to Court by the end of January with a GMP that was no more than the amount voters approved in November 2016.

The first proposed GMP was approximately $7 million over that $106.4 million, due in part to expected labor and material shortages caused by hurricanes in Texas and elsewhere. Those shortages have resolved for the most part, and the building team also reduced what are known as “soft” costs that are not directly construction related. The Court said it will work with the City of San Marcos to waive impact fees of more than $230,000.

The new estimated project total cost presented to the Court was for $103,726,403 with a $2.4 million contingency for unexpected costs, which is not expected to be needed.

“The Commissioners Court was determined to keep the promise it made to the public about the costs – that there will not be a dollar more spent than was approved by voters,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said. “This project is under budget and we will continue to seek ways to reduce costs as it moves forward.”

The Court thanked its building committee staff, project management company ECM International, and contractors for their diligence in bringing costs down.

Additional details about the presentation to Commissioners Court are available here. For more information about the public safety and road bonds approved by voters in 2016, visit HaysCountyBonds.com.