Ector County Commissioners unanimously approved the process to begin to receive construction bids for the new juvenile center.
The agenda item was heard during Tuesday’s commissioner court meeting in the commissioners courtroom at the Ector County Administration Annex, Room 120, 1010 East Eighth St.
Mike Gardner, the Ector County commissioner for Precinct 1, said he has been eager to get construction bids as building costs continue to rise. The new Juvenile Justice Center has budgeted for $25 million.
“I want us to get this thing going,” Gardner said. “I know costs are going up. They have $25 million to spend and that’s what they are going to get. As costs go up, they are going to scale this thing down to keep it within the budget that they have. I’ll get a lot more excited when I see numbers come out. “We needed the juvenile center. It’s a big expense but as big as our county is and our city is, we need a place to house kids that don’t behave.”
Though it has been more than a year since the commissioner OK’d the certificates of obligation for the new juvenile center, Gardner said he will feel a little more at ease when construction bids start to come in.
The youth center, which is currently at 1401 E. Yukon Road and has been in that location since 1974, will relocate to 1801 S. Crane Avenue and sit to the west of the Ector County Sheriff’s Office.
Armando Rodriguez, the Ector County Commissioner for Precinct 4, told the Odessa American after Tuesday’s meeting that he’s excited about the process of a new juvenile center taking another step.
“It had to be done, because the condition (at the current location) is not in good condition,” Rodriguez said. “We need to give a better place for the kids to see if we can get them back to society and be good for society.”
Gardner said the ability of the new youth center to have vocational opportunities is going to be a positive. Gardner explained that attending college or university isn’t for every kid, but he hopes the youth that entered the Juvenile Justice Center can learn a trade that will help change some of their lives around.
“Everybody makes mistakes, some more than others,” Gardner said. “Especially with kids, you always have that faith that something will click in them or somebody will come into their life that helps them make decisions.
“I would like to know that Ector County had a part in doing that and we should. We should give them all the advantages that we can to turn them around and get them on the right path.”
The court also:
>> Approved a request from Downtown Odessa, Inc. to utilize the Ector County Courthouse parking lot for the annual Firecracker Fandango festival on July 2.
>> Approved the AIA Change Order #1 and the Certificate of Substantial Completion for the Sheriff’s Office Additions and to ratify the County Judge’s signature.
>> Approved Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. HHS000812700018 between the Department of State Health Services and Ector County.
>> Approved Kidd Heights a subdivision of 131.78 acres of land situated in Section 13, Block 44, T-2-S, T&P Railway Company Survey, Ector County, Texas (Precinct 1).
>> Approved Consent Agenda: Approved a line item transfer to Self-Funded Liability Insurance Fund, Claims Expenses, 032-960-5382 for $20,449 from Contract Services, 032-960-5309 for $5,000, from Terrorism Insurance, 032-960-5376 for $5,449 and from County Legal Fees, 032-960-5334 for $10,000. Approved a line item transfer to General Fund, Senior Center, Special Department Equipment, 001-630-5507 for $14,376 and to Departmental Furniture & Equipment, 001-630-5199 for $4,879 from Contract Services, 001-630-5309 for $19,255.
>> Approved the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for April 26, 2022 to review County financial statements and reports.
