ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — Plans for a new Ector County Courthouse have been in the works for quite some time now, but not everyone in the county supports how it's being handled.
Michelle Spinks of Ector County said she saw almost everyone get up and leave Tuesday's Ector County Commissioners' Court meeting.
"That wasn't really a positive sign for me because being aware of what's going on in the county has got to be something more people consider doing and being aware of," she said. "That was kind of disheartening to see that many people just get up and leave after, I guess maybe they didn't like the vote; they didn't like the way it went."
Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett and the commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of issuing a certificate of obligation to fund work on the county courthouse and juvenile detention center.
"It was a unanimous decision," Judge Fawcett pointed out. "All five of us are staunch Republican conservatives who do not take something like $300 million in debt lightly, but today, we know that the problem is so massive that we need to address it with a solution."
Judge Fawcett went on to say that, "A thesis of mine is that government is there to solve problems and solve its own problems. This is how we solve the problem of a failing facility."
Many concerned citizens voiced their opinions about the issues the two buildings have been dealing with for years.
One attendee said they work with a local church and often go visit the youth center.
“Spending time there, it doesn’t take long to recognize that the facility is inadequate," the attendee noted.
“Needed courthouse repairs appear to be at a critical stage, and something needs to be done,” another attendee said.
Even Ector County commissioner for Precinct 3, Don Stringer, didn't hold back when talking about how bad things had gotten.
"It's disgusting," Commissioner Stinger said. "None of you would put up with this in your home, your business or anywhere else. It is our duty to protect our employees."
The real opposition isn't about building something new, it's about using a certificate of obligation to finance it.
Samantha Russell, the future commissioner of Precinct 1, said, "I feel like certificates of obligation are often abused. It’s kind of a rubber stamp, a way of avoiding the taxpayers or bypassing the taxpayers getting a vote. So, I stand against that always."
Originally, the plan was to put this up for a bond vote, but Judge Fawcett said the time is now.
“Before I got in, it was part of my five-year strategic plan to have it on a bond vote in November 2025, but it simply can’t wait," Judge Fawcett stated. "That’s just the nuts-and-bolts leadership required. You have to make hard decisions in a timely fashion. It cannot wait another year, so we are taking action."
More details, including costs, will be discussed at the public meeting on Nov. 19.