County approves transfer of parcel for planned Jail and Justice Complex, schedules public open house

Williamson County Commissioners Court voted March 24 to accept an assignment of contract that would transfer an unimproved parcel to the county for use as the future Jail and Justice Complex.

Commissioner Long said the parcel was selected after more than a year of site study and that the acreage was chosen to accommodate a campus-style layout able to support the jail, justice functions and potentially other county facilities in phases. "We looked at a variety of sites," Commissioner Long said, adding that the selected location is centrally located with utilities and road access that support law enforcement and future expansion.

County Manager Rebecca Clemons told the court staff is "very excited about the progress" toward the purchase and stressed the location’s support for law-enforcement operations and county services. She and the commissioner said the county is not committing to a construction schedule yet but is establishing capacity for phased development.

The court approved the transfer 5–0. Commissioners also announced an open house for April 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the EMS administration building, where citizens can view photo boards, potential exterior designs and ask staff questions; no formal presentation is planned. Commissioners said many more discussions about design and timing will follow and staff has engaged a program manager to help manage the effort.

The action transfers the parcel to county control to allow continued planning and later design and construction steps; specific project timelines and construction budgets were not set in the March 24 action.