Court approves interlocal with East Chambers ISD for county-managed soccer complex, asks legal to tighten term language

Chambers County commissioners approved an interlocal agreement to construct a soccer field complex on East Chambers Independent School District property and have the county manage the facility for public use. The ISD board had already approved its interlocal and staff said the Rice Festival and the ISD are cooperating on parking and lighting.

The court raised a concern about the term and termination clause: the draft alternately referred to 5-year and 10-year terms. Commissioners said the county is committing significant capital (one commissioner cited roughly $1,000,000) and asked legal staff to finalize language guaranteeing an initial fixed term before allowing routine renewals or unilateral cancellation. "I think our base terms should be non negotiable, so to speak," one commissioner said while urging a 5-year initial lock period with subsequent renewal options.

The court approved the interlocal pending legal cleanup of the term/termination language and asked county counsel to coordinate with the ISD's outside counsel and return a clean contract for consent. Commissioners said they expect staff to provide a clean copy to be placed on consent once the language is finalized.