In mid-May, North & East Texas conference attendees were invited to tour the Bell County Justice Complex, comprised of the Bell County Justice Center (Phases I & II), Bell County Jail, and Bell County Multi-Use Facility.
Phase I of the 184,900-square-foot Justice Center, funded by $23.4 million in limited tax notes, was completed in May 2006 and includes five district courts, judges’ chambers, jury call, law library, support spaces, central plant, and administrative offices for the district attorney and district clerk. Phase II, funded by $26.95 million in limited tax notes, was set for completion in June and includes three county courts at law, two auxiliary courtrooms, a justice of the peace court, and judges’ chambers along with public and administrative spaces for the county attorney and county clerk.
The adjacent 658-bed jail, funded with $42 million in limited tax notes, was completed in 2008 and includes video visitation, detention administration, 24-bed infirmary, kitchen, laundry, and maintenance space. The 158,500-square-foot facility was master planned as a 1,400-bed facility and can easily be expanded by adding housing clusters.
The $3.2 million, 29,700-square-foot multi-use facility is occupied by the sheriff’s department, county buildings and grounds, and multiple county agencies. This project was funded via limited tax notes and was completed in February 2010.