County staff presented a quarter‑one update on multiple Collin County campus construction projects and told commissioners that meeting federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) deadlines is essential to preserve roughly $201 million in ARPA funding.

The projects discussed at the commissioners court meeting include a Phase 1 booking addition, a Phase 2 medical‑mental‑health facility, a new modular central utility plant, a health‑care building and medical examiner facility with a 447‑space parking garage, a juvenile probation office renovation in Plano, a courthouse expansion and an animal shelter, among others. County staff said funding sources include 2007 bond funds, 2023 bond funds and ARPA, and staff gave completion estimates, cost totals and the current percent complete for several projects.

The update matters because the county has set internal targets to process invoices before federal deadlines and avoid losing ARPA money. “We were gonna receive $201,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds,” the presiding judge said during remarks following the presentation. Staff told the court they are targeting final completion and invoice processing by the end of November 2026 to meet the strict federal deadline of Dec. 31, 2026.

Katheria, the staff presenter, said the presentation covered only new construction and not permanent improvement projects: “This presentation does not include any permanent improvement projects. So it'll be just the new construction.” For several projects the briefing included contractor names, design teams, square footage, original construction estimates and updated totals that include change orders.

Key figures and schedule details presented by staff included:
- Phase 1 booking addition: 97,189 square feet; initial construction cost listed as about $30.8 million, with change orders bringing the construction cost to $39,491,879; certificate of occupancy received Oct. 10 (previous year) and staff reported the building was ready for its intended use with a few remaining punch items.
- Phase 2 medical‑mental‑health facility: 213,142 square feet; initial construction cost shown as $105,432,000 and $106,493,207 including change orders; project 26% complete with an anticipated substantial completion in June 2026 (staff noted weather delays being tracked).
- Modular central utility plant: area listed as 7,303,560 square feet (as presented); initial construction cost $25,480,000 and, including change orders, $32,060,000; staff said the project was 65% complete and that substantial completion is now anticipated Oct. 28, 2026 because of state specialty reviews and inspections.
- Healthcare + medical examiner + parking garage: healthcare building 90,128 square feet, medical examiner about 20,318 square feet and a parking garage of 447 spaces; initial construction estimate $61,800,000 and $62,198,000 with included change orders; staff noted building permits and site permits issued in September–October of the prior year.
- Juvenile probation office renovation (920 E. Park Blvd., Plano): estimated 9,250 square feet; project cost estimate $4,080,000; staff said the county was in the bid process and construction start was anticipated in May with substantial completion early the following year.

Commissioners pressed staff on timing, staging and cost risk. One commissioner raised concerns that delaying an office addition to follow the parking garage sequence could push a multiyear schedule and increase costs; staff and court members discussed staging limits on the campus and the likelihood that surface parking will be unavailable during construction. Katheria said parking and staging make concurrent construction “extremely challenging” and that the county intends to use a construction manager at risk (CMAR) delivery method for several projects to involve contractors early in design and limit cost exposure.

On federal funding timing, a commissioner asked about invoice deadlines. Katheria replied that the strict federal deadline is the end of 2026 and said the county is targeting end of November 2026 for final completion and invoice processing to allow for internal administrative work: “However, for the administrative work and processes, we are targeting end of November to be substantially to be finally completed and moved in.” The judge reiterated the stakes, saying missing the deadline would put the county’s ARPA allocations at risk.

Staff also noted design‑team solicitations for the courthouse expansion and animal shelter drew multiple responses (11 and 10 submissions, respectively) and said the county plans phased sequencing—complete the parking garage, move employee parking, then begin office additions. Commissioners and staff discussed using CMAR and adding internal resources to manage schedules and reduce inflationary cost risk.

Staff closed the presentation by noting the county’s CARES Act and ARPA receipts: CARES Act funds received in 2020–21 totaled about $173 million and the subsequent ARPA allocation at issue is roughly $201 million. The presiding judge said ARPA funds allowed the county to fund health‑care facilities that CARES Act rules did not permit.

County staff said they will return with future updates and that many projects remain active over the next two years. The court asked staff to continue tracking weather delays, change orders and staging impacts and to report back on options to mitigate inflation and scheduling risks.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (remainder after pulling items 2 and 15): motion to approve carried, recorded as 5–0.
- Pulled consent items 2 and 15 (discussion); separate motions and final approval recorded as 5–0.
- Promotions listed on the consent agenda (Andrea Martinez, Ari Terrazis, Bobby Hill, Brandy Wiggins, Jennifer Baker, John Evans, John Tutt, Rachel Shapiro, Tyrone Simpkins, William Smith): approved as part of consent actions (5–0).
- Health Care Foundation consent agenda: approved (vote recorded as 5–0).
- Toll Road Authority consent agenda: approved (vote recorded as 5–0).
- Housing Finance Corporation consent agenda: approved (vote recorded as 5–0).
- FM 546/Merrick Lane phase 1: acquisition of parcels 307 and 316 — the court authorized staff to proceed with documentation to acquire the property interest as recommended by staff, subject to delivery of title free of liens within 30 days. Motion carried (recorded as carried; clerk recorded “Motion carries. 40.”)

Ending
County staff left commissioners with schedule adjustments and cost figures and told the court they would continue to track change orders, weather impacts and staging constraints. Staff urged commissioners to treat the ARPA deadlines as firm to preserve federal funding and said they would return for further updates.