County to get update on high-priority projects

BROWNSVILLE — County commissioners this morning will hear about the status of a few construction projects that they have deemed high-priority.

These are projects that need to be advanced before the end of the year, and because of their importance, will have an update at every meeting after this one, County Administrator David Garcia said.

E.K. Atwood Park improvements continue, and just a few weeks ago, the old pavilion was successfully knocked down. Construction workers have finished the demolition phase, Garcia said.

This morning, commissioners will review the proposed colors and board for E.K. Atwood Park.

Another project is the Old Wells Fargo Building renovations.

Once the first six floors are available for use, the tax office, the justices of the peace, the constables, the county clerk’s office and the IT Center can be moved.

Then, the county can start working on County Court-at-Law No. 4 and No. 5 for judges Sheila Garcia-Bence and Estela Chavez Vasquez at the Cameron County Courthouse.

One courtroom will be built from the old JP courts on the second floor, and the other will be built downstairs in a space next to District Judge Juan A. Magallanes’ court.

The commission will also discuss whether to approve a Department of Homeland Security request for right of entry into the county.

“That’s pertaining to a boat ramp that I believe the Border Patrol has on the river. They need to cross county property to do maintenance repairs,” Garcia said.

“It’s just standard procedure.”