The Waller County Commissioners Court received updates on several construction projects, discussed a recent uptick of COVID-19 cases and approved several monetary items during their May 27 meeting.

The court was given updates on renovations made to the Hempstead Library and the Precinct 4 Building by Waller County Construction Manager Danny Rothe. Rothe said the library project is on schedule and on budget. It is expected to open by the end of summer. The Precinct 4 Building is also near completion, with more than 80% done, Rothe said. The annex may be named  after a local hero, but discussions are still up in the air. Payments for each construction company involved in the renovations and construction were approved by the court as well, totaling about $512,000 to Dahvar Construction and Design, and Collier Construction.

A $12,500 payment and agreement with the Fort Bend Children’s Advocacy Center was also approved by the Court. The center is a nonprofit agency serving child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect through Court Appointed Special Advocates and the Advocacy Center. The payment was allocated in the 2020 budget.

Waller County Judge Trey Duhon gave a COVID-19 update and said the county may be “leading the pack” with the number of new cases in the Houston-area counties relative to its population. The cases are mostly close contact infections. Duhon said there are no identified hot spots in the county so far but reminded residents that “reopening the economy does not mean letting your guard down.” He advised people continue to practice social distancing and wear masks while out. As of May 26, Waller County has 15 active cases. No fatalities have been reported yet.

The court opened two proposals for Administration/Professional Services for the 2020 County Transportation Infrastructure Fund Grant Program and will be reviewing those.

The court also accepted a Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 19 Gulf States Regional Law Enforcement Technology Assistance Initiative grant from the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The grant amounted to $101,831 and the 2020 budget will be amended accordingly.

The Waller County Commissioners’ Court meets Wednesdays at 9 a.m. at the Waller County Courthouse in Hempstead. Meetings are currently being held virtually, including the public comments portion of the meeting.. Local callers should call 979-921-6212 and non-local callers should call 800-576-1131. User code is 14329937.