Photo credit: The Midland County Court Report

What happened: The Midland County Commissioners Court met on Tuesday, Nov. 18, and spent significant time finalizing the name of the new Courthouse Annex and reviewing progress on the county’s $5 million water-supply partnership with the Midland County Utility District (MCUD). Commissioners also approved new courthouse security upgrades and renewed funding for the TxDOT HERO roadside assistance program.

Key points:

  • Courthouse Annex naming: Commissioners voted unanimously to name the new Midland County Courthouse Annex after retired Judge David M. Cobos, following a lengthy discussion. The 55,000-square-foot, $21.5 million facility (funded entirely with cash) will house the Justice of the Peace courts, constables, warrant officers, and the medical examiner’s office when it opens in September 2026.

Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace John Barton outlined Cobos’ 46-year career, including founding Crime Stoppers in Midland, shaping statewide judicial procedures, and mentoring judges across Texas. “His work reshaped our justice system, street and public safety, and built programs that still guide this county today,” Barton said.

Multiple county employees, including Constables Douglas Brown and Jamie Hall, urged the court to move forward with the naming. “I owe a lot of who I am today to [Cobos],” Hall said. A county employee added, “I could always call on [Cobos] to help me out.” Sheriff David Criner echoed their sentiment, saying, “The court needs to do the right thing. Name this David Cobos center.”

Commissioner Charles Hall, Dianne Anderson, and Steven Villela said they preferred waiting for public feedback. Commissioner Jeff Somers disagreed. “I’ve never heard a word against him,” he said. Judge Terry Johnson noted past courts routinely named buildings without public polling. Despite earlier hesitation from three commissioners, the court voted unanimously in favor of the Cobos name.

  • Courthouse turnstiles: Commissioners approved installing donated turnstiles at the courthouse lobby. Pioneer Exxon contributed the equipment, and the county will spend $12,000 on installation. Employees will enter through a new badge-access point, while jurors and the public continue using the main entrance with standard security screening.

Villela requested a full master plan before additional spending, asking how previous door reconfigurations fit into the final design. Johnson said the county had already invested in the project and only needed to “finish it up.” Criner said the lobby plan had always anticipated turnstiles. The motion passed, with Villela voting no.

  • HERO roadside assistance: Commissioners approved the second $500,000 payment for the TxDOT HERO roadside assistance program, part of a two-year agreement. The program deploys roadside-assistance trucks along Interstate 20 to help stranded drivers, respond to accidents, and manage traffic.

Johnson praised the program’s impact. recalling an incident where HERO crews assisted a women giving birth on the roadside. “It gives you goosebumps when you see the good work they’re doing,” he said. Anderson noted that the program has been much busier than they thought, and Villela said residents regularly contact him about the program’s value.

Johnson thanked the Permian Strategic Partnership and former U.S. Secretary Don Evans for helping bring the program to Midland County, noting TxDOT typically limits HERO to the state’s largest metro areas.

  • MCUD water infrastructure: Commissioners approved a $5 million interlocal agreement with MCUD to continue building water-supply infrastructure serving the county and the future juvenile detention center. MCUD General Manager Norman Ashton said the project is 25% complete, with wells producing 1.25 million gallons per day and treatment tanks under construction.

A temporary containerized treatment plant will operate until MCUD can fund a full facility through a bond election. Ashton said the new county funding allows MCUD to extend water lines to the juvenile facility and resume previously-paused long-term planning. “This will be the last bite of the elephant to get that plant finished,” he said. MCUD will reimburse the county if the bond passes.