What happened: The county reports that the future Gary Painter Detention Center, named after the longtime former Midland County Sheriff, is on budget and on time to open next year.

Why it matters: In 2024, the commissioners court approved funding the 230,000-square-foot, $170 million facility through a non-voter-approved certificate of obligation bond.

Go deeper: The facility will initially accommodate 800 beds, expandable to 1,200 beds with additional funding. The county asserts that the larger capacity is an opportunity to house federal prisoners, potentially generating extra revenue.

In November 2022, commissioners acquired the 234-acre site for $6 million. The county considered multiple properties and chose the location because it offered a large footprint unencumbered by pipelines, wells, or tank batteries. The county plans to use the excess land for a water treatment plan and other potential purposes, like a golf course.

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Midland County issued a $3.8 million bond in 1988 to construct the current 201-bed jail. In 2009, a $21.9 million voter-approved general obligation bond facilitated the jail’s two-phase expansion, including a 72-bed tent for minimum-security inmates and a 144-bed building.

Even after expansion, the jail consistently exceeded capacity, and the county routinely paid to send inmates to neighboring jails. The jail has repeatedly been out of compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for issues like plumbing problems and leaks.

A third party looked at the feasibility of renovating the current jail and determined it was more economical to build a new facility. These issues, including multiple escapes from the tent jail, prompted the commissioners to pursue a new facility.