ROCKPORT, Tx — Aransas County residents should not expect significant delays as county departments relocate to new facilities, even with the courthouse's lease expiring at the end of September.
"The good news is the courts do not stop because it's inconvenient or uncomfortable. We still keep going," District Clerk Pam Heard told KRIS 6.
The offices of the District and County Clerk will now be located at 2718 Hwy 35N, but the move was delayed by the lack of a Certificate of Occupancy (CFO), a document certifying that a building can be legally occupied.
According to Heard, it was a matter of waiting for the certificate at a time when "we don't have time to wait." However, she emphasized that court operations will continue without disruption. "We're clerking for district court today. We'll be clerking for district court tomorrow. None of that stops. People that get arrested still get magistrates by the magistrates, and their process in court isn't slowed by this," said Heard.
County Clerk Misty Kimbrough shared similar optimism: "We are 90% ready to serve the public right now. We just have to have the occupancy. We have everything that we need to serve the public, just like we did in this location and the new location as soon as we get that occupancy."
The CFO is to be delivered by the end of the day on Thursday, with regular business resuming on Friday.
The new Aransas County Courthouse project, facing delays since July, is now expected to be completed in another year."We as a county didn’t design this building. We are not building this building. We’re certainly not scheduling this building," Judge Ray Garza told KRIS 6, explaining the reasons behind the setbacks.
Each county's temporary location has been leased for one year, and Garza is confident the courthouse will be ready within that timeframe. He added, "We’ve been blessed enough to find seven locations to ensure that county operations remain in effect. The courts are still moving."
Below is a list of the new locations for Aransas County Offices:
- Auditor & Treasurer Dept. - 2851 Hwy 35N, Rockport, TX, 78382
- County Clerk, Collections, District Clerk & Judge Bianchi (CCAL) - 2718 Hwy 35N, Rockport, TX, 78382
- County Judge Ray Garza & HR - 2740 Hwy 35N Unit A, Rockport, TX, 78382
- JP 1- Judge Dupnik - 701 E Mimosa St, Rockport, TX, 78382
- JP 2- Judge McGinnis - 402 E Laurel, Rockport, TX, 78382
- Veterans Services - By Appointment Only
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