Brazos County commissioners without comment increases the cost of building a medical examiner’s office almost $10 million dollars.
When commissioners first set how to spend federal pandemic grant money in October 2022, $24 million was reserved for the medical examiner’s office.
During Tuesday’s meeting (December 10), commissioners approved an amended contract that raises the price tag to almost $34 million.
After the meeting, the county issued a statement that there are two funding sources. The portion coming from the pandemic grant was reduced to $18.5 million. The remaining $15 million will come from the county’s general fund.
Construction is supposed to take 15 months for the one story building that can be expanded.
The site of the office is a former wooded area in Bryan on 29th Street between St. Joseph’s hospital and Briarcrest that was recently cleared.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for next Tuesday (December 17) on the more than 22,000 square foot facility.