Let’s talk about the price tag.
Because pretending cost does not matter would be insulting.
The Weld County Justice Center will be one of the largest public projects in county history. The county has said plainly that it will be the largest financial responsibility Weld County has taken on in its 165-year history.
That sentence should get everyone’s attention.
It gets mine.
I am a conservative. I do not believe government should spend money casually. I do not believe “important project” is magic language that turns taxpayer dollars into Monopoly money.
Nope.
Ask questions. Request numbers. Follow the process. Watch the bids. Read the updates. That is not being negative. That is being a responsible citizen.
But let’s also be honest about what we are buying.
We are not building a Taj Mahal so government can admire itself in the reflecting pool.
We are building core justice infrastructure for a county that is growing fast and is legally responsible for providing court facilities.
The State Court Administrator’s assessment projects Weld County will need approximately 226,000 additional gross square feet to meet 20-year judicial needs. That includes courtrooms and hearing rooms, holding cells, clerk and court administration space, jury assembly, first appearance, public areas, and probation intake.
The Justice Center FAQ explains that the building will house courts, clerks, jury services, judicial services, and sheriff support, with dedicated workspace for probation services and the District Attorney’s office to support daily court proceedings and client coordination.
That is not fluff.
That is the machinery of justice.
And court buildings are expensive because they are not normal buildings. A courthouse has to separate public movement, staff movement, judicial movement, juror movement, and in-custody defendant movement. It needs secure holding areas, screening, controlled access, courtroom technology, evidence handling, public waiting areas, jury space, and accessibility. It needs things our current courtroom facilities in the Centennial Building do not have.
The Colorado Judicial Department’s Court Facility Guidelines explain that courthouse costs include more than construction. They can include land acquisition, site development, architecture and engineering, construction management, furniture and fixtures, temporary space, technology, network and security systems, testing, permits, value engineering, and contingency costs.
In other words, when people say, “Why does it cost that much?” the honest answer is: because a functioning justice center is a highly specialized public safety facility, not a pole barn with a judge’s bench.
And yes, I like pole barns. This just is not one.
Now let’s talk about taxes.
Weld County is not proposing a tax increase for the Justice Center.
The Justice Center FAQ says the county is not pursuing a tax increase or bond measure and that the project is structured to be delivered without raising taxes. The county has also said the final funding approach is still being refined and will be communicated publicly once formally approved by the Board of Commissioners.
That is exactly the kind of information residents deserve to see.
The county has also emphasized cost discipline. The FAQ says the project will use clear budgets, phased decisions, competitive procurement, preconstruction cost review, oversight, cost tracking, and contingency planning.
Those words matter only if we follow through.
I intend to.
The county selected Fentress Studios for full design and engineering services after a competitive, multi-stage request for proposal process. According to the county’s May 2026 release, six proposals were reviewed, three firms were shortlisted for interviews, and the Board approved a $19,237,130 contract for full design and engineering services.
That is not the full project cost. That is the design and engineering contract.
A project this large should not be run like a runaway train. It should have checkpoints. It should have competitive bidding. It should have public updates. It should have places where elected officials can look at the facts and say, “Proceed,” “pause,” “adjust,” or “no.”
That is how responsible government should work.
Now, I know some folks will say, “Why not spend this money on roads?”
Fair question.
Weld County is in roads. We are investing in public safety. We are investing in core services. The county’s FAQ addresses this directly: the Justice Center is a core public safety and civic infrastructure project, and the county continues to budget and spend money on roadways, public safety projects, and other priorities while planning for the Justice Center.
This is not roads versus courts.
A growing county needs both.
Weld County does not get to ignore court facilities because roads matter. We also do not get to ignore roads because courts matter. Responsible county government requires us to do more than one hard thing at a time.
That is the job.
It is also important for me to share with the residents that the cheapest option is not always the lowest number on paper. Sometimes the “cheap” option is delay. Delay until construction costs rise. Delay until security problems get worse. Delay until courtroom capacity becomes a crisis. Delay until the fix is more expensive and less flexible. That is not fiscal conservatism. To me, that is not an option.
The cost question deserves scrutiny, and I will keep supporting transparency around the numbers. But the answer cannot be, “Do nothing.”
Weld County is growing. The justice system is required. The current facilities are out of runway. Taxes are not being raised for this project. The funding plan must be disciplined, transparent, and accountable.
That is the standard.
And that is what I will keep pushing for.
Sources
Weld County Justice Center – FAQs: https://wcjc.weld.gov/FAQs
Weld County Justice Center — Court Administrator Assessment: https://wcjc.weld.gov/Court-Administrator-Assessment
Weld County — Fentress Studios selected for Justice Center design services: https://www.weld.gov/Newsroom/2026-News/Fentress-Studios-selected-for-justice-center-full-design-services
Weld County Justice Center – Board advances CM/GC RFP: https://wcjc.weld.gov/News-Articles/News-and-Information/Board-advances-Justice-Center-CMGC-RFP
