Montgomery Co. $160M Justice Center Bond Vote

CONROE, Texas — Voters in Montgomery County will head to the polls on November 7, 2023, to decide the fate of a $160 million bond referendum that would clear the way for the construction of a sprawling new Justice Center. The proposal is being presented by county leadership as a mandatory investment to keep pace with the region’s status as one of the fastest-growing areas in the United States.

The planned facility, a 360,000-square-foot, four-story building, is slated for a 10-acre county-owned site at 2267 North Loop 336 West in Conroe. The location is strategically positioned directly across from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 1 Criminal Justice Drive, creating a consolidated law enforcement and judicial hub.

Proponents of the bond, including County Judge Mark Keough and the unanimous block of county commissioners who authorized the ballot measure, argue that the current judicial infrastructure is failing. Officials point to the existing Justice Center at 207 W. Phillips St. as a primary example of operational bottlenecks, where judges are often forced to share courtrooms and jury deliberation space is chronically unavailable.

Security concerns remain at the forefront of the campaign for the new center. Currently, inmates being transported for hearings must travel through public hallways, a practice that security experts have long flagged as a major liability. The proposed design features a secure, subterranean tunnel that would connect the new facility directly to the adjacent Montgomery County Jail, removing inmates from public view and streamlining prisoner transfers.

The project also aims to alleviate the severe workspace crunch facing the District Attorney’s office. Currently housed at 201 N. Thompson St., the department has reported that physical storage limits have reached a breaking point, with overflowing files and office supplies occupying public hallways. The new facility would integrate the DA’s office, the County Clerk, the District Clerk, and Sheriff’s Office administration under one roof, while also providing modernized space for juvenile probation services currently operating out of the aging facility at 200 Riverwood Court.

If passed, the bond would result in an increase in local property taxes to service the debt. First Assistant District Attorney Mike Toth and Assistant County Attorney Amy Dunham have been vocal in their support, arguing that the costs of inaction—ranging from logistical delays in the courtroom to risks to public safety—outweigh the tax burden of the construction.

The project is designed with scalability in mind. The initial layout provides for 14 new courtrooms, but the structure is engineered to allow for an expansion to 22 courtrooms as the population of Montgomery County continues to climb.

Early voting for the November 7 general election is scheduled to begin on October 23 and continue through November 3. Residents can view sample ballots and confirm their polling locations by visiting the Montgomery County Elections Department website at mctx.org/election.

This bond proposal comes as county leaders grapple with the broader logistical impacts of rapid urbanization. With local population growth showing little sign of slowing, the vote on November 7 represents a fundamental choice for the future of the county’s legal infrastructure.