Georgetown, TX Residents

The right facility.
The wrong location.

Williamson County is building a new jail one-third of a mile from two schools — after voting against a $7 million rural alternative and paying $75.8 million for this site instead. We support the project. We're asking why it has to be here.

Make Your Voice Heard →
$75.8M Paid for this site
~$7M Alternative rural site
⅓ mile From two schools
1,700 Students nearby
Verified Facts

What the public record shows

Every claim below is sourced from official county documents, local news coverage, or statements from public officials. Nothing here is speculation.

The site is a third of a mile from two schools — and a proposed third

George Wagner Middle School (969 students) is approximately one-third of a mile from the proposed site at 1200 CR 110. Mitchell Elementary (719 students) is under half a mile. Together, nearly 1,700 students attend these two campuses — an 8 to 10 minute walk from the facility entrance. A proposed IDEA Public School campus is also shown on county planning maps in the same corridor.

Aerial site plan showing the Phase 1 Justice Campus development area (orange), the purchased property (green), and the proximity to the Elementary and Middle School campuses (red box) and a proposed IDEA Public School campus.
County site plan. Orange: Phase 1 Justice Campus development area. Green: purchased property (253 acres, $75.8M). Blue: existing Wilco government facilities. Red boxes: Elementary & Middle School campuses and proposed IDEA Public School site. Source: Williamson County Justice Complex Strategic Planning →

The county paid $75.8M when a $7M option existed

In July 2025, commissioners voted 2-2 on whether to even conduct due diligence on a 481-acre rural site in Florence priced at approximately $7 million — well away from residential areas and schools. That motion failed. Eight months later, commissioners unanimously approved a contract to purchase 253 acres on CR 110 for $75,819,874. That is a $68 million difference in land cost, for less acreage, placed next to two schools.

Source: Community Impact, July 2025 →

This is a jail, not a prison — people are released daily

County jails hold individuals awaiting trial and process same-day bookings. Unlike state prisons, they have a daily release cadence. People leave at all hours, often with no transportation arranged. The operational reality of a county jail is fundamentally different from a state correctional facility.

There is no infrastructure for released inmates at this location

The CR 110 / SE Inner Loop corridor has no fixed public transit route, no walkable services or businesses, and no support resources. CARTS, the local demand-response transit service, requires advance reservations and a phone to schedule a ride. Someone released with no phone and no money cannot use it. They have nowhere to go but into surrounding neighborhoods and school zones.

City officials confirmed inmate release is already a documented downtown problem

A City of Georgetown official confirmed in writing that "what happens to individuals when they leave the jail has been a major issue in our downtown area" and that the city is actively working with the county on it. Moving the facility to a residential corridor next to schools does not solve the problem — it relocates it.

The county can still exit the contract — the option period is open

The purchase contract approved on March 9, 2026 includes a 75-day feasibility period. That window closes around late May 2026. Until then, the county retains the legal right to walk away from the purchase. The decision is not final. County officials still have the option to reconsider — and residents still have time to make that case before it closes.

Source: Williamson County purchase announcement → Source: Community Impact, March 2026 →

No zoning case has been filed — the public process hasn't started

As of late April 2026, no rezoning or Special Use Permit application for this site has appeared on any City of Georgetown Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council agenda. The formal public hearings, where residents have legal standing to testify, have not yet begun. When that process starts, showing up matters. Until then, direct outreach to elected officials is the most effective action available.

News Coverage

Georgetown residents speak out

KVUE Austin covered community pushback on the proposed Williamson County Justice Complex site — including concerns about school proximity and the site selection process.

Source: KVUE Austin — Georgetown residents push back on proposed Williamson County Justice Center

Our Position

We support the county. We're asking for better answers.

Williamson County needs a modern jail. The current downtown facility is outdated. This is not a campaign against the project itself.

What we're asking is why commissioners voted against even looking at a $7 million rural alternative, then unanimously paid $75.8 million for a site next to two schools. And what the county's plan is for daily inmate releases into a neighborhood with no transit, no services, and students walking by.

"County convenience shouldn't take precedence over resident safety. There is plenty of open land in Williamson County that meets every criteria without being next to schools."
Georgetown resident and concerned parent
Why This Moment Matters

There's still time.

The county approved a contract to purchase this property on March 9, 2026, with a 75-day feasibility period built in. That window closes around late May 2026. Until then, the county can still exit the contract. The decision is not final.

No zoning case has been filed with the City of Georgetown. The formal public hearings where residents have legal standing to testify haven't happened yet. This process is still in motion.

That means your voice matters right now — before decisions become irreversible. Email your representatives, share this page with your neighbors, and stay informed as the zoning process begins.

The window is open. Use it.

Email Representatives → Copy Email Template
Take Action

Email your representatives

Written emails carry more weight than phone calls — they create a paper trail and go on the record. Keep it factual and specific. The commissioner and county judge both face voters in November 2026.

Williamson County

Commissioner Russ Boles

Precinct 4 — Up for reelection Nov. 2026
Email

County Judge Steve Snell

Williamson County — Faces voters for the first time Nov. 2026
Email

County Public Information Office

Williamson County — Routes to the full Commissioners Court and on-the-record records desk
Email
City of Georgetown

Mayor's Office

City of Georgetown
Email

Council Member Amanda Parr — District 1

The proposed site falls within her district
Email

Council Member Ben Stewart — District 7

Represents the affected school and residential corridor — former GISD Trustee and Planning & Zoning Commissioner
Email
Georgetown ISD

Dr. Devin Padavil

GISD Superintendent
Email
What to include: Your name and address so they know you're a constituent. Your specific concerns about school proximity and inmate release infrastructure. Ask for the site comparison documentation from the July 2025 and March 2026 Commissioners Court votes. Your own words carry more weight than a form letter.
Email Template

Not sure what to say? Start here.

Copy this template, add your name and address, personalize as needed, and send it to the officials above. Your own words matter — this is just a starting point.

Commissioner Boles and Judge Snell,

My name is [YOUR NAME]. I live at [YOUR ADDRESS] in Georgetown, TX. I am writing to ask that Williamson County use the remaining feasibility period to select a different site for the Justice Complex.

The county purchased 253 acres at 1200 CR 110 for $75,819,874. George Wagner Middle School is approximately one-third of a mile from that site. Mitchell Elementary is under half a mile. Together they serve nearly 1,700 students. A proposed IDEA Public School campus is in the same corridor. This is the wrong location for a county jail.

In July 2025, commissioners voted 2-2 on whether to even conduct due diligence on a 481-acre rural site in Florence priced at approximately $7 million — well away from schools and residential areas. That motion failed. The county then paid $68 million more for a site next to two schools. That decision deserves to be reconsidered before the option period closes.

A county jail has a daily release population. The CR 110 corridor has no fixed public transit, no walkable services, and no support infrastructure for people leaving the facility. That population will have nowhere to go but into the surrounding neighborhoods and school zones. This is not a hypothetical — a City of Georgetown official has already confirmed that inmate release is a documented problem at the current downtown location. Moving the facility here does not solve it.

The feasibility period closes around May 23, 2026. The formal zoning process has not started. There is still time to make a different decision.

I am asking you to use that time to identify a site that meets the county's operational needs without placing a jail next to schools and neighborhoods that have no infrastructure to support it. Williamson County has no shortage of land. This site is not the only option — and the public record shows a better one was already on the table.

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]
Georgetown, TX