The new Dallas County Administration Building continues to receive updates ahead of scheduled opening in September.

Kristofer Orth, of Farnsworth Group, presented at Tuesday’s Dallas County Board of Supervisors meeting with a couple of change orders pertaining to the new building. One involved limestone croppings that would be placed around the building. The original design has 10 outcroppings along Court Street, but Orth suggested that an additional 60 could be wrapped around the whole building. He mentioned that the cost would be $2,434 each. After extensive discussion, the Board wanted to stay within the budget and decided to split between the original 10, putting several on the side facing Highway 169, since there is heavier traffic in that area.

The other part, relating to the administration building, that was approved by the Board was a radio and signal booster to provide fast internet connection. Orth said that the data service would benefit AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon with Baker Electric Incorporated providing power. The Board approved the order not to exceed $171,941.

The Board also approved a five year road construction plan in Dallas County with several projects scheduled for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. Dallas County Engineer Al Miller told the board he wants to set a public hearing for April 9th to detail the rest of the roadmap for the five year construction plan and the board agreed. Other items on the agenda that were approved include allocating funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) not to exceed $10 million towards the new administration building, and the board gave consensus during the capital projects budget workshop to allow Farnsworth Group to continue the process with a new criminal court building in Adel.