Nueces County commissioners discuss Hilltop Community Center, Packery Channel upgrades and fairgrounds lease

Commissioners also voted to extend the lease with OVG360 for operations at the Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds, though county leaders say costs have risen.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County commissioners tackled several major projects during Wednesday’s Commissioners Court meeting, including updates on the Hilltop Community Center, renovations at Packery Channel and a lease extension for operations at the Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds in Robstown.

“There making great progress we basically have gutted out all the old walls and all of that is gone,” said Nueces County Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Pusley about the progress being made at the Hilltop Community Center.

This story continues below.

Pusley said the project will play a major role in countywide infrastructure efforts.

“One of the wings is going to become our EOC center for the county. So that during a hurricane or some type of event. Our EOC folks will have a place that they will be housed at,” he said.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Commissioners also voted to extend the lease with OVG360 for operations at the Richard M. Borchard Fairgrounds, though county leaders say rising management costs are prompting further discussion.

“Our cost of having a management company has increased fairly significantly,” Pusley said.

Pusley said while the county is happy with OVG360, it still pays about $1 million annually to have the group operate the fairgrounds. He said county leaders want to reduce costs without impacting events like the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show.

It’s a conversation he believes is worth having.

“About whether or not we want to continue that partnership or whether we think it would be more cost effective for the county to manage that facility itself,” he said.

Another topic discussed during Wednesday’s meeting was the Packery Channel project. Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney said he has received positive updates on the work.

“U know we’re a big birding community we’re a big fishing community and it’ll provide some more fishing access,” he said.

Chesney said the improvements will be worth the wait.

“It’ll be about an eight month project he came back and said it’s moving along real nicely. New fishing pier, just some really neat stuff,” he said.