Why a West Texas county is building a new courthouse even after voters rejected the proposal [Video]

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ODESSA — Employees at the Ector County Courthouse follow one rule particularly seriously: Keep food in a sealed container.

Any other form of storage may lead to formal discipline.

This stringent rule, established nine years ago, helps prevent mice and roaches from swarming the floor in the dilapidating building where pests congregate and water pipes burst.

County officials hope their employees won’t have to worry about those problems once a newly constructed courthouse opens in 2027. On Tuesday, county commissioners approved taking on $325 million in new debt to build the courthouse and a juvenile detention facility.

The county took the extraordinary step of taking on this new debt after voters previously rejected a similar proposal. Local governments traditionally ask voters to take on new debt with …