ARANSAS COUNTY, Texas — Western Steel Company and T2J Partners LLC are suing Aransas County for allegedly unpaid recovery work following Hurricane Harvey, according to court documents obtained by KRIS 6 News.
The case, now before the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi, centers on whether the county is responsible for contracts arranged by an intergovernmental risk pool that managed post-storm reconstruction.
Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Aransas County when it made landfall in August 2017, damaging facilities including the courthouse, detention center, library and the Aransas County Airport.
The county obtained insurance coverage through Regional Pool Alliance (RPA), which handled contracting and payments for repairs. RPA hired T2J Partners for reconstruction work, and T2J subcontracted with Western Steel for airport hangar repairs.
Both companies now allege they were never paid for their work.
Aransas County has fought the lawsuit by claiming governmental immunity, arguing it never directly contracted with either company. In court filings, the county emphasized that RPA operated independently under a "Confirmation of Coverage" agreement that gave it full control over repair decisions.
County officials cited meeting minutes and affidavits showing the Commissioners Court never formally appointed RPA as its agent, a key requirement under Texas law for liability.
The legal battle escalated in 2024 when the county filed two pleas to dismiss the case, which were denied by the 36th District Court in April 2025. The county's appeal, filed weeks later, depends on whether RPA’s role in managing recovery work legally binds the county.
KRIS 6 reached out to County Judge Ray Garza and T2J for comment on the ongoing suit, but were told they could not speak on ongoing litigation. KRI6 also reached out to Western Steel Company but received no response.
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