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Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt will run for his seventh and final term in 2026.

Stoudt, who has served as county judge for 23 years, received a round of applause Wednesday from members of the Republican Women of Gregg County when he made the announcement during a State of the County address to club members at Jalapeno Tree restaurant in Longview.

Stoudt said he性视界传媒檚 running for one more four-year term because county officials have started a number of projects under his leadership, and he has a responsibility to see those projects through to completion.

Chief among those projects is the construction of the county性视界传媒檚 $24.7 million parking facility in downtown Longview. Stoudt has vowed that the county will pay off debt used to finance the project within five years.

"I'm going to make those commitments because I'm on the start of it,性视界传媒� Stoudt said. 性视界传媒淲hen I give you my word, I mean that, and I have all the confidence in the world we can do that. But in order for me to do that, I've got to run again. So, I'm going to run again.性视界传媒�

While Stoudt性视界传媒檚 reelection announcement was a notable topic during Wednesday性视界传媒檚 gathering, Stoudt was there to discuss ongoing county infrastructure projects and other Gregg County happenings.

Parking facility

Construction on the county性视界传媒檚 parking facility is progressing. Stoudt previously said construction should be completed in September, though an opening date has been set.

The structure will provide 293 additional parking spaces, and county officials say it will alleviate a downtown parking shortage. About 1,000 people per week visit the courthouse, Stoudt said, but only 150 parking spaces are available around the courthouse.

The facility also will provide 13,000 square feet of office space to house the county性视界传媒檚 veteran service, tax and election administration offices.

Gregg County residents in November 2023 approved a bond measure allowing county officials to borrow up to $19 million for the facility性视界传媒檚 construction. County officials borrowed $17 million and put $7 million in county funds toward the project.

"We'll have that thing paid off in five years, and that will take us right back to where I want to be, which is zero debt,性视界传媒� Stoudt said. 性视界传媒淲e've had zero debt up until this parking facility. We will have zero debt in five years."

New county offices, software

Gregg County officials are working to open new county offices for in Pct. 2 in Longview and Pct. 3 in Kilgore.

Pct. 2 offices on U.S. 80 will be moved to a former VeraBank building at the intersection of Gilmer Road and Fairmont Street. The Pct. 2 office building on U.S. 80 is aging and needs repairs, so county officials purchased the former bank building in June 2024 to replace it. Stoudt said work on the bank building should begin in a few weeks.

The new Pct. 2 office building will include the justice of the peace courtroom, constable性视界传媒檚 office, commissioner性视界传媒檚 office and tax office. The building also will have a drive-thru window for people to pay their taxes.

性视界传媒淲e think it's going to work out great,性视界传媒� Stoudt said.

The new Pct. 3 office building in Kilgore will be at the corner of Fritz Swanson Road and Texas 31, and it will house the justice of the peace courtroom, constable性视界传媒檚 office and tax office. The city of Kilgore will use the JP courtroom for its municipal court, which Stoudt called a 性视界传媒渨in, win, win for everybody.性视界传媒� Stoudt didn性视界传媒檛 say when that facility will open.

County officials also are replacing the county性视界传媒檚 30-year-old software system. The system will go online in two years. Stoudt said the process is a 性视界传媒渞eally tough deal to do.性视界传媒�

Infrastructure projects

Stoudt overviewed a number of future聽road improvement projects.

While not a county-funded project, the Texas Department of Transportation will rebuild the Interstate 20, U.S. 259 and Texas 31 interchange between Longview and Kilgore beginning in January 2026. The project will be called the 性视界传媒渉igh three性视界传媒� because left exits will be replaced with a flyover and connectors, similar to the 性视界传媒渉igh five性视界传媒� setup in Dallas.

It性视界传媒檚 性视界传媒渞eally going to be something to see,性视界传媒� Stoudt said.

He also mentioned the department性视界传媒檚 plans to widen I-20 to six lanes through East Texas in the coming years.

George Richey Road聽性视界传媒� part of which recently was renamed Bill Stoudt Parkway in honor of the judge聽性视界传媒� continues to be widened, Stoudt said. U.S. 271 near Gladewater eventually will be widened into a four-lane road, and a loop will be built around Gladewater.

性视界传媒淭hat性视界传媒檚 a big change for that whole area,性视界传媒� he said.

Stoudt also said county officials are discussing with the Longview Metropolitan Planning Organization a proposal to build a railroad overpass on Texas 149 in South Longview heading toward Lake Cherokee. Railroad traffic into and out of the Eastman Chemical Co. plant causes delays and blocks the roadway, and rail traffic there will increase when a $75 million multimodal distribution facility opens.

性视界传媒淚t's not something that we're thinking about doing. We've got to do it,性视界传媒� Stoudt said. Texas 149 is designated as a route for people to evacuate the coast during hurricanes.

'I want to see them all through'

Stoudt性视界传媒檚 reelection announcement came as a surprise聽性视界传媒� even to the him.

He said he性视界传媒檇 considered not running again but he has prayed about the matter and discussed it with his wife and supporters, and they encouraged him to seek another term.

He made the announcement following a question from local Realtor Linda Voyles, who said: 性视界传媒淎 lot of us want to know your future. What are your plans? We can性视界传媒檛 do without you. You性视界传媒檝e done excellent.性视界传媒�

Stoudt will file for the office in November, and it will be on the ballot in 2026. If reelected, his last term will begin in 2027 and end in 2031. Stoudt is 75, and he said he is in good mental and physical health.

性视界传媒淲e've got so many good things we've started, and I want to see them all through,性视界传媒� he said.