EDINBURG – The first meeting for Hidalgo County with its newly selected county courthouse contractor took place Monday.

This is the first contracting meeting following the county's decision to select Morganti Texas, Inc. as “construction manager at risk” in the project for a new courthouse last month.

The approval of the contractor allows the county to move forward into the pre-construction phase of the project.

Commissioner's Court also approved more the $500,000 for the pre-construction service fee. They also approved a construction manager fee of 2.2 percent of the construction cost and 3 percent for any additional work.

Groundbreaking for the project is expected to happen late 2018 and the project is expected to be a completed by 2021.