[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6677898,"mediaKeyId","2324248-e280e388a26439a9855ea6f43c0d0947","parentId",2324248,"title","Bel Air council unanimously approves consent items, generator grant and budget amendment","audioSeconds",1740,"startMs",3120000,"endMs",4860000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2324248-e280e388a26439a9855ea6f43c0d0947&start=3120&end=4860","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2324248-e280e388a26439a9855ea6f43c0d0947/thumbnail_3120000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6677898/Bellaire/Harris-County/Texas/Bel-Air-council-unanimously-approves-consent-items-generator-grant-and-budget-amendment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6677898-8798c26d145ce423077117276826d9b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159394&Signature=iixQQcOPZgyeIDpqOTT-MZ6JWC7~mhtVgPBBqDXirXSVHQXC5tR1MW18~v8mJ7Ye3T0SA4lU43qfoWCeaRnImOWii0xbqQK7QepQS8CGZX6fTzkM1PHaLQJPC1ZPv2ZFgz-kZ81kLrcMJ703wlCa8P5p2DSkBlrLxFF4YpaDBb3OBFq52~Jds19SwMeQXxf7ZKD8zCeGXFD0f5sJtPh3eG5jts8d3Yvz8YtzijIJfz6LT6gSNpivE~JU5HAnZbMkiOy-cYmyGqlLopPyCnQP0JYMjbUILf4RCUUQ2hAMwYX1B0jcnSb7AqszMSPjQDAfGZA4H~BdTm37s1E4bDxvcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bellaire","date","2025-02-17T00:00:00Z","article","At its Feb. 17 meeting, the Bel Air City Council unanimously approved its consent agenda and three ordinance actions: the consent agenda (four routine items), acceptance of a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) subgrant to replace the City’s EOC generator, and a budget amendment to appropriate the local share.

What passed on the consent agenda: the council approved four routine measures by single motion and voice vote. The packet lists: an ordinance appointing Lisa A. Wesley as presiding judge, an ordinance appointing Robert C. Richter Jr. as assistant city attorney, a resolution approving an application for grant funding through the Office of the Governor’s rifle-resistant body armor grant program, and an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Ayers Paint and Body Inc. for vehicle mechanical, body and paint repairs in an amount not to exceed $65,000.

EOC generator grant and budget amendment: the council accepted a TDEM-administered Hazard Mitigation Grant Program subaward to replace the existing generator at the city’s Emergency Operations Center with a natural-gas generator sized to power the entire facility, including air conditioning. The grant covers approximately 90% of the cost, with the city responsible for a roughly 10% local share. Terrence Beaman, the city’s chief financial officer, told council the city portion will be funded from available fund balance and that reserves remain above the city’s 60-day policy level.

Motion and votes: the acceptance of the TDEM subgrant was moved by Councilmember Georgioune and seconded by Councilmember Lewis; the motion passed unanimously. The companion budget amendment — required to appropriate the local match and related capital funds — also passed unanimously. The consent package was passed by a single unanimous voice vote.

Details and amounts: the Ayers Paint and Body agreement was for a term beginning Feb. 17, 2025 and expiring Sept. 30, 2025, with a not-to-exceed amount of $65,000. The city’s local match for the HMGP generator project was described by staff as approximately $62,000; the full grant and project budget details will be included in the adopted capital grant and CIP fund records.

Staff and next steps: staff will execute the subrecipient agreement with TDEM and return any required contract paperwork and project schedules to council as required by the grant. The budget amendment appropriating the local share was introduced and adopted the same night to place the local match on the city’s books.

Proponents and context: city staff framed the generator replacement as an operations and resilience upgrade that will allow the Emergency Operations Center to operate longer without on-site fuel deliveries and to provide air conditioning during extended events. Council members praised staff for securing the grant funding.

Passed items (at a glance): listed below include the formal motion text and outcomes recorded in the meeting minutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bellaire - City Council - Feb 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council passed four consent items and authorized acceptance of a TDEM hazard mitigation subgrant for a new emergency operations center generator and a related budget amendment.","taxTitle","Bellaire, Harris County, Texas","taxId",69496,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6677900,"Bel Air council approves $3.09 million engineering work order to advance Cypress Ditch flood project",607,4053000,4660000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2324248-e280e388a26439a9855ea6f43c0d0947&start=4053&end=4660","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2324248-e280e388a26439a9855ea6f43c0d0947/thumbnail_4053000.jpg","/articles/6677900/Bellaire/Harris-County/Texas/Bel-Air-council-approves-309-million-engineering-work-order-to-advance-Cypress-Ditch-flood-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6677900-b0a6d1c8a8a3be20763926e56cd0b243/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159394&Signature=LqCV8I82aicw-vedmecESsiFZnkiT-zBd0GriRH1Qy0cylld-sn~QI4oYVMXV9FEC-tsUVirEUQUpGrc7ZhSG1XfFuVCOBKizYwyhSkNSjwW4WiPf-AL78tSK7j9XJo-~VZn0wOFTjBe-TacZETqT~1NlsVkkrKqpQTM1k82-brMJyTKx72YKVOlqwfJpEjZD-c7QWjb2~ke5b1-zAg2wvaFLNvf5Or-TW908kn0n3VQGjp8WNdv9GF7whEDGnnhF~1GsJXAlbRywcfu25uTCv~n-mrmG26DSjfZbD6O1zNiPRCGHB2b36-L0eLITHBo4y8Hh-hcTWyFP9nrEnpfWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bel Air City Council on Feb. 17 unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute work order No. 3 with Ardua Group Inc. for up to $3,093,721.90 to advance final design and bid-ready documents for the Cypress Ditch improvements and two regional detention ponds.

The approval moves preliminary engineering into final design for three primary components: Cypress Ditch conveyance improvements, a south regional detention pond, and a north regional detention pond tied to the city’s public works/wastewater site. The work order also funds conceptual planning for larger north–south drainage corridors, coordination with TxDOT’s I-610 drainage work and ongoing grant and partner outreach.

The work order is intended to take selected elements through final plans and bidding so Bel Air can be “shovel ready” if state or federal construction funding becomes available, council and staff said. “We are working everything to put the plans together to be ready to turn dirt in September,” said Chris Kennanico, a project lead for Ardua, during the council presentation. Adam Eaton, Ardua project manager, said the work order is intentionally phased so the city can authorize only those tasks staff wants to start.

Why it matters: Cypress Ditch is a regional conveyance owned by the city of Houston and directly affects Bel Air flood risk. Bel Air staff and Ardua have pursued multiple grant streams and local partnerships to cover the project’s estimated construction gap; project documents cited a planning-stage cost estimate of about $110 million and noted Bel Air had approved $40 million in bonds. Councilmembers and staff frequently stressed that the city must have final design documents in hand to qualify for several large state and federal funding programs.

What the work order covers: the scope presented to council included final design and bidding for the south detention pond (on Houston-owned parcels south of Beech Nut), Cypress Ditch conveyance improvements including the I-610 crossing and immediate adjacent storm sewers, and final design for a north detention pond on or near the city’s public works/wastewater parcels north of Beech Nut. The package also funds conceptual planning of the larger north–south collection corridors (major trunk lines and overland flow routes), a website overhaul for public engagement, and continued grant and partner coordination.

Grant and funding context: staff and Ardua detailed grant activity and prioritization lists that have placed Cypress Stitch and related studies high on regional and state lists. Ardua reported the project’s submissions placed two of Bel Air’s study applications in the top third of the Texas Water Development Board’s Flood Infrastructure Fund prioritization list, and Cypress Ditch was listed as a tier-1 priority on a recent HGAC list. City staff cautioned that state appropriations are not final and that legislative and agency processes remain fluid. “We have to keep at it,” Jose, a city staff member handling legislative outreach, told council, describing the state budgeting process as iterative and unpredictable.

Opposition, limits and next steps: Council discussion repeatedly emphasized the time-sensitive nature of being shovel ready if large appropriations arrive and the need to phase design work to match funding realities. Staff said tasks in the work order will not start until the city provides written authorization for each task; that gave council a built-in control point. The council motion to approve the ordinance was moved by Councilmember Gordon and seconded by Councilmember Witt; the motion passed unanimously.

The council directed staff and Ardua to continue grant pursuit, coordinate with TxDOT and Harris County Flood Control, and bring quarterly updates. Ardua and staff also scheduled two flood hazard mitigation task force meetings (March and November) and a public open house in August to continue engagement.

For residents: the project will continue to be presented at public open houses and task force meetings; staff said they will update a project website with materials, schedule and funding road map as design advances.","The City Council unanimously authorized work order No. 3 with Ardua to complete final design and bidding for Cypress Ditch conveyance and two regional detention ponds, aiming to make parts of the project shovel-ready for potential state funding this fall.","actionData","errors"]

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Bel Air council unanimously approves consent items, generator grant and budget amendment

Bel Air council approves $3.09 million engineering work order to advance Cypress Ditch flood project