City managers told the San Benito City Commission on Oct. 21 that a newly formed drainage crew is addressing multiple flooding hotspots and that work has begun on related street and water projects while the commission considered an administrative update to subdivision and extraterritorial-jurisdiction (ETJ) boundaries.

The update matters because the city is responding to recent heavy rain and aging drainage infrastructure that officials said contributed to localized flooding. Staff described both short-term repairs and longer-term work that could alter city maintenance needs and capital budgets.

City Manager Fred (for the record) said the city created a dedicated drainage crew after the budget process and that crews and equipment have been deployed to recurring trouble spots, including pipe connections that had been filled with concrete behind the high school and clogged pipe sections near Bowie and Hicks. “There was a drain line that didn’t go anywhere because it was filled in with concrete,” Fred said, adding crews identified and started repairing blockages in multiple locations. He credited JB, Mehmet and other utilities staff for the field work.

Staff described a mix of above- and below-ground repairs. Enrique Hernandez, who briefed the commission on the ordinance changes, said crews are using cameras to inspect lines and that some pipes were found “about 95% full of dirt and debris.” JB later told the commission that a recent emergency repair at the El Camino Real lift station required excavation of a line about 16 feet deep after a concrete obstruction was discovered.

On Amistad Drive the city reported ongoing testing of the subgrade and caliche and said the design includes a hot-mix overlay, a crowned profile for drainage, curb-and-gutter replacement and at least one concrete apron to protect turning radii for heavy trucks.

Utilities and water projects were also discussed. Fred said the city will advertise soon for contractors to refurbish and repaint water towers; the work will include interior cleaning and metal repairs intended to extend service life by roughly two decades. He also clarified recent press coverage about a waterline funding decision, saying the city was selected for funding by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) rather than having funding “cut.” “We made the cut,” he said, and added the city is exploring ways to reduce its local share of a state project. Staff described the TxDOT Economically Disadvantaged County Program (EDCP) as a TxDOT designation that can reduce a usual 30% local match toward 10% for qualifying projects, but they emphasized that EDCP assistance does not automatically apply to TWDB projects and that the likely local share for the TWDB waterline would remain near a 70/30 split unless additional funding sources can be stacked.

Hernandez presented a first reading of a package of subdivision ordinances updating jurisdictional boundaries and ETJ distances to the one-mile ETJ required by current population thresholds. The item was informational at first reading; commissioners requested an updated ETJ map and did not vote to adopt the ordinance at the meeting.

Staff also reported continued subdivision activity; the manager said the city expects roughly 350–400 new residential lots in 2025–26 and identified several named developments that will add lots and taxable value. Staff emphasized the work is being delivered largely by in-house teams with some contracted testing and engineering.

Ending: Commissioners asked for follow-up materials, including the updated ETJ map and more precise funding scenarios for the TWDB waterline effort. Staff said they will return with maps and refined cost-sharing options at a future meeting.