GrantWorks gave a detailed presentation to the Jim Wells County Commissioners Court on active, newly awarded and soon‑to‑be‑contracted grant projects affecting water, sewer and drainage in multiple precincts. The presenter said the county’s currently active portfolio handled by GrantWorks totals roughly $19,300,000 and includes Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) colonia water‑system grants, multiple Texas General Land Office (GLO) mitigation projects and other state and federal funds.

On TDA projects, GrantWorks highlighted three colonia grants including work at Coyote Acres and McMasters (the presenter described a "Colonial Construction Fund in the amount of a million, 75,000 match") and a reworked Tecolote project where the initial water‑service provider backed out. The presenter said the county has approximately $1,200,000 in funds routed through Congresswoman Dela Cruz's office at the EPA that could be used as part of a phased approach for Tecolote.

On mitigation work, GrantWorks said the county received a Notice of Eligibility (NOE) in March for leftover Hurricane Harvey mitigation funds and a total allocation of $7,307,700 from the GLO. The county divided that allocation by precinct; GrantWorks said $976,005.72 had been committed to the city of Orange Grove for drainage. The GLO review process has been slow, GrantWorks warned, but most projects are approved and a contract will start the formal timeline of design, bidding and construction.

GrantWorks and the engineer identified a specific GLO constraint affecting one Precinct‑1 project at San Fernando Creek: the GLO will pay for drainage work in a flood zone but will not fund road reconstruction that lies in a floodway. GrantWorks estimated the county’s commitment to rebuild a low‑water crossing at that site could be between $50,000 and $75,000 if county crews perform the work; a contractor rebuild would be costlier. Several commissioners expressed concern that the contract language and project changes (for example, deleted fencing at a detention pond on South Johnson) had not been brought back to the court before ribbon cuttings or completion.

GrantWorks also summarized other precinct projects: Mesquite Forest (roadside drainage in Precinct 2), Meadow Ridge and Oak Meadow (water lines in Precinct 3), and a Green Acres multi‑street drainage plan tied to a proposed 10‑acre retention pond. GrantWorks told the court changes to program scope are possible through GLO/TDA amendment processes once designs are complete. The presenter encouraged commissioners to request workshops or meetings with project managers and the engineer so commissioners better understand maps, acquisition estimates and potential design changes.

Ending — GrantWorks will pursue a contract with the GLO once the agency approves design clarifications. Commissioners asked for clearer project updates and said project managers should notify the court when elements are cut from a scope so the county can address safety or completeness issues (for instance, missing fencing at a detention pond).