Council awards $1.217 million Southside drainage project to Constar Construction; project is fully grant-funded

The El Campo City Council approved a $1,217,783 contract with Constar Construction for the Southside Drainage Improvements project (CDBG-MIT/ MOD) during the July 28 meeting. City staff told the council the project is entirely funded through a grant and will not affect local tax dollars. The original grant budget was $1,277,479; staff said the approved bid of $1,217,783 is approximately $59,696 under that budget, leaving contingency room for potential change orders. "This is a 100% funded through a grant. So, none of these will be affecting your tax dollars," staff said. Staff recommended rejecting earlier bids that came in over budget and then rebidding; council members thanked staff for rebidding after which three bids were received. The city engineer’s recommendation was included in the packet. The project manager said the contract work will include correcting culverts and mismatched drainage, and that larger, deeper ditches—especially near Wright Street—will be addressed; staff said the project could use remaining funds for additional improvements. Council action: A motion to approve Resolution R2025-39 to award the project to Constar Construction was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. No roll-call vote or detailed execution timeline was read into the record. Why this matters: The project addresses drainage and culvert mismatches in District 2 and is financed entirely by grant funds; the lower-than-budget bid creates margin for unforeseen utility conflicts or additional drainage work without immediately increasing the local cost share.