Council OKs $153,226 Engineering Contract for Downtown Drainage Study, Directs Staff to Seek Additional Funding

The Manor City Council on June 4 approved a $153,226 statement of work with George Butler Associates Inc. to conduct a downtown drainage study and directed staff to pursue additional funding sources to cover the contract.

City and consultant presentations said the revised scope will assemble mapping, assess existing conveyances, size potential conveyances to move stormwater out of the downtown area to Gilliland and Wilbarger Creek basins, and deliver a capital project list with generalized estimates. The revised scope removed three earlier tasks to reduce cost from a prior range of about $236,000–$339,000 to the agreed amount.

A consultant representative told council the work will not include a regional detention analysis, an early‑release evaluation or a community‑engagement program in the current scope; staff said those items could be added later if funding is available.

Councilmember Hill moved to approve Statement of Work No. 19 in the amount of $153,226 and directed staff to pursue other funding sources, including potential downtown overlay and drainage‑fee revenues. The motion passed with a unanimous vote.

Councilmembers discussed whether to use newly established drainage fees or the downtown overlay funds and asked staff to explore the funding timing and to hold off on notice to proceed if funding timing requires delay. Staff said the city has budgeted amounts for street and drainage budgets for the project and that using drainage fee proceeds is an option. The approved scope will generate a prioritized list of capital projects that likely will require significant capital funding later.

Staff will return to council with funding details and a project schedule as the study progresses.