City manager updates council on water, police and drainage projects; Chocolate Bayou drainage and City Center flagged for follow-up
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Summary
Dan Johnson reported progress on the water reclamation facility, police station and elevated storage tank and outlined next steps on Chocolate Bayou drainage and the 160-acre City Center project; staff said grant applications and easement work will be needed for bayou drainage improvements.
City Manager Dan Johnson and staff briefed the Manvel City Council on capital projects and the budget timeline, reporting progress on the water reclamation facility, police station and related utilities and flagging Chocolate Bayou drainage and the 160-acre City Center project for further action and grant pursuit.
Johnson said the water reclamation facility financed with roughly $40 million in borrowing is about 25% complete by schedule and about 13% complete by expenditures. The new police station is roughly 90% complete by schedule, with occupancy anticipated this summer after punch-list work. The McCoy and Masters project to extend water and sewer and remove an old lift station is nearly complete; the city is also constructing a 1,000,000-gallon elevated storage tank with a summer completion target.
On the Chocolate Bayou drainage area (the "no-man's-land" west of Masters), staff said there are no drainage easements along much of the bayou and suggested the first steps for improvements would be survey exhibits and outreach to about 50-60 property owners for easement dedications. Johnson described how downstream snagging and blocked channels reduce conveyance, saying improved access and bank work would be required to restore flow; those actions require easements and potentially grant funding. Staff noted county desnagging work occurs up to the city limits but there currently is no single drainage district responsible for the bayou through the city.
On financing and schedule, Johnson said the city has been preparing several grant submissions. The city successfully submitted a generator grant (TDEM) for critical facilities and will reattempt two additional grants now that another application window opened. He also said staff will consult bond counsel and the city's financial advisor on phasing and potential public-private options for the City Center project.
Councilmembers urged staff to pursue grants, consider a full-time grants administrator, and coordinate with the economic development corporation for project management. The city manager said staff will return to council with a focused June briefing on City Center scope, phasing, and financing options, and will pursue Chocolate Bayou easement mapping and grant opportunities.
