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Victoria council commits $2.06 million to match regional flood-mitigation grant
Summary
The City of Victoria approved a local commitment to add $2,063,335.29 to a $19.5 million allocation from the Texas General Land Office for three flood-mitigation projects, and staff said final contract execution with the GLO is expected after outstanding information requests are answered.
The Victoria City Council voted to commit an additional $2,063,335.29 in local funds to support the city’s participation in the Texas General Land Office (GLO) Community Development Block Grant Regional Mitigation (CDBG‑MIT) program, city staff said.
City staff told the council the city’s GLO allocation is $19,524,900 and that the total cost of the three projects selected slightly exceeds that allocation. The resolution approved by the council authorizes the mayor and city manager to act as the city’s representatives in matters related to the CDBG‑MIT participation.
The projects identified for the CDBG‑MIT funding are: replacement of aging SCADA equipment to remotely monitor and control the city’s water and wastewater systems; a Lone Tree drainage improvement project that will construct an open‑channel outfall across Lone Tree Road to Lone Tree Creek; and replacement of the influent screening facility at the regional wastewater treatment plant to reduce clogs during storm events. City staff described the SCADA replacement as necessary because the existing system is “incredibly old,” has unavailable replacement parts and lacks remote access for quick response in critical conditions. The influent screen work, staff said, will improve pretreatment and reduce manual unclogging during storms.
Senior staff said the city submitted its allocation application to the GLO in November 2023 and has received a list of questions and requests for clarification from the GLO. Staff said they expect to respond to the outstanding RFIs by the end of the week and that the city is about “98%” complete with the responses; the next step would be contract execution with the GLO, after which project work can begin. City staff emphasized that applicants may not obligate or spend funds before a contract is executed.
Mayor Pro Tem and several council members praised the staff team for moving the application forward; staff publicly thanked internal staff members and outside consultants who helped prepare technical responses, mapping and project detail for dozens of lift stations and other assets.
The council approved the resolution by voice vote during the meeting. No individual vote tally was recorded in the minutes provided.
Why this matters: The projects are aimed specifically at reducing flood‑related hazards and at improving the resilience and operational reliability of Victoria’s water and wastewater systems. If the GLO executes the contract, the city’s local commitment will unlock federal funds targeted to mitigation projects tied to past flood events.
Next steps: City staff will finalize responses to the GLO’s RFIs, seek contract execution, and — subject to the contract — begin procurement and design work on the three mitigation projects.
