El Campo council approves budget amendment and funds multiple water, sewer and site-improvement projects

The El Campo City Council on Oct. 2025 approved a fiscal year 2025 budget amendment and moved forward with a package of infrastructure projects and related contracts aimed at improving water and sewer service and supporting new commercial development.

The council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2025-16, described by city staff as a final amendment to close out the prior fiscal year. City staff told the council the amendment does not draw on the general fund’s balance; some line items reflect spending from bonds issued in 2024 that were expended in 2025. "We are not taking any money from fund balance in the general fund," staff said (meeting packet discussion).

Council also approved City Development Corporation funding of up to $455,000 for East Jackson water improvements to extend hydrant coverage along Wharton and Jackson streets. CDC representatives told the council the board unanimously approved funding and noted the project’s public-safety rationale after a nearby fire required running hoses across the street because hydrants were lacking on the south side. Speaker 3 moved the funding approval; Speaker 1 seconded; the motion passed.

As a companion action, the council approved Resolution R-2025-54 awarding the East Jackson Waterline Replacement project to Ramrod Utilities LLC and authorized the city manager to execute related documents. Staff explained that the contract amount for Ramrod differs from the total reimbursement estimate because of additional engineering and surveying fees; the packet lists engineering costs separately and staff indicated the engineering vendor would include Matt Glaze and a surveying firm.

The council also approved CDC funding of $160,071.11 for Sandy Corner Road sewer improvements, a project tied to infrastructure plans discussed in connection with a forthcoming hospital building. Council members and staff said both the East Jackson and Sandy Corner projects are ready to begin immediately.

Council approved Resolution R-2025-55 to award a force-main installation project (from the El Campo Memorial Hospital to West Loop) to Ramrod Utilities LLC, with the construction cost noted in the packet. Staff again described associated engineering and surveying costs. The council then approved Resolution R-2025-56 to award professional engineering design services to Getz and Associates LLC for work associated with a potential Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) mitigation application to the Texas General Land Office; staff noted the process reviewed six firms and that Getz would only be engaged and paid if the grant is awarded. The council approved Resolution R-2025-57 to award project delivery and administration services to Public Management Inc. (PMI), which staff said previously helped secure substantial grant funding for the city.

Separately, the council approved a City Development Corporation site improvement grant equal to 10% of eligible project costs, up to $50,000, for a proposed $3,000,000 convenience-store-and-restaurant development at the southwest corner of Jackson and Wharton Street (project contact: Amin Ali). The CDC board’s motion, as explained to council, conditions reimbursement on issuance of a certificate of occupancy within 18 months and a 24-month performance/operation period. Staff said the CDC will seek a lien to recoup funds if the business closes within the performance period.

All motions reported in the meeting packet passed with an "all in favor" vote recorded; no roll-call tallies with member-by-member votes were read into the record during the meeting.

What happens next: awards authorize the city manager or designee to execute documents and proceed with project implementation and grant application work; several items (engineering services and PMI administration) are contingent on successful grant awards. The council did not take additional action on the charter review item, which was informational only.

(Reporting note: dollar amounts and vendor names are taken from the meeting packet and the aloud presentation. Where the packet and staff remarks separated contractor amounts from engineering/surveying reimbursements, the article notes both without combining them.)