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Friendswood council hears multi‑million-dollar CIP update, awards lift‑station contract

Friendswood City Council · April 7, 2026

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Summary

Engineering director presented multiple capital projects—including a 24-inch waterline, Blackhawk Boulevard reconstruction, lift station rehabilitation and a new 750k-gallon tank—while council awarded a lift‑station construction contract and approved several budgetary items and personnel actions.

City engineering staff briefed the council on the April 2026 capital improvements program and the council approved a key construction contract and several budgetary and personnel items.

Director of Engineering Hill Arias walked the council through priority projects: Phase 2 of a 24‑inch waterline to improve distribution and connect Surface Water Plant No. 2 to Elevated Storage Tank No. 1 with construction anticipated in early 2027; the Blackhawk Boulevard reconstruction (a partnership with Harris County Precinct 2) that received 11 competitive proposals with a May award expected; and a Lift Station No. 2 rehabilitation identified as critical because of aging equipment and corrosion.

Arias said the new concrete ground storage tank at Surface Water Plant No. 1 will add about 750,000 gallons of capacity and is moving toward coating and piping work with substantial completion expected by October 2026. He also briefed council on the Friendswood active transportation plan, funded by H‑GAC with no local match, intended to create a prioritized list of walking and biking projects.

On a separate vote, council awarded the Lift Station Mitigation Package 1 construction contract (bid 2026‑01) to Branch Construction Group LLC following a competitive bid process and staff references; the motion passed with a recorded show of hands (7–0). Council also considered and ratified an IRS Form 8038‑T arbitrage payment related to the 2021 water and sewer revenue bonds (staff described roughly $602,000 in liability that is budgeted and compliant with tax rules).

Budget Amendment 6 to the FY25‑26 general budget (supplemental appropriations/transfers) was unanimously approved, and council concurred with the city manager’s appointment of Melissa Baker as the Director of Library Services after a nationwide search. The council also amended personnel policy to provide pro rata paid time off to eligible part‑time employees (staff estimated the fiscal impact under $7,000).