Council removes FEMA-reimbursement condition on HMGP contract, ratifies R2026-36

The El Campo City Council voted on July 27 to remove a prior condition that a contract change with J4 Fencing and Service LLC be approved only if reimbursed by FEMA and then ratified resolution R2026-36 as presented.

City counsel told the council that federal reimbursement processes require the local government to pay first and then submit receipts for reimbursement, making a contingent-approval language inappropriate: "you can't have that kind of condition in any kind of federal reimbursement. They want to know you're gonna pay it whether you're getting payment from them or not," the counsel said. Counsel also said the project had been awarded as part of an initial grant award totaling "1 point something million."

After discussion, a council member moved to remove the FEMA-reimbursement condition from the July 13 action; the council voted to reverse the previous condition and then ratified the resolution. Council recorded the motion to approve "resolution number 2026-36, deleting the savings that is subject to FEMA reimbursement." The council called the question and the motion passed.

The measure affects the HMGP Water Plant Generations project (DR-4485-TX) and the previously approved contract change. Council members discussed appeal options if reimbursement were later denied and were told appeal processes exist but the city remains under the initial award that covered roughly "1 point something million." The council did not amend the wording of the resolution itself, only removed the contingency placed on the prior approval.