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Buda council hears bond-program update as staff flags $14 million shortfall
Summary
The bond program manager told the council the 2021 bond program is about 54.3% complete and highlighted inflation and materials shortages that created a roughly $14 million design shortfall; staff proposed phasing and bid alternates to close gaps.
The council received a detailed update on the 2021 bond program from the program manager, who said the effort is at its "1100th day" and is about 54.3% complete. He told council members to expect large project bidding next spring and summer and warned that rising costs for steel, concrete and labor have reduced what the bond dollars will buy.
"When you start looking at those elements, the consumer price index has kind of gone up ... projects aren't getting less expensive," the program manager said, adding that staff identify bid alternates, phased delivery and project deletions as tools to manage a projected $14,000,000 shortfall identified during design development. Council members pressed staff on grant opportunities and potential uses of existing acquisition balances to close funding gaps.
Council discussion focused on tradeoffs among time, cost and scope. The manager said certain items—right-of-way acquisition and TxDOT-dependent turnbacks—remain unknowns that could raise costs, and encouraged early design decisions to limit future change orders. Staff said projects such as Garrison Park are near 100% design and that advertising and permitting timelines will shape when construction can begin.
