Commissioners Court Agenda Raises HCFCD Questions

11/12/24 – On the Harris County Commissioners Court agenda for today, Harris County Engineering has 71 items. Harris County Flood Control (HCFCD) has seven. HCFCD used to battle Engineering each meeting for the title of “most projects on the agenda.” But not these days.

The disparity raises questions about HCFCD. Like “What’s going on?”

The seven HCFCD items include:

• Two hike-and-bike trail agreements
• Two engineering contracts
• Three condemnation proceedings

But no construction that would actually reduce flooding.

Other Flood-Control Items Not Listed Under Flood Control

To be fair, HCFCD also has the following items on the agenda under different department names/headings:

• Under the County Attorney, a settlement agreement
• Under Grants, two requests to accept money (from FEMA and Homeland Security)
• Under Purchasing, one request to advertise a project for bid
• Also under Purchasing, approval of one contract each for:
  • Mowing
  • Floating, vegetated islands in a detention basin
  • Recycling surplus tires
  • Seed-mix development at Texas A&M
  • Lawn care
• Under Emergency Items:
  • An engineering contract to design a Friendswood Regional Stormwater Detention Basin
  • Purchase of additional property at the Armand Bayou Nature Preserve

But that’s not all.

$30,000 for an Employee-Engagement Event?

Last but not least, under Travel and Training, for those who care to read the fine print, there’s another item on the agenda: $30,000 for an “Employee engagement event.” See Item 191, Line Item 5 on Page 24.

An HCFCD spokesperson says, “That item refers to funding for employee recognition opportunities, including a lunch event in December for the team.”

As a former business owner, I understand the need for employee recognition. But I never spent that much money on lunch. Nor did my company’s money come from public taxes after a 63% tax increase that squeaked by with a 2% margin of victory.

Regardless of the $30,000 lunch’s merits, the optics don’t look good.

HCFCD said the tax increase would fund increased maintenance needed, in large part, because of increased capital-improvement spending. But there’s not one capital-improvement construction contract on today’s agenda that will actually reduce flooding.

It’s unclear why HCFCD has slowed down. But it has.

With about 60% the 2018 Flood Bond still unspent, construction companies say they have capacity available. Money and availability are not the issues.

Neither is staffing. The lunch is for 360 people. That’s more than under the previous administration.

So, maybe it is time to boost employee engagement! But please. The manager of the local Denny’s told me they would cater the event for half the price.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/12/2024

2632 Days since Hurricane Harvey