In late July, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced a bipartisan FEMA-reform bill.
Committee leaders say it “provides the most robust legislative reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal disaster assistance programs in decades.”
The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669) was introduced after feedback the Committee received on the draft from Members of Congress and the emergency management stakeholder community.
The Committee hopes Congress will take the bill up when it returns from its August recess.
Streamlining Disaster Response and Recovery
According to the Committee, the FEMA Act streamlines the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again, directly accountable to the President.
Sponsors say the bill rewards effective state and local preparedness, protects taxpayers, cuts red tape, and ensures that relief efforts are fast, fair, and free from political bias.
“The American people need an emergency management system that works quickly and effectively, not one that makes disaster recovery more difficult,” said Committee Chairman Rep. SamGraves of Missouri.
“But time and time again, we’ve heard the same story from state and local officials, emergency managers, and disaster victims,” said Graves. The federal process is too slow, complicated, and disconnected from the realities on the ground. Communities trying to rebuild are forced to navigate a maze of complicated rules, conflicting timelines, and mountains of burdensome paperwork.”
Comments from Both Sides of Aisle
He added, “FEMA is in need of serious reform, and the goal of the FEMA Act of 2025 is to fix it. This bill does more than any recent reforms to cut through the bureaucracy, streamline programs, provide flexibility, and return FEMA to its core purpose of empowering the states to lead and coordinating the federal response when it’s needed.”
Ranking Member Rick Larsen from Washingtonsaid. “This bipartisan bill will make FEMA stronger and more efficient, giving it the tools it needs to provide relief to disaster-impacted communities.”
Rep. Daniel Webster from Florida said, “I know firsthand the damage that hurricanes and natural disasters bring, and how important effective preparation, response and relief is when tragedy strikes. By streamlining FEMA and cutting red tape, we ensure that federal disaster response is faster, more efficient, and accountable to the American people.”
“FEMA’s mission is to help Americans in their darkest hour,” said Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona. “The solution is not to tear FEMA down – it’s to work across the aisle to build FEMA up. This bipartisan bill takes common-sense steps to streamline the agency and make sure communities get disaster assistance quickly, efficiently and fairly.”
Restores FEMA’s original status as an independent agency.
It would report directly to the President and be overseen by its own inspector general. Returning FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency will empower the Administrator to lead a coordinated, government-wide response to disasters.
Puts disaster-impacted states in the driver’s seat
It would help dollars reach communities faster, inject common sense, and cut red tape that can drag out disaster recovery for decades. It would speed up rebuilding with faster, project-based grants. States could prioritize the highest need projects, without waiting years for reimbursement.
The bill would also incentivize states to make their own investments in mitigation, rainy-day funds, and private insurance policies.
This legislation also reforms federal permitting and procurement processes to speed up rebuilding projects and eliminate unnecessary delays.
Helps disaster aid work better for survivors, while saving taxpayer dollars
Disaster survivors will complete a single, streamlined application when applying for assistance, significantly reducing the paperwork burden.
FEMA must provide clear, understandable notices to disaster survivors, ending the confusion caused by complex and jargon-filled denial letters.
The Act alsoremoves disincentives that discourage donations from charities, so more non-federal support is available for disaster survivors. And it gives states more flexibility to determine the best emergency housing solutions.
Strengthens efforts to protect communities before a disaster occurs
The FEMA Act 2025 overhauls FEMA’s existing mitigation framework.
States can pre-vet mitigation projects through a peer-review process to speed up funding when disaster strikes and combine funds from federal programs to expedite the completion of critical projects.
The Act also clarifies building code requirements, so states can tailor standards to the hazards they face. And it encourages homeowners to invest in cost-effective mitigation improvements to reduce long-term disaster costs.
Prevents politicization of disaster aid and demands greater transparency and accountability from FEMA
The Act strictly prohibits any political discrimination in providing disaster recovery assistance. And it would create a public website that tracks disaster spending nationwide.
It would also eliminate outdated, conflicting, and unnecessary rules and regulations.
And it would assess: disaster fraud risks related to insurance coverage, identify theft, public alerting systems, and cost savings associated with the reforms in the discussion draft.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/9/2025
2902 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/HumbleFloodFromHCFCD.jpg?fit=1500%2C1119&ssl=111191500adminadmin2025-08-09 18:30:522025-08-10 17:34:56Bipartisan FEMA-Reform Bill Introduced in U.S. House
8/8/25 – The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin at FM1960 and the Hardy Tollroad along Cypress Creek illustrates the difficulty HCFCD will face as it attempts to build 11 comparable basins in the next year and a half.
The Mercer Basin, originally projected to take one year – on an expedited schedule – has taken more than two years already and is still many more months from completion.
If HCFCD maintains that pace for the other basins, it could miss a critical U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deadline.
One (Arbor Oaks) is already in construction. But ten more projects valued at $289 million remain to be bid. Is there enough time to complete them before HUD’s immovable February 28, 2027, deadline?
The next ten basins don’t have 2.5 years. So unless HCFCD picks up its pace, low-to-moderate income areas across Harris County could lose a quarter billion dollars in funding. They can’t afford that.
Neither can areas like Lake Houston. Because Commissioners Court will start cancelling projects here to divert funds to the areas that lost grants.
Huge Difference Between Original and Actual Timeline
At 512 acre feet, the Mercer Basin is slightly larger than average. Construction experts tell me that a basin that size should take a year to build. And, in fact, that was the estimate Rodney Ellis gave a community meeting.
But the project slid from the git-go. The county didn’t advertise it to potential bidders until 8/4/23. Then it took HCFCD four months to select a winning bid and issue a “notice to proceed” to the contractor.
Photos Taken 8/8/25 Show Construction Still Far From Complete
And the job, which was supposed to be finished a year ago this week, is still in construction. Worse, construction may not finish this year, according to a contractor I talked to who saw the pictures below.
Looking W at South Mercer detention basin at FM1960 and Hardy. FM1960 on left. Looking S toward FM1960 at same basin. Hardy Tollroad in upper right.Looking N at balancing culvert between two Mercer basinsNorth basin is closer to completion but still not done.It appears contractors are still installing backslope interceptor swales and drain pipes.Looking S at both basins with Cypress Creek snaking through frame from right to left.
Mercer Took 2X Longer than Predicted – So Far
From the invitation to bid to today has been 735 days – five days more than 2 years!
Even if all CDBG-DR projects in play went out for bids tomorrow, only 569 days remain until the ultimate, immovable deadline of Feb. 28, 2027. Even worse…
According to HCFCD’s latest bid schedule, 8 of 10 projects on HUD’s list won’t even go out for bid for another 2 to 10 months.
Mercer should have taken a year to finish from the invitation to bid, but has taken two years and could take another half year.
The other DR projects will have 18 months, but could take another 2 to 10 months before they even start bidding.
You can see the concerns. No margin for error. No weather delays allowed. And HCFCD still might not have enough time to complete projects.
George P. Bush announced this money was coming to Harris County more than four years ago when he was still commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. It took HCFCD (and the Harris County Community Services Department) four years to figure out how they wanted to spend the money he allocated. Now they’re leaving 18 months or less to actually build the projects.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/2025
2901 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250808-DJI_20250808115626_0074_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-08-08 20:41:442025-08-09 07:09:32Mercer Basin Illustrates Risks of HCFCD Slowdown for Quarter Billion in HUD Funding
8/7/25 – Lina Hidalgo threw another temper tantrum in Commissioners Court today, left and never returned. She also received a censure from her colleagues, the commissioners.
Worse, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) seems adrift. Current HCFCD leadership seems to have no sense of urgency. Eight years after Harvey, less than a quarter of flood-bond IDs have been completed. And once again, despite tight deadlines that could mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, HCFCD brought no construction or capital improvement contracts to Court today for approval or even bidding.
Flood Control Slowdown
Eight years ago this month, Hurricane Harvey struck Harris County. It caused an estimated $125 billion dollars of damage. It dramatized our vulnerability and the need for improvements in flood control.
To address those needs, voters approved a $2.5 billion bond. Partners pledged another $2.7 billion.
Out of that money, HCFCD still has $3 billion waiting to build scores of projects. Yet…
Not one construction bid was brought to Commissioners Court for approval today.
Ability to Deliver Projects At Critical Time In Doubt
In the seven years since passage of the flood bond in 2018, HCFCD has completed only 43 of 181 Bond IDs. And yet, see what HCFCD asked for in Commissioner’s Court today. It’s typical of recent meetings.
Today’s agenda provides a glimpse of HCFCD’s ability to deliver projects and its priorities. Forty-two Flood-Control-related items were listed.
I summarized today’s flood-related agenda items below under their agenda category headings.
#13 – Approval of a methodology for charging indirect costs
#17 – Budget transfers
County Engineer
#24 – A 2-acre easement
#25 – A 15-acre easement
#53 – An agreement with a MUD to build a pedestrian bridge across a channel
#155 – Correction to a deed
#156 – Correction to another deed
Flood Control District
#157 – Mowing agreement with a MUD
#158 – Trail maintenance agreement with a MUD
#159 – Mowing reimbursement for a MUD
#160 – Landscaping maintenance agreement for one residential lot
#161 – Abandon an easement
#162 – Abandon another easement
#163 – Engineering agreement to re-certify a levee
#164 – Change order adding 120 days to a maintenance agreement
Economic Equity and Opportunity
#172 – Letter of non-objection for a foreign trade zone
Auditor
#270 – Approval of payroll
Purchasing
#289 – Bid approval for erosion and slope repair
#300 – Vision insurance for next calendar year
#301 – Dental insurance for next calendar year
#305 – Life insurance for next calendar year
#306 – Disability insurance for next calendar year
#314 – Pest management services
#315 – Tree removal services
#319 – Group medical insurance for next year
#339 – Change in contract amount for channel repair job
#356 – Inventory adjustment
Precinct 1
#366 – Maintenance agreement with City of Houston for detention basin
Transmittals
#451 – Transmittal of tax rate
#452 – Advertisement of channel-repair project
#456 – Tree-trimming and tree-removal contract
#460 – Mowing contract
Executive Session
#476 – Flood Control’s nominee for Appraisal District
Emergency/Supplemental Items
#490 – Contract with corrugated metal pipe provider
#491 – Repair contract for South Harris County
#492 – Channel rehab
#502 – Contract to supply modular buildings
#510 – Vehicle leases
#520 – Flood-bond update discussion (requested by Ramsey)
#521 – Flood-control maintenance discussion (also requested by Ramsey)
A Crisis of Leadership
Harris County government under the current administration has slowed to a crawl. Taxes go up. Yet delivery of service is down. Instead of doing more with less, Lina Hidalgo is doing less with more.
We have a crisis of leadership that started with a brain drain when political appointees under Lina Hidalgo replaced experienced, professional department heads.
Then despite performance issues, many of those new heads were given massive pay increases. For instance, HCFCD’s new department head received a raise of almost $90,000 per year despite declining performance.
So, who is pushing projects ahead? It’s certainly not the county judge. She blew another gasket today. It was an embarrassing meltdown of epic proportions…shocking even by Harris-County standards.
At approximately 6:45 PM, Precinct 3 Commissioner Ramsey initiated a discussion of Rules of Conduct at Decorum during Commissioners Court Meetings.
Immediately after the members present adopted the rules, Ramsey made a second motion to censure Lina Hidalgo for her tantrum today and a previous use of profanity when children were present. That motion also passed. In legislative terms, a censure is a formal reprimand or strong rebuke of a member’s conduct or character.
Ramsey Addresses HCFCD Issues
Just before executive session Ramsey also addressed issues at HCFCD and the progress of projects. He specifically mentioned that no construction or capital improvement projects were on the agenda today, and requested an update from HCFCD on when projects were going out for bid.
Ramsey also reminded people that HCFCD promised to come back to court in September with details about what could and couldn’t be done within the available time and budget, and what would have to be phased.
Ramsey concluded with an admonishment. “We have some real severe deadlines that we’ve got to meet,” he said.
The sad thing is that by the time the next election rolls around, hundreds of millions of dollars in HUD funding could be off the table. It’s not gone yet. But the County needs to solve its leadership crisis if it ever hopes to reduce flood risk with that money.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/2025
2900 days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/20250807-Hidalgo-Unhinged.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-08-07 19:22:162025-08-07 23:04:02Leadership Crisis in Harris County Government
Bipartisan FEMA-Reform Bill Introduced in U.S. House
In late July, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced a bipartisan FEMA-reform bill.
Committee leaders say it “provides the most robust legislative reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal disaster assistance programs in decades.”
The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669) was introduced after feedback the Committee received on the draft from Members of Congress and the emergency management stakeholder community.
The Committee hopes Congress will take the bill up when it returns from its August recess.
Streamlining Disaster Response and Recovery
According to the Committee, the FEMA Act streamlines the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again, directly accountable to the President.
Sponsors say the bill rewards effective state and local preparedness, protects taxpayers, cuts red tape, and ensures that relief efforts are fast, fair, and free from political bias.
“The American people need an emergency management system that works quickly and effectively, not one that makes disaster recovery more difficult,” said Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri.
“But time and time again, we’ve heard the same story from state and local officials, emergency managers, and disaster victims,” said Graves. The federal process is too slow, complicated, and disconnected from the realities on the ground. Communities trying to rebuild are forced to navigate a maze of complicated rules, conflicting timelines, and mountains of burdensome paperwork.”
Comments from Both Sides of Aisle
He added, “FEMA is in need of serious reform, and the goal of the FEMA Act of 2025 is to fix it. This bill does more than any recent reforms to cut through the bureaucracy, streamline programs, provide flexibility, and return FEMA to its core purpose of empowering the states to lead and coordinating the federal response when it’s needed.”
Ranking Member Rick Larsen from Washington said. “This bipartisan bill will make FEMA stronger and more efficient, giving it the tools it needs to provide relief to disaster-impacted communities.”
Rep. Daniel Webster from Florida said, “I know firsthand the damage that hurricanes and natural disasters bring, and how important effective preparation, response and relief is when tragedy strikes. By streamlining FEMA and cutting red tape, we ensure that federal disaster response is faster, more efficient, and accountable to the American people.”
“FEMA’s mission is to help Americans in their darkest hour,” said Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona. “The solution is not to tear FEMA down – it’s to work across the aisle to build FEMA up. This bipartisan bill takes common-sense steps to streamline the agency and make sure communities get disaster assistance quickly, efficiently and fairly.”
The text of the FEMA Act of 2025 is available here.
A section-by-section summary of the FEMA Act is available here.
Summary of Key Provisions of FEMA Act of 2025
The FEMA Act of 2025:
Restores FEMA’s original status as an independent agency.
It would report directly to the President and be overseen by its own inspector general. Returning FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency will empower the Administrator to lead a coordinated, government-wide response to disasters.
Puts disaster-impacted states in the driver’s seat
It would help dollars reach communities faster, inject common sense, and cut red tape that can drag out disaster recovery for decades. It would speed up rebuilding with faster, project-based grants. States could prioritize the highest need projects, without waiting years for reimbursement.
The bill would also incentivize states to make their own investments in mitigation, rainy-day funds, and private insurance policies.
This legislation also reforms federal permitting and procurement processes to speed up rebuilding projects and eliminate unnecessary delays.
Helps disaster aid work better for survivors, while saving taxpayer dollars
Disaster survivors will complete a single, streamlined application when applying for assistance, significantly reducing the paperwork burden.
FEMA must provide clear, understandable notices to disaster survivors, ending the confusion caused by complex and jargon-filled denial letters.
The Act also removes disincentives that discourage donations from charities, so more non-federal support is available for disaster survivors. And it gives states more flexibility to determine the best emergency housing solutions.
Strengthens efforts to protect communities before a disaster occurs
The FEMA Act 2025 overhauls FEMA’s existing mitigation framework.
States can pre-vet mitigation projects through a peer-review process to speed up funding when disaster strikes and combine funds from federal programs to expedite the completion of critical projects.
The Act also clarifies building code requirements, so states can tailor standards to the hazards they face. And it encourages homeowners to invest in cost-effective mitigation improvements to reduce long-term disaster costs.
Prevents politicization of disaster aid and demands greater transparency and accountability from FEMA
The Act strictly prohibits any political discrimination in providing disaster recovery assistance. And it would create a public website that tracks disaster spending nationwide.
It would also eliminate outdated, conflicting, and unnecessary rules and regulations.
And it would assess: disaster fraud risks related to insurance coverage, identify theft, public alerting systems, and cost savings associated with the reforms in the discussion draft.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/9/2025
2902 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Mercer Basin Illustrates Risks of HCFCD Slowdown for Quarter Billion in HUD Funding
8/8/25 – The Mercer Stormwater Detention Basin at FM1960 and the Hardy Tollroad along Cypress Creek illustrates the difficulty HCFCD will face as it attempts to build 11 comparable basins in the next year and a half.
The Mercer Basin, originally projected to take one year – on an expedited schedule – has taken more than two years already and is still many more months from completion.
If HCFCD maintains that pace for the other basins, it could miss a critical U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deadline.
HUD Funds Come with Expiration Date
In June this year, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) received approval of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) grants to build 11 stormwater detention basins worth $326 million.
One (Arbor Oaks) is already in construction. But ten more projects valued at $289 million remain to be bid. Is there enough time to complete them before HUD’s immovable February 28, 2027, deadline?
The next ten basins don’t have 2.5 years. So unless HCFCD picks up its pace, low-to-moderate income areas across Harris County could lose a quarter billion dollars in funding. They can’t afford that.
Neither can areas like Lake Houston. Because Commissioners Court will start cancelling projects here to divert funds to the areas that lost grants.
Huge Difference Between Original and Actual Timeline
At 512 acre feet, the Mercer Basin is slightly larger than average. Construction experts tell me that a basin that size should take a year to build. And, in fact, that was the estimate Rodney Ellis gave a community meeting.
But the project slid from the git-go. The county didn’t advertise it to potential bidders until 8/4/23. Then it took HCFCD four months to select a winning bid and issue a “notice to proceed” to the contractor.
Photos Taken 8/8/25 Show Construction Still Far From Complete
And the job, which was supposed to be finished a year ago this week, is still in construction. Worse, construction may not finish this year, according to a contractor I talked to who saw the pictures below.
Mercer Took 2X Longer than Predicted – So Far
From the invitation to bid to today has been 735 days – five days more than 2 years!
Even if all CDBG-DR projects in play went out for bids tomorrow, only 569 days remain until the ultimate, immovable deadline of Feb. 28, 2027. Even worse…
Here are HCFCD’s projected bid dates.
So, to summarize:
You can see the concerns. No margin for error. No weather delays allowed. And HCFCD still might not have enough time to complete projects.
George P. Bush announced this money was coming to Harris County more than four years ago when he was still commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. It took HCFCD (and the Harris County Community Services Department) four years to figure out how they wanted to spend the money he allocated. Now they’re leaving 18 months or less to actually build the projects.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/8/2025
2901 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Leadership Crisis in Harris County Government
8/7/25 – Lina Hidalgo threw another temper tantrum in Commissioners Court today, left and never returned. She also received a censure from her colleagues, the commissioners.
Worse, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) seems adrift. Current HCFCD leadership seems to have no sense of urgency. Eight years after Harvey, less than a quarter of flood-bond IDs have been completed. And once again, despite tight deadlines that could mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, HCFCD brought no construction or capital improvement contracts to Court today for approval or even bidding.
Flood Control Slowdown
Eight years ago this month, Hurricane Harvey struck Harris County. It caused an estimated $125 billion dollars of damage. It dramatized our vulnerability and the need for improvements in flood control.
To address those needs, voters approved a $2.5 billion bond. Partners pledged another $2.7 billion.
Out of that money, HCFCD still has $3 billion waiting to build scores of projects. Yet…
Ability to Deliver Projects At Critical Time In Doubt
In the seven years since passage of the flood bond in 2018, HCFCD has completed only 43 of 181 Bond IDs. And yet, see what HCFCD asked for in Commissioner’s Court today. It’s typical of recent meetings.
Today’s agenda provides a glimpse of HCFCD’s ability to deliver projects and its priorities. Forty-two Flood-Control-related items were listed.
I summarized today’s flood-related agenda items below under their agenda category headings.
As you read through the items, notice how not one has to do with construction or a capital improvement project. Even as fixed deadlines for hundreds of millions of dollars in HUD grants are fast approaching.
Flood-Related Items on Agenda
Flood-Control-related items DID include:
Management and Budget
#8 – Debt service payments on September bonds
#9 – Debt service payments on October bonds
#13 – Approval of a methodology for charging indirect costs
#17 – Budget transfers
County Engineer
#24 – A 2-acre easement
#25 – A 15-acre easement
#53 – An agreement with a MUD to build a pedestrian bridge across a channel
#155 – Correction to a deed
#156 – Correction to another deed
Flood Control District
#157 – Mowing agreement with a MUD
#158 – Trail maintenance agreement with a MUD
#159 – Mowing reimbursement for a MUD
#160 – Landscaping maintenance agreement for one residential lot
#161 – Abandon an easement
#162 – Abandon another easement
#163 – Engineering agreement to re-certify a levee
#164 – Change order adding 120 days to a maintenance agreement
Economic Equity and Opportunity
#172 – Letter of non-objection for a foreign trade zone
Auditor
#270 – Approval of payroll
Purchasing
#289 – Bid approval for erosion and slope repair
#300 – Vision insurance for next calendar year
#301 – Dental insurance for next calendar year
#305 – Life insurance for next calendar year
#306 – Disability insurance for next calendar year
#314 – Pest management services
#315 – Tree removal services
#319 – Group medical insurance for next year
#339 – Change in contract amount for channel repair job
#356 – Inventory adjustment
Precinct 1
#366 – Maintenance agreement with City of Houston for detention basin
Transmittals
#451 – Transmittal of tax rate
#452 – Advertisement of channel-repair project
#456 – Tree-trimming and tree-removal contract
#460 – Mowing contract
Executive Session
#476 – Flood Control’s nominee for Appraisal District
Emergency/Supplemental Items
#490 – Contract with corrugated metal pipe provider
#491 – Repair contract for South Harris County
#492 – Channel rehab
#502 – Contract to supply modular buildings
#510 – Vehicle leases
#520 – Flood-bond update discussion (requested by Ramsey)
#521 – Flood-control maintenance discussion (also requested by Ramsey)
A Crisis of Leadership
Harris County government under the current administration has slowed to a crawl. Taxes go up. Yet delivery of service is down. Instead of doing more with less, Lina Hidalgo is doing less with more.
We have a crisis of leadership that started with a brain drain when political appointees under Lina Hidalgo replaced experienced, professional department heads.
Then despite performance issues, many of those new heads were given massive pay increases. For instance, HCFCD’s new department head received a raise of almost $90,000 per year despite declining performance.
Judge Meltdown Leads to Censure
So, who is pushing projects ahead? It’s certainly not the county judge. She blew another gasket today. It was an embarrassing meltdown of epic proportions…shocking even by Harris-County standards.
At approximately 6:45 PM, Precinct 3 Commissioner Ramsey initiated a discussion of Rules of Conduct at Decorum during Commissioners Court Meetings.
Immediately after the members present adopted the rules, Ramsey made a second motion to censure Lina Hidalgo for her tantrum today and a previous use of profanity when children were present. That motion also passed. In legislative terms, a censure is a formal reprimand or strong rebuke of a member’s conduct or character.
Ramsey Addresses HCFCD Issues
Just before executive session Ramsey also addressed issues at HCFCD and the progress of projects. He specifically mentioned that no construction or capital improvement projects were on the agenda today, and requested an update from HCFCD on when projects were going out for bid.
Ramsey also reminded people that HCFCD promised to come back to court in September with details about what could and couldn’t be done within the available time and budget, and what would have to be phased.
Ramsey concluded with an admonishment. “We have some real severe deadlines that we’ve got to meet,” he said.
The sad thing is that by the time the next election rolls around, hundreds of millions of dollars in HUD funding could be off the table. It’s not gone yet. But the County needs to solve its leadership crisis if it ever hopes to reduce flood risk with that money.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/2025
2900 days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.