Bellaire City Council was presented with the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget during a July 20 City Council meeting.
Beyond the general budget, officials also outlined the projects that are expected to be included in the next fiscal year's Capital Improvement Fund, a dedicated pool of money often set aside for long-term investments and complex infrastructure projects listed in the Capital Improvement Plan, or CIP.
Breaking it down
The fund makes up approximately $16 million of the city's overall budget, with about 78% or $12.5 million being bond-funded initiatives and geared toward major water and wastewater infrastructure projects. For example, the highest-cost project in the fund for FY2026-27 is listed as the lift station and force main connection to Houston WWTP.
The $5 million project involves routing a new force main to the Houston Southwest Wastewater Plant and demolishing the city's existing lift station, according to the city's website. Other bond-funded projects also align with other major wastewater investments in the budget, including $1.7 million for the design efforts to decommission the city's current wastewater treatment plant.
Other projects in the CIF related to water and wastewater infrastructure include cash-funded projects such as:
- $1.2 million for wastewater collection rehabilitation
- $500,000 to improve wastewater collection systems
- $200,000 for a waterline replacement master plan
Cash-funded projects, unlike bond-funded items, are paid for entirely upfront using available cash or existing revenue.
More information
Next to water and wastewater improvements, the city's fund also highlights repairing or replacing amenities throughout Bellaire, including replacing the recreation center gym floor for $150,000, assessing and improving the library for a combined $216,000 and using $50,000 to get the city's parks and facilities closer to Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The funding is rounded out with roughly $275,000 worth of street and traffic projects, which include replacing LED traffic signals and creating a Street Master Plan, per the presentation.
Before you go
Bellaire will host its first budget workshop July 28. A public hearing on the budget will follow Aug. 10, with a vote on the tax rate set for Sept. 14. The budget is expected to be adopted during the Sept. 21 council meeting.
Residents can also submit questions to city staff regarding the FY2026-27 budget by emailing [email protected]
