West University officials to place civic center projects on May ballot

West University Place officials showed unanimous favor to call a bond election in May to fund several capital improvement projects, including controversial items listed in the city’s Facilities Master Plan.

What happened?

West University residents have been asking for City Council members to allow citizens to vote on certain master plan projects for months, which includes rebuilding structures such as the city hall, senior center, library and community building.

The discussion took place Jan. 27 where residents lined the walls to speak both for and against putting the civic projects to a vote. However, West University Place Mayor Susan Sample said she ultimately chose to show favor for the bond election because it allows residents to participate in the "historic moment," and allows the city to move forward together to participate in direct democracy.

"While we want a neighborhood that continues to provide for a great quality of life for our residents, and I believe West U needs these investments to deliver an exceptional city, above all we must maintain our community’s sense of cohesion," she said in an email to Community Impact. "This sense is one of West U’s great virtues. I am the mayor for all residents, not just those whose support the project. In that spirit, bringing a vote to our residents will serve the next generation, regardless of outcome, by refreshing our sense of civic unity in West U."

Zooming in

Items on the ballot will include Phases II, III and IV of the Facilities Master Plan, which includes:

• A new community building with a senior center and library
• A new city hall
• Renovating the existing municipal building into a public safety sector for both the police and fire departments
• Urban site planning improvements for Phase II projects
• Pedestrian mobility and safety improvements in the civic center

The council will still need to adopt an ordinance officially calling the bond election between Feb. 3 and 14 after receiving feedback from the Attorney General's office. City officials said residents will then get to see the exact proposition language and dollar amounts.

Something to note

Other items that were suggested to be included in the bond proposal, but were ultimately left off after council discussion, included a new pump building for the Milton Pump Station, replacing the Milton Ground Storage Tank, replacing the existing 250K Bellaire Elevated Storage Tank and replacing individual components of the wastewater treatment plant.

Several residents said they did not want the wastewater treatment plant improvements to be grouped in with the civic center projects. Mayor Pro Tem John Montgomery said he also wanted to remove items 6-9, which included the water and wastewater projects, from the bond election and let residents vote on just the civic projects.

"Items 6-9 don't belong in this bond election," he said. "If we can use cash in our capital reserve and re-budget for the completion of the wastewater treatment plant, as urgently as possible—I'd love it, but that's a future council decision."

West University residents voiced their concerns in November on the status of the wastewater treatment plant citing that city officials were "de-prioritizing" the aging infrastructure.

Construction on the plant was anticipated to begin in 2024, but improvements were delayed due to city staff denying the single construction bid that came in $12 million over the asking price, City Manager Dave Beach said. However, the project is anticipated to go out for a rebid in February, with Phase I of construction scheduled for 2027.

More details

If the bond is approved in May, all projects could be paid through the use of General Obligation bonds, which take roughly six months to issue after voter approval, according to the Jan. 27 agenda item. Delivery of funds for the project could be as early as mid-July.

The agenda also provided a tentative schedule for the master plan projects, if approved, with construction potentially set to begin in March 2026 on the new community building, recreation center and city hall. Construction for the renovated public safety building would potentially begin in September 2028.

Dates are subject to change.

Key dates to know

Early voting for the May election is April 22-29, with election day held May 3. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is April 22 and the last day to register to vote is April 3.

Residents will also be able to vote for all four West University council member positions and the mayor during the May election.