League City City Council discusses unexpected cost in construction project, water rates

Warren said the expansion project was designed based on architectural drawings from when the original building was constructed around 1996. Those drawings do not include the support beam.

Council Member Nick Long said it was “disappointing” the original drawings were so inaccurate and said he hoped the city was no longer working with that architect.

Mayor Pat Hallisey said the city has put the council in an “impossible situation” because the expansion project has already begun.

“We wanna get the building done ... but it’s gotta make economic sense at the same time,” he said.

Council Member Larry Millican made a motion to deny spending the $44,000 to remove the beam, and staff urged the council to postpone the item instead so they could see the training room and the beam for themselves before determining it would be OK to let it remain. The council then voted 6-1, with Council Member Andy Mann against, to table the item until the council’s next meeting.

In other business

The housekeeping ordinance change was done in preparation for establishing new water rates to help pay for the $500 million the city expects to spend in the next decade on water-related projects.

At the Feb. 25 meeting, council will approve the second reading of the amended ordinance and discuss the new water rates. It is likely the new proposed rates will be based on meter size, which means residents will not see as big an increase in water rates as commercial businesses will, staff said.