Chief Financial Officer Terrence Beaman said the bond sale will now be finalized with closing expected to occur Nov. 20.
“This money will be used for our capital drainage program,” Beaman said.
The framework
Following Bellaire’s approval of project funding, City Council also unanimously authorized the hiring of an engineering firm to provide project management oversight for the city’s large-scale capital projects Oct. 20.
Assistant City Manager/Engineer Beth Jones said the city received a number of qualified engineering firms but ultimately went with the Bellaire-based firm Quiddity Engineering LLC to oversee services related to the regional drainage improvement program.
Jones said she will issue the first work order for $736,470 for the first six months of support with Quiddity, which includes onboarding staff from the firm who will work directly, both full-time and part-time, with Bellaire officials, handing public outreach and communication, as well as inspections.
“The program management is intended to cover Cypress Ditch widening, the demolition and construction of the south detention bond, the demolition of our existing wastewater treatment plant, and the construction of the north detention pond,” Jones said. “All of those projects we anticipate spanning between three to five years, and Quiddity will work with us during that time.”
Quiddity officials will also work alongside current engineering firms Bellaire contracts with including HDR Inc. and Ardurra, Jones said.
Council member Ross Gordon applauded city staff’s technical expertise being brought to the regional drainage improvement program.
“Our goal is to deliver these projects efficiently and do it right. ... I credit [Jones] for crafting the structure, bringing the expertise that we need and the oversight that we need,” Gordon said. “This is difficult. It's not easy. There's a lot of moving parts.”
How we got here
Bellaire is working to mitigate future flooding through the $110 million Cypress Ditch Improvements Project. The project is in the design phase, with construction starting this year, as previously reported in Community Impact.
Jones said the drainage project will expand the ditch’s overall stormwater capacity by 60% through making the side slopes steeper and reconstructing the lined portion of the channel—the physical depression or bed through which the body of water is situated—between South Rice Avenue and Brays Bayou. The city will also improve the natural channel section between Chimney Rock Road and South Rice Avenue, increasing the amount of water that can flow out to Brays Bayou.
Funding the project
Jones said the city received numerous funding sources for the $110 million project, including funding from a $40 million bond referendum approved by voters in November 2024.
Going forward
As work on the regional drainage program continues, Jones said city officials will come back in six months to seek approval for work order No. 2 with more specific projects details.
