The latest:  Pearland officials are expected to bring a finalized scope and list of projects to City Council in January for further discussion after receiving direction to aim for a smaller bond package in May. A vote to call for a referendum is set for February. “I think we need to go back with a small bond, get it approved, get it done, then go back for what is determined to be what’s next,” Council Member Tony Carbone said at the December meeting after calling for a cap of around $80 million. As a starting point, council members reviewed three potential bond levels: $70 million, $90 million and $119 million, with the largest envisioned as a set of four propositions to go before voters. Among the top 10 new proposed projects were $25 million in drainage work, $13.54 million for a 21,000-square-foot animal shelter, $10.88 million for street repairs and $3.27 million for a redesign of the Pearland Parkway roundabout to improve safety and traffic flow. City officials said all of the proposed projects could be completed by 2024, assuming bonds are sold on schedule. By comparison, the 2007 bond has taken over 10 years to complete. Assistant City Manager Trent Epperson told council members the slow process during that cycle were due to several factors, including having to rework some of the preliminary engineering and surveying, and delaying the sale of bonds during the recession.