Righting the Ship in 2022

One of the main storylines of 2022 is that we’ve finally got our permanent City Manager, and she, in turn, has been busy filling other key positions.  The challenge of persistent personnel vacancies, which is by no means unique to Bellaire, is concerning because it directly impacts the City’s ability to provide the level and quality of services our residents expect.  It’s also not fair to keep stretching our overworked staff, though they’ve admirably risen to the occasion, and it’s not sustainable in the long run.

For the chief executive role to have remained open two years was far from ideal, but it was more important Council took the time necessary to find just the right person we could all unite around.  We’re thrilled to have welcomed our new City Manager, and in her first four months she’s already proven to have been worth the wait.  It’s a big job even under ordinary circumstances, and all the more so now as she’s tasked with rebuilding the team and righting the ship generally.

Actionable Next Steps in Our Regional Drainage Improvement Program

Having earlier this year expressed clear policy direction for the continued progression of our regional drainage improvement program, last week the City Council awarded an engineering contract to Ardurra Group, Inc., to assist the City as technical advisor and to actively manage the process moving forward.  They will take the findings and recommendations of the Bellaire Master Drainage Concept Plan and begin developing actual projects, to include maximizing opportunities for outside funding and partnerships.  Ardurra brings years of experience and established relationships doing this kind of work throughout our area.

Bellaire’s Response to Houston’s Boil Water Notice

The City of Bellaire first heard about Houston’s boil water notice at the same time everyone else did, when local media began reporting on it just before 8:00 p.m. Sunday.  We never received any notice directly from Houston, as one would have expected.  Turns out they attempted to notify us by e-mail around 7:00 p.m., but sent it to an outdated address (which we’ve since corrected).  At that late hour, however, and so close to when we got word anyway through the media, it really wouldn’t have made any difference in our response.

Under regional subsidence regulations we’re limited to drawing only half our water supply from our groundwater wells.  For the other half we purchase surface water from the City of Houston, as numerous other municipalities and water districts do.  Upon learning of Houston’s boil water notice, Bellaire Public Works immediately began isolating our water system by shutting off the flow of surface water from Houston and switching over exclusively to groundwater.

Out of an abundance of caution, we went ahead and issued our own boil water notice, too.  Since we had been taking water from Houston all day and couldn’t rule out the possibility some of it may have been affected, it was the right call.  Always better to err on the side of public health and safety.

That said, be assured we never had any reason to believe our water supply was actually contaminated.  At no time during the event did Bellaire’s system pressures drop below required levels, and testing performed Sunday and yesterday all came back within acceptable water quality parameters.  Yesterday evening after further investigation we determined our notice, which again had been issued as a precaution, could safely be lifted and we promptly did so.

City staff in Public Works and the City Manager’s Office did a great job in their handling of this situation.  Still, they recognize there may be some areas for improvement and will be reviewing the response for any learnings they can take from it.  Bellaire water customers may contact Public Works at (713) 662-8170 or by e-mail at pw@bellairetx.gov with any questions.

Council Chewing on a Location for New Pound

The City Council’s long-awaited workshop last week on proposals for the replacement and relocation of the Bellaire Pound took an early turn, diving into the details of our current animal control operations and policy.  (Video of that first hour will be of interest to those wishing to have the latest information.)  That discussion set the stage and provided necessary context for the remainder of the workshop, and for the decision making still to follow.  All were in agreement we’ve made great progress over the past year in upping our game at the pound as it exists today, but it’s time to move forward with a new facility elsewhere.

We won’t be rebuilding at the current site, because it’s too deep into the floodplain for us to be able to replace the structure cost-effectively, and there are related operational challenges as well.  After careful consideration of potential alternatives both in and outside Bellaire, staff have narrowed it down to two options:  a City-owned parcel on N. First St. at the northern edge of town, or an industrial property that’s about five miles away.

P&Z, Council Call for Comp Plan Review

Are there aspects of our zoning code that no longer meet the needs and desires of the community, recognizing those sentiments may change over time?  Have new developments, or denials of new developments, in recent years produced outcomes inconsistent with our expectations?  These are important questions, marked by a heightened sense of urgency given near-term redevelopment opportunities (at the former Randall’s property, for example—a word on that below) and their potential long-term effects.  To be clear that’s not in reaction to any particular proposal, but just in recognition of the fact that the turnover of developable parcels underscores the need to ensure our zoning is up to date.  It also doesn’t mean we presume to know the answers before we’ve even asked; only that this is a conversation we really ought to be having, and with as much public input as we can get.

The FY 2023 Budget: A Collaborative Effort

The fiscal year 2023 budget, adopted unanimously by the City Council, is reflective of the broader economic environment marked by a high rate of inflation and an incredibly tight labor market.  Cities are not immune to these trends, and as costs are rising across the board, so too is the cost of providing municipal services.  This budget prioritizes maintaining service delivery and addressing our most pressing challenges, while holding the nominal tax rate flat, for now the fourth year in a row.

CRS Reclassification Process Slowed by FEMA

In my last update on our efforts to get back into the Community Rating System, I passed along to you exactly what FEMA officials had been telling the city staff and CRS consultant:  that we were well on track to achieve the full restoration of our prior classification of 7, effective October 1, 2022.  All along the way staff have consistently been assured they’ve done everything asked of them, by every deadline.  And so imagine their surprise upon being informed last month that FEMA would now be pushing our reclassification out to October 1, 2023.

World Trade Center Steel 9/11 Memorial

Appropriately located next to the Fire Station and directly across from Police, an important piece of history is now on display.  The 11-foot section of World Trade Center I-beam was donated to the City of Bellaire in 2017, and has since been in storage while we’ve been working on plans for a privately funded local memorial.  Last fall we were honored to loan the artifact to the Lone Star Flight Museum, where it served as the centerpiece of a special exhibit commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11.  Its return to Bellaire earlier this year was the impetus for a temporary installation plan, to keep it out of storage and accessible to the public, at no cost to the City and requiring only minimal funding from our community partners.

The functional design utilizes the same mounting that was fabricated for the museum exhibit, and also repurposes other materials the City already had on hand.  Piper Whitney Construction, which specializes in permeable paving solutions, graciously donated labor and supplies to build out the site, and Bellaire Public Works then completed the installation in-house.  The Bellaire/Southwest Houston Rotary Club, already a financial supporter of this project, is looking at underwriting signage to be added in the near future.

Our local 9/11 Memorial stakeholder group will continue working on the design and developing a fundraising strategy for a permanent exhibit, to be situated among the trees in the area between the Police Station and Great Lawn.  That location was identified as most conducive to creating a quiet, contemplative space, and as likely necessary to accommodate the more ambitious scale originally envisioned.  However, as the stakeholder group has been refining and scaling down the conceptual design, it remains to be seen whether what’s now the temporary location will end up being permanent.

In the meantime, most importantly this temporary installation gets the piece out of storage and on public display as intended.  It’s visible and approachable, and fitting in its proximity to our Police and Fire departments.  The City and stakeholder group will host a memorial ceremony and dedication this September 11 at 2:00 p.m.

Flood Mitigation Progress Five Years Out From Harvey

Five years after nearly 30% of our homes were flooded in Hurricane Harvey, residents displaced and lives upended, Bellaire is back and better than ever.  We’ve rebuilt our neighborhoods and our community, and have seen our property values rise as post-storm construction activity has only accelerated the ongoing trend of newer homes replacing the old.  Aggregate appraisals across the City have surpassed pre-Harvey levels.

But looking forward, are we any better protected from flooding now than we were then?  With the completion of the $480 million Project Brays we are, and over the past few years we’ve laid the foundation and positioned ourselves for more regional improvements to come, to further reduce our flood risk.  Starting, we have good reason to be optimistic, with the expansion of Cypress Ditch immediately to our south, the primary conveyance channel into which most of Bellaire directly drains.

Introducing City Manager Sharon L. Citino

Sharon L. Citino

Following a nationwide search that attracted candidates from far and wide, we ended up finding our next City Manager just a few blocks away.  A resident of Braeswood Place and a Bellaire High School parent, Sharon Citino is already very familiar with our community and jumped at the opportunity to serve in this role.  She’s got a wealth of municipal experience spanning more than 20 years, with a strong track record of leadership and team building, and has demonstrated the skills and temperament the City Council was looking for.

A self-proclaimed “committed public servant and local government geek,” Sharon started her municipal career as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Loveland, Colorado.  There, she worked with and gained exposure to pretty much all city departments and functions, and regularly advised the City Council and citizen boards and commissions.  As a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston, she

Meet and Greet
Reception

August 1, 6:00 p.m.

developed particular legal expertise in all things water, and was involved in water and wastewater infrastructure projects, operations and maintenance.  That experience led to her most recent position as Houston Water Planning Director, in which she has grown further as an executive leader and manager.