2026-10-14 - City Council (Wednesday session) Meeting

Summary

Built from the official minutes and the posted agenda. No transcript or timing is available, so there is no time-on-topic table.

Reconvened 9:00 AM Wednesday, October 14, Mayor Whitmire presiding; Castillo absent; adjourned 11:18 AM as recorded.
Tax rate held at $0.519190 per $100 after a public hearing, and the 2026 levy ordinance passed.
Forty-eight agenda items; every ordinance and motion passed with all voting aye.
Second reading of ten commercial solid waste franchises.
Items removed from consent and adopted: Sunnyside Landfill reuse planning, Tanner Road interlocal with Harris County, and Ardurra CRMP Package 4 amendment.
United Airlines Series 2026B special facilities bonds and a Houston Waterworks Team lawsuit settlement approved.

Mayor's Report: Mayor Whitmire said the City is not raising taxes because it is far ahead of projections; Finance Director Melissa Duboski gave a presentation and Council members questioned and commented.
Public hearing on the $0.519190 per $100 rate (same as last year): Marian Wright spoke; hearing closed on Castex-Tatum's motion, seconded by Peck (Motion 2026-0563). The levy ordinance (2026-0884) passed, all aye.

$90,000 CDBG third amendment for the job training program adopted on consent (2026-0886). The Mayor recognized the delegation.

Parsons Transportation Group, $7,502,947.14 plus $3,351,597.85 (2026-0888); IAH Fuel Company reimbursement, $4,138,985.21 (2026-0889); Coit Cleaning increase to $226,000 (Motion 2026-0567).

Settlement (2026-0890) and liquidated damages distribution among four regional water authorities (2026-0891) adopted.

Six block ordinances adopted: Rosedale, Walker, Rusk, Clay (two) and Van Etten (2026-0893 to 0898).

AIMS Companies sewer stoppage cleaning and television inspection No. 13, $11,599,862.40 (2026-0909).

Jacobs Package 2 amendment (2026-0908) on consent; Ardurra Package 4 amendment, $9,031,494 (2026-0916), after removal from consent.

To-Mex and Lopez Utilities appropriations (2026-0911 to 0913), Pump Solutions pumps (Motion 2026-0566), Jacobs Market Square, Garner Villas and Parkhill drainage amendment, $3,040,406.63 (2026-0907), and Neel-Schaffer water storage tank design amendment, $3,150,000 (2026-0910).

Groundwater Reduction Plan Group B, fifteen parcels (2026-0906), and a CenterPoint easement vacation for $12,881 (2026-0902).

Tanner Road agreement with Harris County adopted after removal from consent (2026-0915).

Consent items also included $381,513 in firefighter recertification fees (Motion 2026-0565); Brinks armored car deposit services, $584,000 (2026-0903); police promotional assessment contract with Morris and McDaniel, $1,500,000 (2026-0904); swimming pool maintenance with Commercial Chemical Products (PoolSure), $5,175,470.64 (2026-0905); $234,000 and $200,000 for environmental services programs for police and fire (2026-0892); and consent to add land to Harris County Improvement District No. 14, Dowdell Public Utility District and Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 134C (2026-0899 to 0901). Matters by Council Members began with Flickinger.

Tax rate public hearing (Motion 2026-0563) and Ordinance 2026-0884 levying 2026 ad valorem taxes; consent agenda items 3-48.