CITY MANAGER’S UPDATEFEBRUARY 22, 2019

646 Bridge Demolition to Begin Next Week

S tarting next Friday, March 1, at 9 p.m., all lanes of FM 646 eastbound and westbound at I-45 will be closed for six months as TxDOT crews begin demolishing

the FM 646 bridge. In addition, from 9 p.m. Friday, March 1, through 5 a.m. Monday, March 4, two outside northbound main lanes will be closed between FM 517 to FM 646. During this closure, traffic on the main lanes will detour to the northbound frontage road. The construction is part of an ongoing project to expand I-45 from six lanes to eight lanes of traffic in Galveston County.

Crews are taking down the overpass at FM 646 over I-45 and will eventually replace it with a street running under the interstate. TxDOT officials have signed an agreement with contractors reconstructing the overpass that stipulates crews have six months to finish the job, with disincentives for late completion and incentives for finishing early. The reconfiguring of FM 646 and I-45 will also include the addition of bi-directional access roads and U-turn lanes, which will improve access to surrounding businesses and homes plus reduce traffic congestion. Crews are tentatively slated to reopen the intersection to travel across FM 646 in the fall of 2019.

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

Calder Road Ribbon Cutting Celebration

On Wednesday, February 20, City Council members, staff, and community members hit the street, literally, to celebrate Calder Road opening to two-way traffic. Instead of a ribbon, the group cut construction tape draped across the roadway, which was then followed by City Manager John Baumgartner and members of the Communications Department and Project Management Team handing out coffee, thank you notes, and cookies to residents and morning commuters traveling on the roadway. In addition, a specially designed t-shirt, generously paid for by Dannenbaum Engineering Corp., was distributed to those who stopped by.

There is still a few weeks left of work to be completed on the project, including the installation of concrete driveways, sidewalks, and concrete-lined ditches, as well as final striping. The Calder Road Capital Improvement Project was actually FOUR separate projects in one:

Booster Pump Station – CIP # WT1205• August 4, 2014 to June 14, 2017 • Contractor: CSA Construction, Inc.• Scope of project: To increase the water storage and

pumping capacity of the existing booster pump station to provide for existing water service needs and future growth in the area.

30-inch Sanitary Sewer (Phase 1) – CIP # WW1301• June 8, 2015 through February 15, 2016 • Contractor: Reddico Construction Company• Scope of project: To convey the increased sewer flows

from the Bay Colony development area to the Butler Road Lift Station. The increased development in the Victory Lakes, Bay Colony development, and Pinnacle Park area will result in sewer flows exceeding the capacity of the existing 21-inch sanitary sewer.

• Approximately 2,250 linear feet of 30-inch sanitary sewer lines installed.

30-inch Sanitary Sewer (Phase 2) – CIP # WW1301• September 21, 2015 through April 5, 2017 • Contractor: S.J. Louis Construction of Texas• Scope of project: To convey the increased sewer flows

from the Bay Colony development area to the Butler Road Lift Station. The increased development in the Victory Lakes, Bay Colony development, and Pinnacle Park area will result in sewer flows exceeding the capacity of the existing 21-inch sanitary sewer lines.

• Approximately 5,700 linear feet of 30-inch sanitary sewer lines installed.

Road Reconstruction (Ervin Street to Turner Road) – CIP # ST1002• January 16, 2017 through present• Contractor: Texas Sterling Construction Company• Scope of project: To convert Calder Road, between

Ervin Street and Turner Road, from an open-ditch rural roadway to a concrete, curb-and-gutter, urban roadway with storm sewers.

• Approximately 1.621 miles of road reconstruction.• In addition, franchise utilities (including TNMP,

CenterPoint, Frontier, Comcast, and AT&T) were rebuilt by separate contractors.

2019 Warrant Roundup Begins February 23

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

The City of League City is teaming up with law enforcement agencies and courts from more than 300 jurisdictions across Texas to host the 2019 Warrant Roundup beginning February 23. Notices for outstanding warrants have been mailed to more than 5,000 individuals who have open warrants with the City of League City.

Officers with the League City Police Department, and law enforcement agencies thoroughout the state, will be aggressively targeting defendants on the warrant list throughout the end of February and early March. A special task force has also been established to focus on locating defendants using a license plate recognition program. Individuals with an open warrant in League

City are urged to voluntarily contact the League City Municipal Court at 281-554-0160 immediately or make a payment online at https://www.municipalrecordsearch.com/leaguecitytx/Cases.

Monthly Committee Meetings• The Planning and Zoning Commission met on February 18 and considered one plat and made a positive

recommendation to City Council on the Water and Wastewater Capital Recovery Fee Report. The next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is scheduled on March 4.

• The Historic Commission held a meeting on February 21 and considered three Certificate of Appropriateness applications. The next Historic Commission meeting is scheduled on March 21.

• The Clean and Green Committee met on February 19 and appointed a Chair (Beth Sears) and Vice-Chair (Tamara Williams), approved the 2019 calendar, discussed committee goals, and was updated on the City’s efforts for green initiatives. The next Clean and Green meeting is scheduled on May 21.

Potential Ordinance Amendments The Director of Planning and Development is scheduled to present potential ordinance amendments to City Council during a work session on March 12. Any changes to the ordinance will come back at a later date, and a public hearing will be held at that time.

Planning and Development Updates

City Honored by United Way Bay Area

League City was recently honored with the “Horizon Award” by the United Way Bay Area for an employee awareness and donation campaign held during the month of January. City employees raised over $4,000 in annual contributions and that dollar amount continues to rise.

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

Public Works Updates

StormwaterThe Public Works Department has created a newly formed “Rapid Response Crew” to better focus on trash and debris throughout the City, as well as special projects when needed. This crew is responsible for a wide range of duties in order to keep the City operating clean and efficiently.

Sweeps of the City are performed on a weekly basis to look for and clear drainage obstructions and roadway debris that not only are an eyesore but could eventually block a storm drain. The crew will also perform regular maintenance activities on storm interceptors, which are devices located at the outfall of neighborhoods. The storm interceptors catch trash flowing from the neighborhood storm drains before entering our downstream waterways. Inspections are currently under way and cleanouts are being scheduled to remove litter as needed to keep all interceptors functioning properly.

StreetsThis week, Street Department crews made numerous repairs to damaged roadways throughout the City, including the one shown below on Meadow Brook Court.

Other locations included not only street damage but also sidewalk and curbs in need of repair. Many of these locations where damaged when City crews needed to conduct emergency repair work on failed water and sewer lines. In order for crews to make repairs to these underground lines, sometimes, they have to breakout roadway, sidewalks, and curb to get to the problem area. Crushed concrete, fill dirt, or large metal plates are then put in place until permanent repairs can be made. A list of locations needing repairs is maintained by the City’s Line Repair Department and is shared daily with the Streets Department, so they can fix the damaged area as soon as possible.

Fleet Maintenance UpdateHarvey replacement vehicles continue to arrive, including four more police patrol vehicles, along with Animal Control’s replacement F150 truck and a Ford Explorer to be used by the Communications Department. Over the next few months, Fleet will be outfitting all applicable City vehicles with decals of the current City logo and will be adding the assigned department under the logo. Additionally, all Public Works vehicles will have safety chevron graphics added to the truck tailgates. The reflective graphic provides high visibility during nighttime roadway activities. Once Public Works vehicles have been completed, Fleet will begin adding the chevron graphics to all City department trucks.Storm interceptor above ground

Inside a storm interceptor

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

Public Works Updates

Sanitary Sewer Manhole Inspection TrainingStaff members from the Line Repair and Wastewater Departments recently hosted a Manhole Inspection Workshop presented by RJN Group. The workshop provided training for the City’s Public Works Utilities groups to perform comprehensive manhole inspections that are scheduled to begin the first week of March.

Public Works will be performing in-depth inspections of manholes to confirm and document problematic inflow and infiltration issues in specific sanitary sewer collection basins. Staff will be conducting inspections using iPads and electronic log forms that will auto-sync to a central database on a daily basis. The manhole inspection activity will assist the City’s current sanitary sewer rehabilitation consultant, RJN Group, in developing a comprehensive evaluation of the sanitary sewer. These in-house formal inspection efforts are anticipated to save the City approximately $100,000.

Public Works Utilities PresentationOn Tuesday, February 19, Public Works Utility staff gave a presentation on League City’s water resources and distribution system to members of the League City Volunteer Fire Department. The presentation titled “Water 101, from River to Fire Hydrant” focused on the City’s sources of surface and ground water today, and in the future, along with the general operation of the City’s water distribution system and its impact on their ability to fight fires. A representative from Mueller Water Works also participated by providing a full-scale fire hydrant training, along with a short presentation on the basic functioning of fire hydrants and the issues often encountered while maintaining and operating them.

Recycling Do and Don’tsCommunications has teamed up with AmeriWaste and the Public Works Department to produce a video to help residents understand what can and cannot be placed in their recycle bins for weekly pickup. The video is running on the municipal channel, has been posted and shared on social media, and is on the City’s website with a complimentary article.

The two departments are also collaborating to promote the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Event on Saturday, March 2 at Hometown Heroes Park.

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

CIP Updates

Fire Station #6 (CIP# FR1701): In the last week, the contractor has made progress on underground plumbing and electrical installation, which are scheduled to be complete by the end of next week. They also installed approximately 70 percent of the driveway/foundation concrete, and the installation of the elevator shaft is scheduled for next week. The scope of this project includes the design and construction of a new Fire Station No. 6, co-located with the elevated water tower on South Shore Boulevard south of League City Parkway. The station will include sleeping quarters for six (four fire fighters and two paramedics/EMTs), three bays, and a pumper.

Clear Creek Village Lift Station Relocation (CIP# WW1706): The Clear Creek Village Lift Station Relocation project, which began in May 2018, has been completed by RJ Construction Company. The relocation of this lift station was required due to TxDOT’s I-45 Widening Project. The project’s scope included demolishing the old lift station, installing an 8-foot diameter wet well, a new 15-inch sewer line, a new manhole, emergency generator, pumps, SCADA system, odor control unit, concrete fence, gate, and landscaping.

3rd Street Ground Storage Tank Rehab (CIP# WT1802A): This project is part of necessary maintenance on the City’s water facilities. The contractor has mobilized onsite and is performing structural repairs to prepare for blasting and coating. The rehab work includes modifying the drain, interior and exterior corrosion repairs, and interior and exterior coating. This project is expected to be completed in mid-March.

Newport Water Line and Sidewalk Replacement (CIP#WT1302A): This project is a continuation of the City’s Waterline Upgrades and Replacement Project and will replace approximately 20,000 linear feet of water distribution lines located in the Newport subdivision. Alongside the waterline work, approximately 2,200 linear feet of deteriorated sidewalk along Newport Boulevard from Sunset Court North to Colonial Court will be replaced. Crews have started adding tree protection and are mobilizing excavators, sweepers, a directional drill, and a bore truck on site. Paving for bore pits will be cut this week for excavating across FM 518. This project is scheduled to be completed in December 2019.

Safe Routes to Schools Grant Application City staff are coordinating a possible grant application for Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) funding through the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It has been ten years since this funding source has been available from the federal government through TxDOT for local communities. A preliminary application is due by April 12 and will let TxDOT know of the City’s intention to develop construction plans and acquire any required right-of-way for the project(s). City staff will coordinate meetings with residents and any school districts that can benefit from this program as the application moves forward. TxDOT will notify the City by June 18 if the application is chosen to move forward for funding. If selected, a final application would be due by August 15.

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

Public Safety Updates

Police Officer RecruitmentThe League City Police Department is increasing its recruitment efforts by dedicating a Facebook page specifically to the Recruiting Division. Pertinent information regarding recruiting locations, orientation, and training, as well as updates on cadet activities in the academy will be posted. The recruiting push on social media is just a small part of the increased focus on bringing the best, most qualified candidates to join the ranks at the League City Police Department.

Assistance Sought in Unsolved Murder CaseOn February 20, 1983, a male homicide victim was found in the brush alongside the roadway in the 800 block of Highway 3 North. The male victim was never identified, and the case was never solved. The male was approximately 20 to 30 years of age, of Hispanic or Asian descent with a slim build. He was approximately five-foot and seven inches tall, weighing approximately 135 pounds. We are asking anyone with information that may help in this investigation to call Lieutenant Michael Buffington at 281-338-8220.

Retired Firetruck Finds New Home in LeForsThe League City Volunteer Fire Department recently donated a retired fire truck to the LeFors Volunteer Fire Department in LeFors, Texas. LeFors Volunteer Fire Department serves an area about five times larger than League City with only a 1960s pumper and a 1980s pumper. The addition of our retired 1993 pumper to the LeFors fleet will significantly improve their response capabilities.

The truck, which served at many of our fire stations in her 20 years with our department, was set to go to auction when members of LCVFD reached out to our friends in the panhandle. Many thanks to Rick Owens with Owens Leasing and driver Tom Mowry with Landstar who hauled her 615 miles to north Texas on a flatbed. Owens Leasing is a Landstar agency that is run by one of our firefighters, and Tom Mowery donated the cost and time to move her to her new home in LeFors.

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

Park Operations Updates

Helen Hall Library Update

Staff members were busy on Monday, February 18, painting over graffiti and cleaning up burned debris at the Skate park that was generated over the weekend.

A Little Free Library Kiosk, which was recently donated to the Recreation Department, was installed by staff this week near the front entrance of Hometown Heroes Park. Visitors to HHP will be able to use the kiosk to swap books.

Work continues on the facelift underway at the City’s municipal pool on Walker Street. With chip out of old plaster complete, crews have begun

tiling the waterline depth markers, wall crosses, and lane markings. Next steps to follow include the installation of drain grates, inlet and outlet ports, stanchion sockets, relief ports, and cup anchor replacements prior to plaster and joint sealant mastic between coping and the deck.

History Club: The Making of the Bryan MuseumThe Helen Hall Library’s “History Club” series of programs take place on the last Thursday of every month from 7 to 8 p.m. in the library’s theater. The League City Historical Society and the Helen Hall Library have teamed up to present some programs that share the local history of our area, along with Texas historical topics of note and even American history topics that cover a wide area of interests.

On Thursday, February 28, a speaker from the Bryan Museum in Galveston will discuss how the personal collection of J.P. Bryan, a successful Texas businessman, became a museum that houses one of the world’s largest collections of Texas and American West-related artifacts. Join us to learn about some of our local area history!

Harvey Repair Reimbursement Program to Start Feb. 28

Hurricane Harvey survivors who have spent their own money to repair damage to their homes will be able to begin applying for reimbursement for some of the costs of those repairs beginning next week. The Texas General Land Office will release applications for its Homeowner Reimbursement Program on February 28. The application will be available online at recovery.texas.gov/hrp. The reimbursement program will pay homeowners up to

$50,000 for out-of-pocket expenses they made repairing or rebuilding their homes after the 2017 storm. To qualify for the program, people must be able to show proof the home is their primary residence, the home was damaged by Hurricane Harvey, and they spent money on the repairs. For information about the program, email cdr@recovery.texas.gov or call 1-844-893-8937.

J.P. BryanBryan Museum

League City | City Manager’s Update FEBRUARY 22 | 2019

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Communications Updates

Upcoming EventsFebruary 23: Yachty Gras February 23: 2019 Warrant Roundup begins February 26: Student Government Day at City Hall March 1: FM 646 Bridge Demolition Begins March 2: Household Hazardous Waste Collection March 5 and 6: Galveston County Day at the CapitolMarch 7: Virtual Town Hall on Upcoming Special Election

May 4 Special ElectionThe Communications Department, along with City Council members, Mayor Pat Hallisey, and City Manager John Baumgartner are available to make presentations to community groups, homeowner associations, and local clubs and organizations regarding the upcoming special election on May 4.

Communications Director Sarah Greer Osborne made presentations to the League City Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee and Legislative Committee, along with a local HOA group this week. If interested in having her come speak to your group, email sarah.greerosborne@leaguecitytx.gov. Residents can also take part in a Virtual Town Hall Meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 7 by tuning in to the City’s Facebook page. Mayor Pat Hallisey and Council members, along with City staff, will be live on Facebook to discuss and answer questions regarding the three propositions on the ballot.

Converge on the CapitalLeague City Convention & Visitors Bureau Administrator Bryan Roller, along with CVB Advisory Board members Shawna Reid and Tejal Patel, recently joined more than 500 tourism industry leaders and representatives at the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association’s “Converge on the Capital.” The two-day event, held in conjunction with the Texas Travel Industry Association’s Annual Unity Dinner, seeks to educate and gain support for initiatives that support the overall health of the State’s tourism industry. Texas benefits from tourist spending by more than $74.7 billion annually, generating over $4.1 billion annually in state tax revenues and over $2.7 billion annually in local tax revenue according to data from the Office of the Governor. In the Bay Area region, tourism accounts for more than 6,700 jobs and generates more than $25.2 million in local taxes.

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