On September 26, 2017 the Harris County Commissioners Court and the Board of Directors of the Harris County Flood Control District will conduct a special meeting at 9 am to review mid-year progress.  At 10 am they will be conducting their regular bi-monthly meeting.

The mid-year review includes a lot about Hurricane Harvey and possible responses. The report highlights significant damage to Harris County facilities, including the Criminal Justice Center and Jury Assembly facility. There is some discussion of how the county is tracking expenses and labor costs to help ensure reimbursement for those costs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  The report indicates that recovery will require additional capital dollars to help make infrastructure and facility repairs. The report provides some insight regarding potential impact on county revenues from lower total property value appraisals. The report indicates that about 50,000 single family homes in the county were flooded. This reduced revenue will be absorbed with some departments reducing spending by 5%.

The mid-year report includes a discussion of some possible solutions to flooding events, including new reservoirs, changes or enhancements to waterways, changes in development rules, and buyouts. It calls for a Master Plan to be developed and local, state, and federal funding. No increase in the property tax rate for HCFCD is proposed.

Read the entire Harris County Mid-Year Review Report.

The regular meeting agenda has one noteworthy item; The County Engineer seeks authorization to hold a “workshop to discuss regulatory changes needed to the flood plain management and infrastructure regulations in response to Hurricane Harvey.”