League City approves first reading of FY 2026 budget
League City’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget would maintain the no-new-revenue rate of $0.369 per $100 valuation, while simultaneously increasing funding for emergency services, drainage and parks.
What happened: League City City Council voted 7-1 to approve the first reading of the budget at its Aug. 27 meeting.
The details: City documents show the operating budget, which covers day-to-day city services, is expected to come in at $194.5 million—up $10 million from last year, according to previous reporting from Community Impact. The city’s general fund is expected to have a $2.6 million shortfall.
Clear Creek ISD trustees approve over $820K in capital projects
Digital marquees, new speed bumps, an electrical gate and new athletic grounds maintenance equipment are in store for Clear Creek ISD after the board of trustees approved funding for a slew of capital projects at its Aug. 25 meeting.
The overview: The board approved over $820,400 for capital project funds, all of which will be paid for through the 2017 bond, according to board agenda documents.
A bulk of the funds will be used to replace outdated athletic grounds maintenance equipment. The board approved $435,000 to be allocated toward the replacements, according to district documents.
Also of note: Another portion of the capital project funds will go toward Clear Springs High School to install new speed bumps, which will cost nearly $66,350.
H-GAC bringing back ‘Free Fare Fridays’ to Greater Houston area in September
The Houston-Galveston Area Council announced the return of a campaign focused on reducing air pollution levels by providing free use of certain mass transit routes on Fridays in September.
What you need to know: As part of Ozone Action Month, multiple transit agencies across the Houston region will allow riders to use mass transit routes free of charge on Fridays in September, according to H-GAC’s website. The initiative aims to reduce the amount of air pollution generated by vehicles on Houston area roads.
The participating agencies include:
Harris County Transit: All routes
Fort Bend Transit: All routes
City of Conroe: Fixed and paratransit routes
The Woodlands Township: All routes
What else: For residents unable to use the transit options, H-GAC officials also suggested other measures to reduce air pollution, including carpooling, reducing the number of trips and biking when possible.
Communities in Texas’ Flash Flood Alley may soon have to install flood warning sirens
Some communities in Flash Flood Alley, which stretches through Central Texas and includes the Colorado and Guadalupe River basins, would be required to install flood warning sirens under a bill advanced by state House lawmakers Aug. 26.
The details: Under Senate Bill 3:
The Texas Water Development Board would identify areas impacted by the deadly July 4-5 floods that have “a history of consistent or severe flooding.”
Local governments in the identified areas would be required to install flood warning sirens if they are not already present.
The state would distribute up to $50,000 in grants to help cities and counties install warning systems.
Lawmakers have said they were concerned that some Hill Country residents and visitors missed or did not receive emergency alerts related to the July 4 floods, which began before sunrise.
Next steps: House lawmakers passed SB 3 unanimously Aug. 26, returning it to the Senate with a minor amendment. If senators sign off on the amendment, the warning siren bill will head to the governor’s desk.
