West University Place officials passed the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget of $56.6 million during the council’s Aug. 17 regular meeting.

Budget explained: The budget, which runs from Jan.1 through Dec. 31, will increase employee merit raises from 2% to 3%, add two police officer positions and use reserve funds to cover one-time startup costs associated with the new hires, including equipment and vehicles.

Also of note: One of the largest cost increases is associated with recycling disposal fees, including approximately $98,000 for a new household hazardous waste program. For residents, the fee will be $1.50 a month.

The budget also includes higher solid waste disposal costs, vehicle maintenance expenses and fuel costs, while contracted labor costs are expected to decrease due to changes to the city's agreement with Magnum, the contractor that provides workers who collect trash, recycling and yard waste.

One more thing: The city has a budget of $742,500 in vehicle replacements next year, including purchasing a backhoe, dump truck, garbage truck and other equipment, according to budget documents. 

Murphy’s Deli is bringing its gourmet select sandwiches and other lunch rush options to Fannin Street in Houston, per a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

Craving subs: The deli’s extensive menu features over a dozen options across breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Its most notable offerings include signature sandwiches such as the Santa Fe Chicken, Roast Beef Melt and the French Dip. For those craving a little something different, Murphy’s Deli also specializes in pressed paninis, wraps, pitas, pasta bowls, salads, soups and burgers, according to its online menu.

Looking ahead: Construction of the 3,051-square-foot site is slated to begin Oct. 15, according to the TDLR filing. The estimated completion date for this project is set for February 2027.

• 6550 Fannin St., Ste. 203, Houston

Bellaire City Council members received a third-quarter update on current and future works within the Cypress Ditch Regional Flood Mitigation Program at an Aug. 17 City Council meeting.

Latest update: As of Aug. 17, Quiddity Engineering officials said that the south detention basin is currently in design, with many projects being developed simultaneously.

Current activities underway include the removal of the site’s concrete and asphalt. Once finished, demolition efforts will then be focused on removing a handful of buildings that previously occupied the property, primarily the Beechnut Street Car Wash, officials said.

Project funding: The city of Bellaire also reached its first funding milestone for developments related to the drainage program by receiving a $54 million fund from the Texas Water Development Board in July.

Looking ahead: Program managers anticipate issuing a notice to proceed with the site’s construction work early next year, which is in line with the project’s overall schedule.

Houston City College has received another investment to meet Greater Houston workforce needs. 

What’s happening: The college has received a $103,000 investment from NRG Energy Inc. to broaden apprenticeships for students seeking employment in the growing energy industry, officials announced in an Aug. 17 news release.

A closer look: HCC’s instrumentation and controls programs include classroom instruction as well as employer established hands-on training, per the release.

Graduates can expect to gain knowledge in operating, maintaining and troubleshooting automated systems that support power generation and industrial operations.

What they’re saying: “Industry is no longer simply advising higher education, it is helping shape it,” HCC Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher said. “Through partnerships like this with NRG, Houston City College is preparing students for careers that are in demand today while building the workforce Texas will need tomorrow.”

The Harris County Office of Budget and Management rolled out its proposed budget to county commissioners Aug. 17, with priorities for pay parity, bolstering the justice system and maintaining existing services outlined amid a $181 million shortfall.

The gist: OMB Executive Director Daniel Ramos presented the $3.096 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. However, the proposal also comes with a recommendation for a 3.5% tax rate increase, according to budget documents. 

The budget was created amid financial pressures from “rising health care costs, jail outsourcing, increased indigent defense expenses, state-mandated spending requirements and diminishing federal aid,” per a news release.

Also of note: The county also has to grapple with losing federal funding it received during the pandemic, with money from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, ending at the end of the year.