Bellaire city officials kicked off the start of budget season July 20 with a presentation on the proposed annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27, which begins Oct. 1, 2026, and lasts through Sept. 30, 2027.

City Engineer Beth Jones and Chief Financial Officer Terrance Beaman gave the presentation, which showcased an approximately $70 million budget that highlights public safety, capital projects and a few supplemental requests new to this year's finances.

The overview: The city's General Fund, the primary operating fund for daily, unrestricted financial operations, is set at $32.8 million, approximately $1.4 million higher than the FY 2025-26 budget. The increase is due to slightly more revenue from property taxes, sales tax, recreation fees and transfers from other funds.

Next to the General Fund, Bellaire's second largest source of revenue is the Enterprise Fund, which is expected to bring in $17 million for the new fiscal year.

The proposed budget also includes $717,000 in revenue for the drainage fund and $712,000 in expenditures.

Just outside of the Meyerland territory, a new Denny's is set to replace the former Chase Bank along West Bellfort Avenue, according to a project filing by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

In a nutshell: The filing shows that to renovate the 3,350-square-foot bank, the privately funded project will cost approximately $430,000. The conversion is expected to take approximately 5-6 months to complete, with construction anticipated to start in December and wrap up around May 2027.

On the menu: The new Denny's will join neighboring locations near South Main Street and Southwest Freeway. The American chain is known for its diner-style service and its 24-hour accessibility. Diners can choose from breakfast, lunch and dinner options that range from classic eggs, bacon and pancake plates to comfort food favorites such as fried chicken, cheeseburgers and wings.

• 6671 W. Bellfort Ave., Houston

Houston Parks Board announced Ali Flanders Dodson as its new chief advancement officer.

Explaining the role: Dodson will oversee fundraising, communications and community engagement efforts for HPB. She will also work with public and private partners, the communities that HPB serves and its board of directors to help achieve their goals, according to the news release.

Flanders Dodson is a “seasoned nonprofit fundraiser and donor strategist”, according to HPB. Before this role, she was with Kids’ Meals, a Houston-based nonprofit that focuses on ending child hunger, where she served as chief advancement officer.

Quote of note: “I am both honored and thrilled to join Houston Parks Board and contribute to an organization whose impact can be seen and experienced throughout our city,” Flanders Dodson said. “I look forward to partnering with HPB leadership, our donors and stakeholders to build on HPB’s momentum executing expansive public-private partnerships that have increased the region’s trail and greenspace network.”

Flanders Dodson’s role began immediately with HPB.

The Harris County Flood Control District is holding two open houses for the general public to hear updates on the Harris County Flood Resilience Plan, an initiative aimed at ensuring private and public resources are in place and available during flooding events.

The background: As previously reported by Community Impact, the flood resilience plan is being developed by multiple county departments to implement actionable initiatives that consider the well-being of communities facing the physical, social and economic hardships of flooding. The flood control district is holding two additional town halls for residents to weigh in on the plan:

Riley Chambers Community Center
July 27, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
808 1/2 Magnolia Ave., Crosby

Tom Bass Community Center
July 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
15108 Cullen Blvd., Houston

Stay tuned: Following the open houses, the flood resilience plan will then be further refined and prepared for final release to residents, business owners and local governments. Individuals can also take an online survey, which will collect feedback and concerns on the plan. 

Sandy Creek resident Georgia Bishop was out of town when 22 inches of rain fell on parts of northwest Travis County over the July 4, 2025, weekend. When Bishop returned home days later, her community was significantly changed.

What happened: Residents of the hard-hit Sandy Creek neighborhood described a “wall of water” that tore through their community last July, washing away homes, cars and roads. Nine people died in the flooding, including Bishop’s best friend, 16-year-old Felicity Jarmon.

The context: One year later, residents of the unincorporated Travis County community are still working to rebuild from last July’s catastrophic flooding. Central Texas has seen two straight years of intense, deadly flooding in July, leaving some residents on edge as they recover from last year’s disaster and mourn lost loved ones.

Community Impact spoke with Bishop and Kylie Nidever, whose neighborhood in Hunt flooded last year, on July 13, days before heavy rainfall hit large swaths of the state once again. Officials confirmed two deaths due to this year's floods, while 137 people died last July.