Update 8/9/2024: City Council approved an ordinance to create a Stormwater Drainage Utility System. Next step is scheduling a Public Hearing on adoption and customer cost of a Drainage Utility Charge. You can watch the August 5, 2024 Council meeting here.
A public hearing for a Stormwater Ordinance was held on August 5, 2024, at 6:00 PM. Find information on the proposed ordinance here. If the ordinance is approved drainage charges may be included in our water bills.
A second Public Hearing on the City budget is set for Monday, August 5, 2024, at 6:15 PM. City Council received a copy of the proposed Budget FY2025 at the July 15, 2024, Council meeting. That hearing is now scheduled for August 19, 2024.
Per City Manager Citino and Finance Director Beaman, the proposed budget is structurally balanced with enough revenues to cover annual costs, but not balanced if additional programs and projects are included. Find a link to the meeting video here.
Structurally balanced allows recurring revenues to cover anticipated expenses, but supplemental programs such as capital improvement projects, increased police service by adding four more officers, and increased fire services by adding a fire marshal and additional part-time medics are not included. Those costs would also include additional employee positions, and various new or improved programs. To cover those costs a tax increase may be proposed.
City fees and services and water and wastewater services may be increased. Medical costs for City employees may increase by 8% or more. The City still owes around $96 million in bonded debt, and the annual debt service FY2025 will cost $9.6 million, paid with funds from property taxes and transfers from the Enterprise Fund.
Further discussion on the budget and a possible tax increase will take place at the August 5, 2024, City Council meeting. The City’s fiscal year runs from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.
Comments can be emailed to the Mayor and City Council via our City Clerk, Tracy Dutton, at tdutton@bellairetx.gov
Ardurra Group – 2022 City of Bellaire Regional Drainage Improvement Program Management Scope – from the City of Bellaire website
Construction on the new Bellaire High school is complete. The original building was demolished during the week of July 13-17, 2021. 
FEMA imposes requirements for new structures and limits on existing structures in flood zones. Check with Development Services for more information,