Fulshear EDC reports Harris Street, Downtown Eastside drainage progress; Icon contract, schedule and funding explained

Staff updated the Fulshear Development Corporation on two downtown capital-improvement projects and related funding on May 27.

On Harris Street, staff said the city awarded Icon Construction the second-phase contract at the April 21 council meeting for $2,177,003.37 and that DG Medina’s retainage portion is still being worked out. Staff reported Icon’s notice to proceed is anticipated for June 1 and said the contractor will address the pedestrian crosswalk portion first; staff estimated completion of the contracted phase in late February to early March. "Once that is paid, DG Medina's portion will be completely done. So we move on to Icon's portion of the work, which is anticipated to start Monday, June 1," staff said.

Board members discussed bid interest levels (five to seven bidders referenced), and funding. Staff said the sanitary portion was approximately $478,000 and that EDCA and EDCB split funding on parts of the project; staff also said other available CIP funds covered an anticipated roughly $200,000 budget increase so the EDCs would not need to add funds. One board member pressed whether change orders could be guaranteed under a GMP; staff replied the city does not currently use guaranteed-maximum-price contracts and acknowledged the city is taking most change-order risk but does not expect many change orders.

For the Downtown Eastside Drainage on 4th Street, staff reported storm-sewer installation had advanced from the Sims Intersection nearly up to Wilson, with concrete pour planned the following day and an intersection reopening to allow the next phase. Staff said change-order number 3 will combine a few small items (additional subgrade material and an extra valve) into one change order; staff stated the EDC would not be asked to pay for those specific items.

Board members asked why some additional costs were charged to the city's general fund rather than returned to EDC project accounts. Staff said the city used available funds from the general ledger for expediency and committed to showing funding sources and amounts on a new public-facing project page so the board can see which dollars came from EDC funds versus other city sources. "The funding sources were gonna be one of those items to show where the money was coming from and the amount of that money," staff said.

Board members reiterated the projects' economic-development importance, saying improved infrastructure will allow larger downtown builds, increase appraised values and broaden the tax base. Staff said a future change-order update will be provided at the next meeting.