Ordinance No. 21-T-18 - Consideration and/or action approving an Ordinance by the City Council of the City of Schertz, Texas authorizing an adjustment to the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget to provide funding for professional services related to the relocation of water and wastewater utilities along FM 1518 between FM 78 and IH 10, repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance; and providing an effective date. Final reading (B. James/K. Woodlee/E. Schulze)
BACKGROUND
Part of the preparation for the widening of FM 1518 from FM 78 to IH 10 is the relocation of underground utilities so that they will not be beneath the pavement of the new roadway (with few exceptions like crossings). The City of Schertz has water and wastewater mains and appurtenances that must be relocated. A step in the process to relocate those utilities is to engage a Professional Engineering firm to provide services related to the design and construction phases of that project.
City Staff has worked with Halff Associates, Inc., to develop a scope for those services and a budget adjustment is needed to fund this portion of the project. Proposed ordinance 21-T-18 allocates $600,000 for the professional services needed to assist the City with relocation of the utilities. That amount includes the consultant's fee and a contingency amount of approximately ten percent.
Construction of the utility relocations will be funded separately at a later time.
City Council approved this on first reading at their meeting on April 27, 2021.
GOAL
The goal of this ordinance is to amend the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget to provide funding for the design of City utility relocations necessitated by the proposed expansion of FM 1518.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT
Relocation of water and wastewater facilities along the FM 1518 corridor is necessary in order to maintain service to the southern portion of the City during and after the expansion of FM 1518 by TxDOT.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approval of Ordinance 21-T-18 authorizing the budget adjustment.
FISCAL IMPACT
This ordinance will allocate $600,000 from the Water and Sewer Construction Reserve to engineering and professional services related to the relocation of utilities associated with the FM 1518 expansion project. As of March 31, 2021, the Water and Sewer Construction Reserve had an available (above the required 26% minimum) cash and investment balance for projects of $700,000. After the $600,000 allocation $100,000 will remain available. This is consistent with the current five-year Water and Wastewater Capital Improvement Plan maintained by Public Works.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of Ordinance 21-T-18 on final reading