City Council Workshop on Public Works Streets and Storm Water FY 2027 Proposed Budget - August 20, 2026

The Corpus Christi City Council held a workshop on August 20, 2026, to receive a briefing on the Fiscal Year 2027 Proposed Budget for the Public Works Department's Streets and Storm Water divisions. Mayor Pro Tem Kaylynn Paxson presided. Assistant City Manager Ernie Darth, alongside directors Manuel Hernandez, Renee Couture, and Oscar Solis, delivered the presentation. Per the agenda, no formal action or public comment was taken. (Note: The agenda header titles the session as FY 2026, while the transcript and detailed agenda item consistently refer to FY 2027).

Discussion Items

Streets Fund FY 2027 Proposed Budget ($98.5 Million)

• Assistant City Manager Ernie Darth presented the $98.5 million proposed street program budget. The plan includes $28.3 million for street maintenance, $32.2 million for arterial and collector reconstruction, $27.5 million for residential street reconstruction, and $10.5 million in other street-related funding. The program will rely on 159 authorized positions with a 19% vacancy rate.
• The presentation reviewed the history of the Rapid Pavement Program (RPP). Since the program began, 122 miles of the 373 residential miles identified for reconstruction have been completed, leaving approximately 250 miles. The current plan projects 9 miles per year starting in FY 2028, translating to an estimated 28 years to complete the remaining work against an estimated degradation rate of 23 miles per year.
• Funding levels have decreased from previous highs of $120-$140 million annually, attributed to the conclusion of one-time bond funding and the depletion of fund balances. The presentation outlined potential long-term funding paths, including reinstating a street user fee or a future bond program.

Council Discussion on Street Funding and Prioritization

• Councilwoman Sylvia Campos expressed strong support for reinstating a street user fee or dedicating a higher property tax allocation. She questioned the prioritization process, noting that some of the worst PCI-rated streets were not always repaired first. Ernie Darth explained this was primarily due to historical commitments to streets previously on the plan and the initial reliance on a 25% sample of PCI data, which was later replaced by a 100% survey in 2022.
• Councilman Gail Hernandez stated the original street user fee was designed as a 10-year stopgap. He argued it was successfully replaced by other permanent funding mechanisms including the 1% general fund allocation, industrial district funds, and type B bonds. He cautioned the council against comparing the current program level to the artificially inflated output levels achieved through the now-depleted bond and fund balance surges, successfully arguing the current level represents strong base program funding.

Sidewalk Pilot Program Update

• Ernie Darth presented the results of a pilot program to gauge the cost and capacity of in-house sidewalk repairs. The city maintains approximately 8.6 million linear feet of sidewalk. The pilot established a cost of approximately $66 per square foot and a production rate of 25 linear feet per day, translating to an estimated $1.7 million annually to complete approximately one mile (5,280 linear feet) of sidewalk.
• Two pilot projects were completed (Merrill Drive in District 1 and Cottage Street in District 2), with a third underway on Concord Street. Challenges included navigating mature tree roots, private irrigation systems, and ADA compliance. An unforeseen hurdle was that projects over $50,000 require formal registration and ADA inspection. Funding restrictions require the work to be paid through the 1041 (Street) fund, as stormwater fees cannot be used for non-curb related sidewalk work.
• Councilwoman Campos supported the program, noting it appears cost-effective compared to larger capital projects. Councilman Hernandez raised concerns about the lack of a maintenance plan for city-owned sidewalks at parks and other municipal facilities, and the significant backlog of curb and sidewalk repairs caused by utility work.

Stormwater Fund FY 2027 Proposed Budget ($36.4 Million)

• The proposed operating budget for the Stormwater Fund is $36.4 million. Staff detailed productivity in inlet cleaning, channel grading, street sweeping, and flood control.
• A major audit of the mowing program identified 800 acres of land the city had been mowing that was either the legal responsibility of abutting landowners or required city intervention due to unsafe access or steep terrain. Staff proposed allocating $2 million from the fund balance to resume mowing of these specific hard-to-access properties for reasons of safety and equity.
• A critical legal compliance issue was identified: median (esplanade) mowing and tree maintenance cannot legally be funded by the stormwater fee. Staff stated these costs will be shifted to the General Fund/Street Fund effective FY 2028.

Council Discussion on Stormwater

• Councilwoman Campos advocated for a pilot program on stormwater harvesting, citing an example from Arizona. Ernie Darth acknowledged the idea but noted challenges related to the region's expansive clay soils, though he did not rule it out.
• Councilman Hernandez requested a detailed update on the programming of funds from the voter-approved 1/8-cent stormwater sales tax. Ernie Darth responded that a comprehensive Stormwater Master Plan is required before committing to major capital projects (e.g., seawall), but stated that legacy projects like the Williams Ditch and Oso Creek design work are currently moving forward.
• Hernandez stressed the need for the city to secure a voting seat on the Region 13 Flood Planning Group to qualify for state funding, the need for a formal detention pond maintenance policy, and better coordination with HOAs wishing to adopt median landscaping.

Traffic Camera System Update

• Director Renee Couture clarified the city operates two types of intersection cameras. PTZ cameras provide a live feed stored on city servers for 72 hours. Detection cameras are a third-party system used for traffic counting and incident alerts; they do not perform license plate reading or facial recognition. Couture assured the council the systems are strictly for traffic management and safety, not law enforcement surveillance.

Key Outcomes

• No resolutions or votes were taken; the workshop was strictly informational per the agenda.
• A consensus emerged among council members that a sustainable, long-term funding strategy for street reconstruction is required to outpace the estimated 23-mile-per-year degradation rate.
• Staff was directed to compile a report on the condition of city-owned sidewalks and develop a maintenance plan for those assets.
• Staff will explore the viability of a pilot program for stormwater harvesting.
• The legal finding regarding the inappropriate use of stormwater fees for median mowing officially sets the stage for a funding source transition in the upcoming FY 2028 budget cycle.