The city of New Braunfels is set to receive a large financial boost to its flood prevention program following a $500,000 federal funding package announced by U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith Saturday.
Smith, the Republican U.S. Representative from San Antonio, who was responsible for appropriating the funds at the request of city officials, said the funding, which comes from the 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, needs only to pass a final House floor vote later this month. He said he expects the vote to be a positive one.
“This became my top priority, and is probably the most funding I’ve gotten for New Braunfels in a long time, and for a worthy cause,” said the 11-term congressman who represents District 21, which includes Comal and Bexar counties.
“I would like to emphasize this (announcement) is a good sign. It is likely, but not guaranteed. It is likely because it has been approved by the Homeland Security Committee and we expect it to be approved on the House floor vote June 23,” Smith said. “We always wait until approval by the committee before announcing such things. We expect the funding and it looks good — unless an unforeseen obstacle arises.”
If all goes well, Smith said, he would hope the city would see the approved funding “by the end of the year.”
To help secure the $500,000, Mayor Bruce Boyer and City Manager Mike Morrison did some one-on-one lobbying during their third annual trip to Washington, D.C.
“A lot of research goes into these trips ahead of time,” Boyer said. “Typically, we’ll go up for about two or three days and meet with congressional staff to go over many different budget categories to see where the city may benefit from. Traveling to D.C. has been a worthwhile investment so far, and we would look to continue the trips — as long as they remain a worthwhile investment.”
With a city swimming with new residents, and the trauma of several large scale floods hitting the area in the past dozen years, the money will be used on the multi-million dollar North Tributary Project, which along with the South Tributary and the Church Hill projects are the three main flood prevention programs city officials have been working on for the past several years.
In June 2008, the city completed the first phase of its Church Hill project. Located adjacent to the Union Pacific railroad between the Guadalupe River and Farm-to-Market 306, for at least the last decade the area has had significant flooding issues common to Church Hill Drive and Wright Avenue, according to information on the city’s Web site.
The project included two new detention ponds and predominantly natural channels carved out to divert rushing water from heavy rains. It cost more than $5 million and took about six months to complete. More than $4 million came from the 2004 Certificates of Obligation. Additional funding came from the city’s Street and Drainage Fund.
“The 1998 flood, the 2002 flood and new flood plain maps all have brought attention to the need for drainage and flood control in the community,” Public Works Director Steve Ramsey said in an earlier interview with the Herald-Zeitung.
The South Tributary is designed to help flooding concerns on the southeast of Interstate 35 near County Line Road. It is currently under construction with an estimated completion date of November, Morrison said Saturday.
“These projects are huge financial commitments by the city, and we are glad we have a great working relationship with Congressman Smith,” he said. “With work on the North Trib expected to begin next spring, the money will come in at a perfect time.”
Improvements to the North Tributary, which Morrison said is at the 90 percent design stage, are expected to include the construction of two retention ponds — one upstream of Walnut Avenue, the other located downstream. Funding for the two tributary projects is estimated to cost a total of more than $16 million.
“Drainage is one of our biggest challenges in New Braunfels,” Boyer said. “The North Tributary project is one of our top priorities, and we are extremely grateful for the support we have received from Congressman Smith.”
Smith added that it was “very rare,” and he could not remember the last time a funding project — also known as an earmark — of his was approved for the full amount.
“There are good earmarks, which serve a public service, and there are bad earmarks, which are done in the dark of the night,” he said. “It just goes to show that not all earmarks are bad. Some people say no earmarks, but they’re throwing the baby out with the bath water. It’s good to be able to distinguish between the two.”
