Harris County commissioners are expected to talk about grant funding for Tom Bass Park, ongoing flood mitigation projects and feeding senior and disabled county residents at the Sept. 22 business court meeting. 

At a glance

The court will consider approving an application for grant funding from the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. 

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis requested approval for the $15 million grant, which will require a $15 million match from the county, according to agenda documents.

The money would go toward refurbishing Tom Bass Park into a “resilient multifunctional outdoor recreation destination,” per the documents. Some planned improvements to the park include: 

If awarded funding, the projects would connect residents with nature and “improve stormwater and water-quality resilience,” according to the documents.

In other news

Commissioners are also set to discuss a slew of escrow agreements for flood mitigation and drainage improvement projects, per agenda documents. If approved, the agreements would allow the Harris County Flood Control District to pay for portions of ongoing projects.

The money would go toward construction and design for projects in the Addicks Reservoir, Halls Bayou, Cypress Creek, Carpenters, Greens Bayou and San Jacinto River watersheds. 

In August, the court approved $22 million in project bids aimed at increasing the amount of stormwater held in the Cypress Creek, Greens Bayou and Addicks Reservoir watersheds. An $18.6 million detention basin is under construction in the Cypress Creek watershed, which will add 793 acre-feet of stormwater storage capacity.

In addition, a regional flood resiliency coalition was formed in September, allowing Harris and Waller counties to partner with the Brookshire-Katy Drainage District to expand flood warning systems and build strategic detention capacity, among other functions. 

Also on the agenda

The court will consider approving agreements with six community organizations to provide food to senior and disabled residents in the county. The agreements will cost $181,105, with funding coming from the state’s Home Delivered Meal Grant Program, according to agenda documents. 

If approved, funding will go to: 

Bay Area Meals on Wheels

Baytown Meals on Wheels

Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston

Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston

Northwest Assistance Ministries

Precinct2gether

The court previously approved funding for the programs in October 2025, and has since passed two resolutions to “provide grants to eligible providers,” per the documents. 

Before you go

Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. in Downtown Houston. The administration building is located at 1001 Preston St., Houston. Meetings are also available via livestream.