Decision looming over the Harris County Flood Control district's leader
Earlier this month, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she planned to put an item on a June agenda to decide Harris County Flood Control District executive director Tina Petersen's fate. Hidalgo said she lost confidence in her after learning several federally funded projects may miss important deadlines.
Hidalgo's not the only one. Commissioner Tom Ramsey told ABC13 he's extremely concerned about Petersen's performance.
After the recent remarks, Eyewitness News asked Petersen for a comment. She declined.
On Friday, she offered to update ABC13 on the projects. Eyewitness News took the opportunity to ask her about the commissioner's concerns.
"I'm here to talk about the projects," Petersen said. "I'm focused on execution and delivery, and that's what I'm here to talk about."
ABC13 then asked why she thought she should keep her job at the upcoming meeting.
"Again, I'm here to be focused on projects, progress, and delivery," Petersen explained.
When asked why neighbors should trust her to continue handling more than $320 million in federal funds, Petersen turned the focus to her department.
"I have confidence in the team at the flood control district, and I have confidence in the team that is supporting us around Harris County," Petersen explained.
Here's why county officials are concerned
For months, commissioners have asked for updates on projects tied to a federally mandated deadline. The agency has 11 projects tied to the funds, which go towards building new detention basins and improving bayous.
To keep the funds, they have to finish the work by February. Earlier this month, commissioners finally got an update.
The report, which ABC13 obtained, shows that more than half of the projects will miss the deadline. On Friday, Petersen met with ABC13 at the Greens Bayou project that she said will improve a five-mile stretch to protect tens of thousands of homes.
The report from early May shows it'll be finished three months after the deadline. ABC13 asked if anything had changed.
"Our contractors know the urgency of this program," Petersen explained. "We know there have been challenging timelines, and the flood control district has worked hard to overcome those by cutting red tape and navigating complex environmental regulations."
Knowing they could miss the deadline, Petersen told commissioners in mid-May that they plan to ask for a nine-month extension. There's a back-and-forth with the General Land Office, which serves as the middle agency between the county and the federal government, over whether an extension would be granted.
The GLO is signaling to ABC13 that there won't be an extension. Despite it, Petersen said she's focused on the projects and that construction should start next month as they wait to see if an extension is granted.
"I'm confident in our ability to work with the general land office to develop a contingency plan that will address the timeline and make sure these dollars remain in Harris County," Petersen said. Commissioners will meet on June 11.