A Win for West U - Funding Secured for Poor Farm Ditch Improvements
Mayor Susan Sample and Andy Chan, Southside Place Mayor, have accomplished their goal of securing funding – nearly $33,000,000 – for improvements to Poor Farm Ditch, which is a man-made drainage channel that carries stormwater from West U and Southside Place to Brays Bayou.
The current channel was constructed in 1952 and is one of the earliest examples of a concrete-lined ditch in Harris County. In 2002, West University Place and Southside Place initiated a collaborative effort to enhance the condition and functionality of the channel. Subsequently, the Harris County Flood Control District and an engineering firm were engaged to assist in this endeavor. Due to other county projects taking priority and the urgency of repairing damages caused by Hurricane Harvey, the project lost momentum and became stagnant.
In 2019, under Mayor Sample’s leadership, the project once again became a high priority for West U City Council and Southside Place City Council. Due diligence by both cities was instrumental in getting this project back off the ground.
“This project has been in the making for over 20 years, so I am very excited to see it come to fruition,” said Mayor Susan Sample. “Over the years, being involved with this project as a member of council and as mayor, I have been fortunate to serve with members of council that had the same vision, as well as having partners at the local, county and state level who also saw the value in improving the ditch. The city could not have accomplished this enormous feat without the assistance and cooperation of Senator Joan Huffman, Representative Ann Johnson, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Southside Place Mayor Andy Chan, Harris County Commission Rodney Ellis, and the Harris County Flood Control District. This project is an indicator of what can be achieved when entities large or small work together. It also signifies West U’s commitment to infrastructure improvement and serves as a testament to the city’s dedication to the safety and well-being of its residents, said Sample.”
After two decades of work, Poor Farm Ditch will finally receive the improvements needed to safely manage runoff during severe weather conditions. The cities of West University Place and Southside Place will contribute, $150,000 each, for the final design concepts with Harris County Flood Control engineers.
This is a definite win for West U!
(Photo left to right: West U Mayor Susan Sample; Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher; Southside Place Mayor Andy Chan)
(Photo Left to Right: Harris County Commissioner, Rodney Ellis; Harris County Flood Control District, Dr. Tina Petersen; Council Member Shannon Carroll; Mayor Pro Tem John Montgomery; Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher; Mayor Susan Sample; Council Member Clay Brett; Council Member, Matt Hart; State Representative Ann Johnson)