‹ Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 490 · All districts' issues
question
Professional services
1 conflict question
Obtain the RFP evaluation (scores or fee comparison) for Inframark, Si Environmental and MDS, and Si Environmental's fee schedule.
Water Code §49.199(a)(4) (policy on selecting and reviewing professional services; may apply); Good practice: record the basis for choosing an operator.
The board action behind it
2026-01-22: After closed session, authorized a 30-day termination notice to Inframark and an agreement for operation services with Si Environmental
What else happened at that meeting
The Board approved an assignment of its tax assessor-collector agreement from B&A Municipal Tax Services, LLC to Assessments of the Southwest, effective February 1, 2026, and adopted a resolution authorizing an additional penalty on delinquent personal property taxes. It approved a sludge management agreement with HydroClear Services LLC and a 60-day termination notice to MagnaFlow International. The Board called the May 2, 2026 directors election, set election judge and clerk pay at $20.00 per hour, and authorized notice that the District will not provide electronic voting systems. After a closed session, it voted to give Inframark a 30-day termination notice and to enter into an operation services agreement with Si Environmental. The Board also approved participation in the annual Trace Air flyover at an estimated cost of $1,613 and ratified the earlier $35,000 engineering fee payment to BGE.The law and guidance in force on 2026-01-22
| Closed meeting: announce the authorizing section; final action in open session §551.101: Same text in force then and now§551.102: Same text in force then and now | Question | The minutes say only that the Board entered closed session at 1:14 p.m. and returned at 1:28 p.m.; no section is named. The posted agenda cited §551.071 (consultation with attorney). The vote was taken in open session (p.7). |
| Operator services not chosen by competitive bid Water Code §49.278 (may apply)
§49.278: Same text in force then and now |
Shown | An RFP drew responses from Inframark, Si Environmental and MDS; interviews were held November 20, 2025 (Dec 9, 2025 p.5). |
Who's involved
Inframark, LLC (operator (until April 2026))
Si Environmental, LLC (operator (from April 2026))
Harris County MUD No. 419 (recommended Si Environmental)
Schwartz, Page & Harding, L.L.P. (general counsel (also counsel to MUD 418, MUD 419, MUD 489 and the Bridgeland Water Agency))
Possible conflicts
Harris County MUD No. 419: MUD 419's board authorized a letter recommending Si Environmental, its own operator, to the MUD 490 and MUD 418 boards (MUD 419 minutes Dec 8, 2025). (MUD 419 minutes Dec. 8, 2025, Minutes_Approved_December_8_2025_HCMUD_419.pdf)
Why the board approved it
Recorded: “Decision followed the RFP and a closed session (p.7); no reasons for preferring Si Environmental are recorded.”
A competitive process was used, but neither the comparison nor Si Environmental's fees appear in the minutes.