The Forster Development Corporation (EDC) on Oct. 13 discussed a proposed memorandum of understanding to partner with the Fulshear Regional Chamber for Commerce on several large community events but took no action.

The chamber’s vice president, Rachel Durham, and its director of events, Angela Van Derson, presented a draft MOU that would formalize collaboration on three marquee events — including a proposed FreedomFest and a scarecrow festival — and outlined options for how city funds could be used to pay specific invoices for agreed services.

The discussion mattered because board members repeatedly pressed on how taxpayer dollars would be handled, whether city procurement rules would be followed for large contracts and who would carry operational responsibilities if the city and chamber partnered. “The city’s funding would never go directly to the chamber. The chamber would provide the city with the invoice made out to the city of Fulshear,” Rachel Durham said, describing the chamber’s proposed invoicing approach.

Board members asked for concrete procurement assurances. One member said the city must follow its RFQ/bid rules for services above statutory thresholds and asked whether the chamber would follow those rules when soliciting entertainers and large services. Angela Van Derson said the chamber would follow city guidelines and present bids and quotes to city staff and explained the chamber’s capacity to collect and provide the necessary documentation and vendor quotes.

City staff confirmed the city has recently added event capacity. Kelsey (Assistant City Manager) and economic development staff said the city hired an events coordinator who is expected to begin in December; staff said that position and expanded communications support could affect how much work the city could handle in-house versus with the chamber.

Board members also asked for more budget detail. Staff reported the EDC spent about $35,000 on the city’s inaugural “Fulshear’s Folly” event and said H-E-B donated $3,000 in gift cards that were used for event supplies. Multiple participants referenced a chamber proposal that “set up to a $100,000,” but the transcript contains differing references to how much funding the A and B boards might each contribute; board members asked staff for a clearer breakdown and for legal review of the draft MOU.

No formal vote was held on the MOU at the meeting. Board members asked staff to return with more detail, to coordinate with the city manager’s office and assistant city manager, and to have the draft reviewed by the city’s legal team before any decision.

The EDC’s next packet will include the memorandum of understanding and any additional budget breakdowns and procurement clarifications the board requested.