At the Jan. 28 Fulshear City Council meeting, senior center organizer (Mazzoni) asked the council to help launch a full‑time senior center in Fulshear, including assistance with forming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and consideration of long‑term city support.

Mazzoni said the group has been working since September and has developed an operations and resource plan that serves as a road map for opening. He told council the effort began with 12 volunteers and now has about 22 interested seniors and several pro‑bono service providers. Mazzoni said the city lacks a permanent senior center and that local seniors would benefit from a dedicated facility offering congregate lunch, activities and volunteer opportunities. He said the group needs nonprofit status to accept grants and donations and cited an estimated $979 fee to file for federal/state nonprofit recognition through an online legal service.

Mayor Kevin McCoy and councilmembers thanked Mazzoni for organizing the effort and outlined next steps. City Manager Zach Goodlander and council members pointed out legal constraints: the city cannot directly expend funds in all cases to form private nonprofits and would need to check applicable laws before supplying funding. Council encouraged Mazzoni to consult city staff and the economic development director, and several council members suggested community donors or existing organizations could cover the filing cost.

Council members and staff discussed operational models. Mazzoni said he envisions the center as a City of Fulshear Senior Center in partnership with the city rather than an independent nonprofit; council and staff cautioned that making center employees city employees while the center remained a separate nonprofit would raise legal and budgetary questions. Staff suggested that if the center becomes a nonprofit it could still have city representation on its board and pursue grants and donations to offset operating costs. Council members also encouraged the group to pursue the legal filing promptly so donations and in‑kind contributions (furniture, volunteers) can be accepted.

Mazzoni described a temporary building made available by the city (the former Bob Lutz library building adjacent to JP Court No. 1) and said the facility can serve 70–80 people at maximum; he urged council to consider a long‑range plan to acquire land and build a larger center as Fulshear grows. Council members expressed enthusiasm for the project, noted similar successful 501(c)(3) efforts locally (the Fulshear Historical Association) and suggested coordination with the Economic Development Corporation where appropriate.

Ending

Council did not commit city funds at the meeting. Staff and council advised the organizer to coordinate with legal and EDC staff, pursue nonprofit formation, and return with firm proposals for budget and operations. Mazzoni said he would follow up with staff and volunteers to move the filing forward.