Fulshear EDC directs staff to include two CIP projects in FY27 budget discussion

Council member Avi urged the board to act as “emissaries of the city of Fulshear” and to pursue business development alongside the EDC’s project work, framing the board’s outreach as a KPI for economic development.

At the heart of the evening’s budget discussion, staff recommended the board begin by selecting which CIP projects to include in the FY27 spending plan. Anel, EDC staff, told the board that the Type A EDC intends to fund the East Side tributary project for $1,098,250 and asked whether this board would consider funding two projects that together would total a little under or a little over $2 million. The staff presentation covered the gravity line improvement (WW28G / South FM 1093), 4th Street drainage work, and downtown-related detention improvements.

Public works staff said the WW28G gravity line remains in design and is not yet shovel-ready; the line’s estimated cost was cited at 2,338,000 and staff said some funding could come from residual wastewater and water CIP bond funds. Staff also explained that a trunk line on 4th Street would route downtown flows into the East Side tributary, creating the drainage path the downtown needs to develop more commercially.

Board members signaled general support for including both the East Side tributary and a 4th Street/trunk-line project in the budget package as direction to staff, with caveats about prioritization and sequencing. One board member said establishing a design or preliminary engineering report would strengthen the board’s ability to prioritize and to justify future budget amendments.

Staff noted design vs. construction readiness matters for timing: the gravity-line project (WW28G) is farther out and needs additional studies, while other projects that have awarded contracts or are in construction (Harris Street, parts of 4th Street) would be reported through a project dashboard that the city will publish and keep updated.

Next steps: staff will include the directed projects in the FY27 budget materials and provide further details (design status, funding sources, and schedule) in the next packet. The board did not adopt an appropriation tonight; the meeting provided direction to include chosen CIP items for formal budget consideration and public hearing in upcoming proceedings.