Council directs staff to pursue KEDC seat for Innovation Black Chamber; funding request to be considered in budget process

The Killeen City Council voted 7-0 on March 4 to direct staff to add an additional seat on the Killeen Economic Development Corporation (KEDC) board for the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce (IVCC), following a presentation from IVCC leadership and extended council discussion.

The move followed a 30-minute presentation by “Mister Russell,” who identified the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce as an organization focused on business education, access to capital and community-centered events. "Our mission here is to cultivate an innovative and equitable ecosystem," Mister Russell told the council, and he asked the city for an annual service agreement of $250,000 to support programming, marketing and a market-research effort aimed, among other goals, at attracting a grocery store to North Killeen.

Why it matters: Council members praised IVCC’s events and downtown work but expressed concern about the timing and the city’s current budget constraints. Several council members said they support giving IVCC a formal seat at the table with KEDC so the chamber can participate directly in economic development discussions; they stopped short of approving direct operating funds immediately and instead asked staff to include IVCC’s request in the city’s regular budget review process.

Council discussion and concerns Council members repeatedly praised IVCC’s outreach and local business support while asking for details about specific deliverables and fiscal oversight. "We want you to be part of what's going on," one councilmember said, urging that the group be integrated into economic development planning. Others said they preferred routing any city funding through the KEDC budget so the allocation can be considered alongside other economic development priorities.

Mister Russell presented the IVCC’s items that would be supported by funding if approved: 45% program services, 25% administration and planning, and 30% marketing/research and resource development. He said the chamber has organized AI and innovation events, worked with Meta and Google to attract speakers, completed multiple training cohorts, and pursued relationships with SBA and community development financial institutions to improve access to capital for micro-enterprises.

Council action The council adopted a motion of direction to add a seat for IVCC on the KEDC board; the motion passed, 7-0. Councilmembers emphasized that adding a board seat is a separate governance step from approving operating funding. Multiple councilmembers encouraged IVCC to submit a formal budget request during the city’s normal partner funding/budget cycle so the council can weigh funding alternatives and potential sources (including adjustments to the KEDC allocation) before committing city dollars.

What the council did not do Councilmembers did not approve the $250,000 annual operating request during the workshop. Several members said they supported the idea of paying for specific services—such as targeted marketing and grocery-store recruitment—if staff and IVCC present a narrower, priced scope. No contract, appropriation or service agreement was executed at the workshop.

Next steps Council directed staff and the mayor’s office to work with KEDC and IVCC to implement the board-seat change and to consider IVCC’s budget request in the upcoming budget cycle. Several councilmembers asked staff to bring back options for how a designated portion of KEDC funding could be earmarked for IVCC services if the council chooses to do so during budget deliberations.

Community reaction Multiple members of the public and local business leaders spoke in favor of IVCC during the public comment period, describing the chamber’s training programs and local business assistance as valuable. Several councilmembers noted those comments as they debated whether to approve immediate funding.

Ending By adding IVCC to the KEDC board, the council created a formal pathway for the chamber to influence local economic development decisions; any direct city funding would require a later, explicit budget or contract action.