Fulshear council updates Irene Stern rental rules to allow licensed alcohol service, new fees and security requirements
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Summary
City staff recommended and council approved updates to the Irene Stern Community Center rental policy, adding an hourly rate with a four-hour minimum, a cleaning fee and new rules for alcohol and security; council clarified policing requirements and nonprofit rentals during discussion.
Fulshear City Council approved updates to the rental policy for the Irene Stern Community Center that set an hourly rental rate (with a four-hour minimum), add a cleaning fee and permit alcohol when served by a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)–certified bartender through a third‑party vendor.
City staff told council the revisions also require security officers when alcohol is served, ban vaping and e‑cigarettes inside the building, and allow additional peace‑officer requirements when events exceed typical attendance. Staff said the city will not allow “bring your own” alcohol events and that TABC rules must be followed.
The changes formalize practices staff said had been occurring informally: staff reported at least one known past instance of alcohol being present at a rental and recommended explicitly permitting licensed service so events can comply with state rules. The policy shifts cleaning responsibility to staff-managed cleaning with a collection mechanism to recover costs through a cleaning fee.
Council members pressed staff on two operational points: how many times the facility is rented and which officers may provide event security. Staff reported Irene Stern rentals numbered about 66 in 2023 and about 26 in 2024, with most rentals concentrated Friday through Sunday and roughly a dozen to 15 Monday–Thursday paid events in 2024. City custodial staff perform cleaning after rentals; the city does not currently contract out janitorial services.
On security, staff recommended allowing any Texas‑certified peace officer to be hired for required event coverage rather than restricting hires to Fulshear Police Department officers, citing limits on local staffing. Council members noted that nearby cities sometimes require city officers but acknowledged Fulshear’s smaller force and accepted the broader certification standard to preserve availability for event coverage.
Council approved the policy changes as part of the consent calendar vote. The updated rental provisions will be implemented consistent with TABC rules and the city’s existing event‑rental processes.
