Stafford City Council discusses potential chamber of commerce

The council could vote next month on whether to establish a chamber of commerce.

The Stafford council is considering whether to create a chamber of commerce.
City of Stafford website

Houston Public Media
Natalie Weber, Fort Bend County Bureau
Posted On January 18, 2024, 2:30 PM 
(Last Updated: January 18, 2024, 2:48 PM)

The Stafford City Council could vote to establish a chamber of commerce next month.

Council member William Bostic pitched the idea at a city council meeting this week.

He's looked to the city of Los Fresnos for inspiration, a small city outside of Brownsville that has its own chamber of commerce.

Bostic said a chamber of commerce would give business owners a way to share their concerns and needs with the city.

"I wanted to create a space where they could actually come together and collaborate and also have members of the community and members of the city kind of there creating the synergy," he said in an interview with Houston Public Media.

Bostic said a chamber of commerce was part of his campaign for city council and that he raised the idea last year as well, though the council at that time asked for changes.

During this week's council meeting, Bostic received support for his idea, though one council member raised concerns about the potential cost to the city.

The council is considering whether to ask voters to implement a property tax to help fund the city's operating expenses. Last year, the city's budget included a $2.6 million deficit.

"We're maxed out on what we can spend," council member Virginia Rosas said during the council meeting. "Now not to say that this isn't a good idea down the road, but I just don't see what benefit we can give these companies."

In an interview with Houston Public Media, Bostic said he believes the chamber of commerce could be funded through member dues and run by volunteers.

"The purpose of this entity is to propel businesses forward," he said.