PRESENTER: Presenter
Jeff Jewell, Economic and Community Development Director
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SUBJECT: Title
Approval of a resolution recommended by the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation to approve an expenditure, of up to $300,000, to support maintenance and operations of parks facilities funded by the NBEDC, pursuant to Section 505.152 of the Texas Local Government Code.
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DEPARTMENT: Economic and Community Development
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 2
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
This project expenditure authorizes the NBEDC to provide up to $100,000 annually over a three-year period to the City of New Braunfels for maintenance and operations of the Zipp Family Sports Park (ZFSP). This is being undertaken so the City can enter a three year, total $300,000 funding agreement with Early Matters New Braunfels to partially fund the recommendations of the Greater New Braunfels Early Care and Education (ECE) Final Report.
In 2019, the NBEDC voted to provide up to $15,000,000 to pay a portion of the costs associated with constructing the New Braunfels Sports Complex Project. In 2023, the NBEDC voted to provide an additional $3,500,000 for additional construction costs of the ZFSP. The NBEDC is authorized to undertake a project expenditure to support the maintenance and operations of the facility it has supported with previous capital commitments.
The Greater New Braunfels Early Care and Education (ECE) Final Report outlines critical challenges and opportunities in the local childcare ecosystem. It was created through collaboration with the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, the McKenna Foundation, and Early Matters San Antonio. The report emphasizes the need for a robust childcare system to support families, businesses, and community vitality and determined that addressing early childhood education and childcare needs is critical to long-term economic and community vitality. and has emerged as a business and economic issue. High childcare costs and limited availability affects families’ abilities to work, increasing employee turnover and reducing the local labor pool. Staffing shortages, financial constraints, and quality improvement barriers limit providers’ abilities to meet demand and improve services. The NBEDC received the report on the issue of early childhood education in New Braunfels in the fall of 2025 and agreed with the recommendations. Given statutory limitations on the use of Type B funds, however, it was determined that a direct project expenditure to support the early childhood education initiative as proposed could not be undertaken by the NBEDC. However, the City of New Braunfels can provide a funding commitment to the establishment of Early Matters New Braunfels and the recommendations of the ECE Final Report and has structured a Chapter 380 Agreement for this purpose. This Chapter 380 Agreement will be considered at a future City Council meeting if this project expenditure is approved by the NBEDC.
By the NBEDC assuming up to $100,000 in annual maintenance and operations costs for the facility, the City of New Braunfels will be able to reallocate that previously budgeted amount for an agreement with Early Matters New Braunfels.
The NBEDC held a public hearing on January 15, 2026 and voted to approve this expenditure.
ISSUE:
This item proposes authorizing the NBEDC to fund up to $100,000 per year for three years to cover maintenance and operations of the Zipp Family Sports Park, which the NBEDC is statutorily allowed to do because it previously funded the facility’s construction. By shifting these costs from the City’s general fund to the NBEDC, the City can reallocate $300,000 over three years to support Early Matters New Braunfels through a future Chapter 380 agreement. This approach allows the City to advance early childhood education and childcare priorities identified in the ECE Final Report, despite limits on the direct use of Type B economic development funds for that purpose.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
☒Economic Mobility ☐Enhanced Connectivity ☐Community Identity
☐Organizational Excellence ☐Community Well-Being ☐N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
The project expenditure is for $300,000 dispersed at $100,000 over three (3) years; the NBEDC has sufficient funds to approve this project.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this project expenditure to support maintenance and operations costs at the Zipp Family Sports Park. One of the adopted objectives of the City’s Strategic Plan is to look for opportunities to incentivize child development centers to increase the supply of high-quality childcare in the community. The proposed expenditure makes funding available from the City’s general fund to advance a key strategic initiative identified in the ECE Final Report.