The San Marcos City Council amended the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Action Plan and announced a new COVID-19 testing site at its regular Nov. 17 meeting.
Newly-elected Councilmembers Alyssa Garza and Shane Scott were both present at their first Council meeting.
The Council voted to amend the CDBG Action Plan in order to add the $567,825 in CDBG-CV funds discussed at an Oct. 20 meeting. The funds will be used for programs to prevent eviction or assist those who have been evicted due to COVID-19.
Now that the Council has passed the resolution, the city is accepting proposals from third parties, such as nonprofits and consultants, to receive funding and develop further details.
In a presentation on the city’s COVID-19 response, Director of Public Safety Chase Stapp announced a new testing site at San Marcos High School, which will be available beginning the first week of December. The exact start date has not yet been determined.
Additionally, a number of citizens spoke during the citizen comment period, many of them expressing concern over the San Marcos Police Officers Association encouraging its members to cite and release all offenders instead of exercising personal discretion to issue only a warning when deemed necessary. Speakers said this practice would unnecessarily involve people who receive citations in the legal process and cause additional financial burdens.
In other business, the Council concurred with a resolution from the Texas Legislature designating San Marcos “the Mermaid Capital of Texas.”
The Council approved an award of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the amount of $50,000 dollars, within in-kind matches from the city of $20,000 and the Edwards Aquifer Authority and Texas State University of $130,000, to be used for the removal of invasive plant and animal species and the planting of native vegetation along portions of the San Marcos River.
The Council also approved an interlocal agreement with the City of New Braunfels for the sharing of technology, personnel and equipment in the event of a disaster.
A $634,925.55 contract for janitorial services with Goodwill Temporary Services, Inc. was postponed after Councilmember Maxfield Baker raised questions about whether Goodwill’s employees received hazard pay and whether federal funding could apply toward the contract.
The Council approved an interlocal agreement with Hays County for the construction of City Waterline Facilities in connection with the Old Bastrop Highway from Centerpoint Road to Rattler Road project, at a cost of $1,555,000 to the city.
The Council also appointed Councilmember Baker to the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) Number 2 – Blanco Vista Board of Directors.
San Marcos City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month over Zoom; meeting recordings and agendas can be viewed on its website. Residents who wish to speak during the citizen comment or public hearing periods should email [email protected] no later than noon on the day of the meeting.