Following two hours of testimony, City Councilman Scott Gregson will be penalized with a written reprimand from the city of San Marcos after the Ethics Review Commission found him in violation of a San Marcos ethics law.
The city’s Ethics Review Commission concluded Gregson, elected as the Place 5 council member in 2015, should have opted out of voting for the Business Improvement and Growth Grant Program, a city-sponsored grant program meant to fund improvements made to private businesses’ buildings in San Marcos.
Gregson, who voted yes toward the program, receives income from the buildings. The ethics council concluded that Gregson violated Section 2.432 of the ethics code, which prohibits city officials from voting on items that would impact a city official’s “economic interests.”
The program was created by San Marcos to fund local business improvement and growth. According to a public records request obtained by KXAN, $27,563 from the grants went to properties managed, at least in part, by Gregson.
Gregson has a 50 percent share in East Hopkins, LLC, valued at $1.9 million. This includes locations receiving some form of city grant money including Buzz Mill, Blue Dahlia Bistro and other locations.
Following the meeting, Gregson in an interview with KXAN said he did not violate any rules and he would do the exact same thing over again.