Busy Memorial Day weekend results in nearly 300 warnings, 2 arrests

Great weather, a celebratory weekend and parks reopening resulted in a very busy weekend for San Marcos parks and river area.

The city reopened parks Friday to river traffic and active recreation. Director of Public Safety Chase Stapp reported in a special called city council meeting Thursday that there were 328 citizen contacts with park rangers resulting in 295 warnings, 15 citations and two arrests. Alcohol ordinance violations were the most common offenses.

Stapp also reported a noticeable uptick in marijuana usage on the river and a problem with people cutting orange fencing meant to keep residents out of certain parks that remained closed.

City staff and 12 Easter Seals picked up trash from the parks and the river throughout the weekend and conducting educational outreach about trash disposal.

Stapp also reports the San Marcos is, “definitely on an incline for active cases” stating that each of the previous 7 days saw new records for active cases in Hays County, with the highest demographic being the 20-29 age group.

In other business, city staff will present three of the four Community Development Block Grant Applications that were submitted to council on June 2. There will be a public comment period and council action is expected on June 16.