SAN MARCOS CITY COUNCIL
Meet and confer negotiations for the police and fire associations are back before the city of San Marcos, and the council has chosen to extend the contract an additional year and give a base pay salary increase.
The council approved the extension of the Fire and Police Associations Meet and Confer agreement with the city, which was established in 2023, from an expira- tion date of Sept. 30, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2027. The council also approved pay increases for both departments – a 4.5% base pay increase for firefighters, and a 5% base pay increase for police officers.
According to city documents, “the Meet and Confer process provides an avenue for Fire and Police Associations and City Management to collaboratively negotiate key employment matters, including wages, benefits and working conditions.”
San Marcos City Manager Stephanie Reyes said staff is recommending a year extension on the current contracts to allow time to work through budget challenges for the upcoming fiscal year related to the ongoing staffing analysis. The city website states that the Matrix Consulting Group is conducting a Police Department Staffing and Level of Service Study in which residents can share input to help shape staffing, workload and community priorities.
Council Member Amanda Rodriguez made an amendment that she said would further “transparency” by allowing public comment at the 2027 Meet and Confer agreement negotiations and public access to meeting documents other than draft documents and those protected by the Texas Public Information Act. The amendment also stipulated that the meetings must be broadcast and recorded, though the city had implemented that in the last round of negotiations, according to Reyes.
After going back and forth to perfect the amendment language for approximately two hours, the council approved the amendment, the extended contract and the pay raises.
