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City Manager Bert Lumbreras is now authorized to approve COVID-19 purchases for up to $500,000.
San Marcos City Council approved this change to allow the city manager to make purchases for public health and safety that aren’t normally purchased under emergency response. Examples discussed were facility or hotel usage for quaran tine space, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other masks.
The city manager will have to notify council of all purchases like this within 3 business days of making the purchase.
City council will continue to discuss the possibility of making a budget amendment to purchase PPE for first responders and tests at future meetings.
Other COVID-19 relief measures that passed during Tuesday's meeting were a 90-day eviction notice that requires landlords to wait 90 days after missed payment to proceed with any eviction proceedings and temporarily waiving late fees and interest for Hotel Occupancy Taxes. Hotels will still have to report taxes monthly and pay them when they can.
In other business, council updated the Fire Prevention and Protection Chapter of the City Code to match the amended code used by fire departments across the state. Among other updates, property managers would be required to have their gate codes on file to help first responders access complexes faster. Currently, police officers have to wait for the fire department to arrive on scene with gate codes.
The updated code also requires large apartment complexes to have signs at the exit of stairwells and elevators indicating the directions to room numbers. Sprinkler systems are required to be installed in any building that is over 55 feet tall and any new building over 6,000 square feet. If a multifamily property has a fire that displaces residents, the complex must install a sprinkler system before residents move back in, which is covered by insurance companies under repairs. The new code is applied broadly to any new construction.
They also approved an update to Parks and Recreation Fees removing the separate business and non-profit rates, increasing the non-resident rates by 5% and changing the senior discount rate to 60 years of age. Residents receiving Community Development Block Grant funds will have fees waived up to nine times per month.
