BIG grant program refinements get approval from council

City council made some changes to the eligibility guidelines for a city grant program to put further limitations on who can benefit from it.

Changes to the Business Improvement and Growth (BIG) Grant program guidelines will keep some, but not all, city employees and their immediate family members from applying for grants.

The program was established in 2016 to assist small businesses in facade improvements, awnings or canopies, lighting, windows and other projects.

Initial changes that the council considered but ultimately postponed at its last meeting would have kept all city employees and their immediate family members from applying.

“I thought the original language was a little overreaching because it included all city employees, and not all city employees are in a position of having any kind of influence over decisions like these,” council member Melissa Derrick said on Tuesday before proposing an amendment to specify some city employees. She noted that city employees who have no say over BIG Grant applications might also have family members who own a building or a business that could benefit from BIG Grant funding.

Council did specify at its last meeting that city council members would be ineligible for the program for one year after leaving office. Mayor Jane Hughson explained the rationale for that.

“It’s so you don’t vote for the program while you’re here so the next year you can be a beneficiary,” she said.

The amended text, as approved, reads: “City Council Members, their appointees, Assistant City Managers, Directors and their immediate family members (spouse, children, siblings, parents) are ineligible to apply for or receive BIG Program funds and continue to be ineligible for a period of one year after leaving office or separated from employment with the City of San Marcos.

“BIG Program funds may not be awarded for any improvements to property or buildings owned in whole or in part by City Council Members, their appointees, Assistant City Managers, Directors or their immediate family members (spouse, children, siblings, parents), or any for profit business organization of which such persons are equity owners, shareholders, members, partners of officers; while serving or employed by the City of San Marcos and for a period of one year after leaving office or separated from employment with the City of San Marcos.”

The program guidelines also state that all owners and partial owners of property or buildings benefiting from BIG grants must be disclosed on the application. Moreover, BIG funds cannot be used solely for signage; signage improvements must be part of a larger project to be considered for program funds.