City calls for special election for council Place 5 seat
The San Marcos City Council officially called a special election to fill Dr. Joca Marquez’s seat with reduced voting centers.
The election approved in the regular meeting Tuesday will still take place on May 2 to fill the council Place 5 seat despite concerns over COVID-19 because the Texas State Constitution mandates a seat must be filled within 120 days of the vacancy.
Ledgestone Senior Living Center has withdrawn their voting center and others are likely to follow. The election was expected to have a low turnout prior to COVID-19’s arrival in Hays County, but reduced voting centers and difficulty finding poll workers will likely contribute to even lower turnout.
“We need to get this show on the road," Mayor Jane Hughson said. "But we have to know things may change.”
Council made suggestions of disinfecting voting centers, spacing voting stations 6 feet apart and limiting the number of voters allowed inside but ultimately the county will be running the election and any necessary precautions.
The council meeting provided a brief update on the emergency response to COVID-19 which is still at level 4, but has escalated to prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people in San Marcos city limits; Hays County has followed suit.
The city reiterated that restaurants and bars can remain open with less than 10 people inside at a time and can provide curbside service and takeout. The councilmembers brainstormed solutions earlier that day at the special called council meeting to help the community stay afloat and expressed concern for many businesses that could go out of business; ordering takeout if you have the means; listing affected vendors on a resource page to shop from online; and online music performances paid through electronic transfers.
The City of San Marcos is not turning off utilities during this time and the Justice of the Peace has prohibited evictions to help community members who have been impacted economically.
In other business, El Camino Real Park was renamed the Kenneth M. Copeland Memorial Park honoring the officer who was killed in the line of duty serving a warrant in the El Camino Real neighborhood in 2017. From the resolution, “Officer Copeland was known for his infectious smile, love for youth and always having a cooler of Topo Chico mineral water in his patrol unit ready to share with citizens during a shift.”
Council also passed changes to parks fees, removing the separate rate for nonprofits and businesses. The senior discount was changed from 65 years of age to 60 years of age. All non-resident rental rates will increase another five percent. Residents receiving CDBG funds will have fees waived up to nine times per month.
Chapter 38 of the City Code titled Fire Prevention and Protection was amended to match amendments to the 2015 edition of the International Fire Code which is used throughout Texas.
Property managers will now 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 new 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.
