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City council meets with packed July agenda

Friday, July 2, 2021

The San Marcos City Council will meet Tuesday for its lone regular meeting of the month with 44 items on the docket. 

The city council will consider approving a resolution for a joint election agreement between the City of San Marcos and Hays County for an election to be held on Nov. 2, 2021. The council will also consider approval of a resolution for an election services agreement with the Hays County Elections Administrator for elections services for the city’s general and special election to be held in November.

City Council places 5 and 6 are up for election during the upcoming election.

Following a special meeting last week, two items regarding American Rescue Plan funding will be discussed Tuesday. In total, the City of San Marcos was allocated $18,101,483 from the American Rescue Plan funding. The City of San Marcos received $9,050,741 on June 1 and will receive the remaining funds 12 months from now. ARP funds must be incurred between March 3, 2021-Dec. 31, 2024 with funds expended by Dec. 31, 2026. 

During Tuesday’s meeting, councilmembers will consider approval of an ordinance to amend the city’s 2020-21 Fiscal Year budget to allocate funds made available from the American Rescue Plan. Council will also consider allocation of $9,050,741 in ARP funds.

The city council will consider approval of a resolution which allocates up to $640K in one-time grant funds from the city’s general fund for nonprofit activities that mitigate adverse impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. City staff has recommended that $140,880 of funding be allocated and the remaining $499,120 be incorporated into the Human Services Advisory Board application process this year and removal of the stipulation that the program must be related to negative impacts of the pandemic. 

Council will receive a staff presentation and hold a preliminary discussion on the selection of proposed activities for $823,414.87 in the 2021-22 Community Development Block Grant Action Plan. 

Staff will also provide an update to council regarding the city’s utility assistance program and disconnections for non-payment and late fees. 

Since March 2020, the city has halted utility service disconnections during the COVID-19 emergency. Disconnections are set to resume on Aug. 1, 2021. During its special called meeting on June 29, the council asked to hear an update regarding utilities and wanted to hear about accounts that are unpaid, accounts paid, the city’s utility assistance applications, why applications may have been disapproved and whether the council wants to extend the disconnection halt beyond the first of August. 

Councilmembers will also discuss a return to in-person meetings inside the council chambers at city hall.

On the consent agenda, the council will consider approval of a resolution expressing the city council's support for an application by Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos for Hays County Parks and Open Space Bond funding to establish a new urban park and plaza associated with centro. Councilmembers will also consider a resolution supporting the application by the San Marcos River Foundation to the Hays County Parks and Open Space Commission for Hays County 2020 Parks Bond funds for the acquisition of 102 acres of land known as the Elsik Tract for future open space and conservation purposes. 

Residents can watch Tuesday’s meeting online at http://sanmarcostx.gov/421/City-Council-Videos-Archives or on Grande channel 16 or Spectrum channel 10 beginning at 6 p.m.

Anyone wishing to participate in public comment should email citizencomment@sanmarcostx.gov prior to 12 p.m. on Tuesday. A call in number to join by phone or link will be provided for participation on a mobile device, laptop or desktop computer.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666