Council establishes use of force committee
San Marcos City Councilmembers called for the application process to begin for an ad hoc committee to review the San Marcos Police Department’s use of force policies.
The 14-15 committee members will receive training related to police use of force case law and policy formation, study the SMPD policies pertinent to use of force and make recommendations for potential policy changes.
Councilmembers will discuss the process for bringing their recommendations either directly to city council or to the Chief’s Advisory Panel.
Applications will open within the next week and will close Sept. 30.
The new city development code was voted into effect on Sept. 1 after a process that began in March 2019.
The new code includes amendments that were recommended by the Alcohol Conditional Use Permit Committee, the Housing Task Force, the Historic Preservation Commission and city staff.
They also held a first reading of the proposed fiscal year 2021 budget and voted approval. There will be a second reading on Sept. 15, when they will also hold the final vote.
There is a proposed increase of 6.6% to total revenues and 8.2% increase to expenditures, resulting in $255.8 million proposed revenue and $258.7 million proposed expenditures.
Five-hundred-thousand dollars are allocated to sworn Fire and Police and $700,000 for all non-civil service employees.
They also approved the new tax rate on its first reading for fiscal year 2021 at 59.30 cents on each $100 of taxable property value. This was 4.9% higher than the no new revenue tax rate and slightly lower than the fiscal year 2020 rate of 61.39 cents on each $100 of taxable property value.
The new tax rate will result in a monthly savings for the average homeowner of $3.50.
It will generate 7.9% more revenue than last year, resulting in $2.7 million of new revenue. $1.5 million of that is from new properties.
There will be a second and final reading and vote of approval on Sept. 15.
In other business, councilmembers approved the 15 polling places identified by the Citizens Election Committee for the Nov. 3 election including 4 early voting locations.
Polling locations for Election Day include the Calvary Baptist Church, Centro Cultural Hispano, Dunbar Center, First Baptist Church San Marcos, Promiseland Church, San Marcos Activity Center, San Marcos Fire Station, San Marcos Housing Authority/CM Allen Homes, Sinai Pentecostal Church, South Hays Fire Station #12 and Stone Brook Seniors Community.
Polling locations for both early voting and Election Day include Hays County Government Center, Hays County Transportation Yarrington Building, Live Oak Health Center and Texas State University Performing Arts Center.
Related to COVID-19, councilmembers will approved temporarily reducing sewer surcharges for commercial utility customers from March 2020.
For the 49 customers whose water usage was decreased by 30-49%, their fee will be reduced by 30%. For the 57 customers whose water usage decreased 50-75%, their fee will be reduced by 50%. For the 48 customers whose water usage decreased by 75%, their fee will be reduced by 75%.
The also approved on the first of two readings increasing rates for Water, Wholesale Water, Reclaimed Water, Wastewater Treatment, and Sewer Surcharges. The average monthly bill impact will be $3.75.
On the first of two readings, councilmembers approved adjusting the rates for both Residential and Multifamily Customers of Municipal Solid Waste Programs by 3%, resulting in an average monthly bill impact of 78 cents.
The councilmembers also nominated Mayor Jane Hughson, City Manager Bert Lumbreras and Councilmembers Ed Mihalkenin and Saul Gonzalez to the Greater San Marcos Partnership Board of Directors.
