CITY & COUNTY
News from San Marcos, Buda & Kyle
San Marcos City Council Meets Aug. 16 and Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. 630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos 512-393-8000 www.sanmarcostx.gov Buda City Council Meets Aug. 16 and Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. 405 E. Loop St., Buda 512-312-0084 • www.ci.buda.tx.us Kyle City Council Meets Aug. 16 and Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. 100 W. Center St., Kyle 512-262-1010 • www.cityofkyle.com Hays County Commissioners Court Meets Aug. 16, 23, 30 at 9 a.m. 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos 512-393-2205 • www.co.hays.tx.us MEETINGS WE COVER resources to investigate abortions at an Aug. 2 meeting. Stapp said in mid-July Police Chief Stan Standridge issued an administrative directive that states the police department will not investigate elective abortion since the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Discussion centered around how to implement some of the policies of the Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone Act—an ordinance passed by Austin City Council July 21 to limit the enforcement of state abortion laws—within San Marcos. NUMBER TO KNOW of American Rescue Plan Act funds was approved by the Hays County Commissioners Court Aug. 2 for cancer screening and treatment for those living at or below 250% of the federal poverty line. $1,187,219 CITY HIGHLIGHTS KYLE City Council accepted the resignation of District 1 Council Member Dex Ellison on Aug. 2. Ellison was first elected to the council in November 2017 and was serving his second term, which was set to end this November. He also served on the planning KYLE City Council approved an ordinance request for construction of the new Costco set to open at 19086 I-35, Kyle, at a meeting Aug. 2. Noise from excavation, construction, demolition or alteration of a building or structure is not allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, pouring concrete during the day in the heat will cause cracking and render the foundation unbuildable. The contractors aim to start pouring concrete Sept. 12 at 2 a.m. SAN MARCOS Chief of Public Safety Chase Stapp told City Council that the San Marcos Police Department will not devote and zoning commission. His seat will remain vacant until elections this November.
Cannabis initiative wins spot on November ballot SAN MARCOS City Council certified the signatures for an initiative to decriminalize marijuana at an Aug. 2 meeting and sent the measure to voters in November. The petition, brought by the organizations Ground Game Texas and Mano Amiga, submitted 10,624 sig- natures, of which 4,667 were deemed valid by the city clerk’s office. About 4,100 were needed, or about 10% of registered voters. BY ERIC WEILBACHER WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT? The ballot initiative—if passed by voters on Nov. 8—would prohibit San Marcos police officers from issuing citations or making arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession except in cases involving felony-level narcotics cases or investigation of a violent felony. The measure also provides other enforcement limitations that include:
According to city charter information provided by city staff, the council had 30 days to either pass the ordinance without amending it or call an election for the adoption of the initiated ordinance without amendments. Council Member Alyssa Garza said that support from the voters would be a clearer communication of the position of the community rather than council passing it. “I think there needs to be that strong stance that can only come from it being on the ballot, right. Because even with a petition some folks are like, ‘Well you know, with only 10,000 signatures.’ ... But if we put it on the ballot then the people—everybody, not just the folks that you know, knock on doors, they’ll all have the opportu- nity to voice their opinion on the ballot,” Garza said.
seizing marijuana if the officer has probable cause but release the individual if that is the offense; no citations for drug residue or paraphernalia; testing of a substance to see if it’s legal or illegal cannabis product; detection of the odor of marijuana or hemp cannot be used as probable cause; violations of enforcement could subject police officers to disciplinary measures; and reporting to the council of the city’s implementation efforts is required.
SOURCES: CITY OF SAN MARCOS, MANO AMIGA/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Budget for economic development board approved in Buda
$279M road bond inches forward
BUILDING BETTER ROADS
The proposed $279 million road bond will aim to build and reconstruct better roads and infrastructure that is needed throughout the city. ROAD PROJECTS: roads will be upgraded 3 road will be constructed 1 roads will be a mixture of an upgrade and new construction 6
BY ZARA FLORES
BY CHRISTOPHER GREEN
KYLE City Council held a spe- cial workshop meeting July 23 to discuss the direction of the upcoming road bond election. The council approved preliminary engineering work on six of the proposed roads within the bond in April to determine what the cost estimates may be, what challenges and opportunities may arise, and what a schedule for design and construction could look like, as previously reported by Commu- nity Impact Newspaper . While Mayor Travis Mitchell speculated the bond could be around $100 million at previous meetings, agenda documents indicate the bond could be $279 million for 10 road projects totaling around 15.6 miles in new, reconstructed and widened projects throughout the city. Following discussion regarding how to divide the roads into two propositions, the council voted 4-2 to have all road projects in one proposition, meaning Kyle voters will either approve or reject all
BUDA The Buda Economic Devel- opment Corp. budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year was approved Aug. 2. President Jennifer Storm presented changes to the budget from the 2021- 22 fiscal year. The BEDC is tasked with creating diverse business development and expansion. A primary focus for the BEDC is new developments and existing business expansion. The BEDC also focuses on infrastructure and city development. Storm highlighted some of the important changes of the budget. The capital improvements budget was increased from $500,000 to $700,000. Storm said the increase was made to ensure there would be additional funds if needed. The budget for an economic development specialist was increased from $70,040 to $80,250. Storm said the position is vacant, and the BEDC is seeking to fill the position, which is greatly needed for performance agreements and budget documents. The budget passed 7-0.
SOURCE: CITY OF KYLE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
roads proposed on the bond. Council Members Yvonne Flores- Cale and Michael Tobias voted against the motion. Based on an election timetable presented by the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, the council must adopt the ordinance calling for the Nov. 8 bond election with two readings between Aug. 10-22. The city’s previous road bond in 2013 was $36 million for work on five road projects. As of press time Aug. 11, final action had not been taken by the city council.
15
SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION • AUGUST 2022
Powered by FlippingBook