Beautification Fee Discussed At San Marcos Council Meeting

by,  Clayton Kelley

Beginning March 1, residents, and business owners in San Marcos will pay a monthly beautification fee.

City council members received a staff presentation about the beautification fee Tuesday night during their meeting.

Residents will pay a $1 monthly fee and business owners will pay $5. The fees are expected to generate $375,000 in the 2015-2016 fiscal year and an annual $500,000 after that.

“This fee will go towards the cleanliness, the beautification, and the overall appearance of the community,” said Heather Hulbert, director of finance.

Hulbert said this fee would have a community-wide impact on beautification of the downtown tourist area, neighborhoods, parks, and rivers. Officials will use $160,000 of fee revenues to increase trash pickup and mowing along the highway and creek side corridors.

“I’m having trouble with this clean community fee because that implies that we are dirty now,” said Jane Hughson, Place 4 council member. “Let’s make sure that we really put this out there so that people can see where their money is going.”

Hulbert said $15,000 would go towards more enclosed dumpsters. She proposed city officials match 50 percent of grant money to bring the dumpsters up to code.

“When dumpsters are not adequately enclosed, it leads to trash flowing around the area,” Hulbert said.

John Thomaides, Place 3 council member, said he recommends council pass an ordinance requiring dumpsters to be closed. He said $15,000 is too low to match.

City officials will use $10,000 to raise awareness and educate about the importance of keeping the area clean and environmentally friendly, Hulbert said.

About $189,000 will be used to buy new landscaping on Craddock Avenue, new sidewalk sweepers for downtown and recycling and trash containers in the parks.

Mayor Daniel Guerrero said it would be best to find new areas of San Marcos to beautify, as well as innovative techniques.

“The same remedy isn’t going to work in one spot than it may another,” Guerrero said.

Rodney Cobb, executive director of community service, said this is the perfect opportunity to have Bobcat Build come on board with beautification efforts.

“We try to connect with Bobcat Build on a daily basis,” Cobb said. 

This article originally published in the University Star.