San Marcos Breaks Ground On $46.5M New Public Service Center On Clovis Barker

The City of San Marcos is breaking ground on the new Public Service Center on Clovis Barker Road which will provide a streamlined and centralized location for public utilities, transportation operations, fleet operations, and infrastructure services for the community.

In October 2017 the San Marcos City Council members approved $2.5 million to purchase 21 acres ($112,000 per acre) of land for a combined public services and community services maintenance facility on Clovis Barker Road, near Interstate 35.

Total design-construction costs for the facility are estimated at $44 million and $2.5 million for acreage on Clovis Barker.

This project is being funded through certificates of obligation. The City is working with the following companies to design and build the new facility: Hunt Companies, Lawrence Group, Flintco, LLC, and Jacobs Project Management Company.

At the request of the City Council, the building also integrates sustainable design features including 500-kilowatt solar energy panels on two buildings, four 18,000-gallon rainwater capture cisterns, high recycled content building materials, and low-flow plumbing fixtures.

The new complex will house nearly 250 City employees, including staff from the water, wastewater, electric, traffic, transit, general services, transportation, stormwater, facility maintenance, and conservation teams.

Certificates of Obligation Act of 1971 allows some governmental entities—like cities, counties, and certain special districts—to issue debt without voter approval to fund any public project.

More specifically, certificates of obligation (COs) can be used “to fund the construction, demolition, or restoration of structures; purchase materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, buildings, land and rights of way; and pay for related professional services.” As provided for in Local Government Code 271, Subchapter C, COs are usually payable from property tax revenues or other taxable sources.

While COs provide local governments with a flexible financing option to handle unforeseen circumstances or emergency situations, they are not restricted to only that use—which has been the source of controversy in Texas.

Click here to view the official groundbreaking video. Construction completion and City occupancy are scheduled for late 2021.