January 14 2014

Page 1

VOLUME 103, ISSUE 42

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JANUARY 14, 2014

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UP IN SMOKE

TRANSPORTATION

San Marcos commits to Lone Star Rail District

CITY

Businesses react to stricter city smoking ordinance

By Kacee Letbetter News Reporter

San Marcos is one step closer to becoming a future stop on the Lone Star Rail District after city councilmembers signed a funding agreement for the passenger rail service during their Dec. 17 meeting. The rail project is expected to provide transport from Georgetown to South San Antonio. Councilman John Thomaides, Place 3, said the contract will set up a mechanism to help save funding needed to begin construction on the project, even though trains on the Lone Star Rail District are not expected to run until 2019. An environmental study expected to be conducted later this year will help better determine the total amount of funding San Marcos officials will need to raise for the project. Both geographical boundaries and commitments from other cities are contributing factors for funding on the project. Alison Schulze, senior planner for the Lone Star Rail District, said the environmental study planned to take place later this year will determine which additional cities could commit to joining the project. Schulze said San Marcos is the first to commit to an inter-local funding agreement and expressed her excitement for the city’s willingness to take part in such a massive and important project. Schulze described the project as a rail line running through the heart of communities along Interstate Highway 35. The Lone Star Rail pro-

By Nicole Barrios

Assistant News Editor

S

moking on city-owned or leased property has been stamped out by a city ordinance that went into effect Jan. 1, a decision that has been divisive among some local business owners. The smoking ban, which was adopted by councilmembers in October, prohibits smoking inside all city facilities, outdoor city parks, athletic facilities and grounds. The ban includes tobacco products, e-cigarettes and other inhaled vapor devices. The ban will extend to cover public places and places of employment beginning June 1. According to a Jan. 1 University Star article, the “public places” defined in the ordinance include banks, bars, restaurants, bingo halls, indoor music venues, convention facilities, schools, health care facilities, retail stores, theaters, malls, sports arenas, waiting rooms and workplaces. Councilman Wayne Becak, Place 4, said the only difficulty he had with the smoking ban was from a standpoint of property rights. “If a business allows smoking, and smoking’s legal, from that standpoint, I’d like to see a business if they want to allow smoking, allow smoking.” For people who still wish to smoke, they can walk outside to a business’ patio, which is a good compromise, Becak said. Properties with permits to build outdoor smoking areas will have until Jan. 1, 2015 to

See RAIL, A3

CITY

New monitoring system to deter drivers passing school buses By Kelsey Bradshaw News Reporter

The implementation of a new city ordinance that will fine drivers who pass unloading school buses on streets may increase safety for children in the coming months. Under the ordinance, which was passed during a Jan. 7 city council meetings, cameras will be installed on San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District buses to help catch and fine violators who pass stopped buses. The $300 fine will be sent through the mail, similar to the process for red light violations caught on camera. Officials need 45 to 60 days to “get all the bugs worked out and get the cameras installed,” until violations are ready to be sent out, said Howard Williams, San Marcos Police Chief. In the meantime, the plan is to spread the word about the new system, Williams said. “An alarming amount of children get hit by cars passing school buses illegally,” said Iris Campbell, public information officer for San Marcos CISD. Implementing a $300 fine will be beneficial to the community because it will give drivers more incentive to stop when children are getting on and off buses, said Campbell. Busguard, the company installing the cameras on the buses, will receive 75 percent of the $300 fine, and the other 25 percent will be split between the city and the district, Campbell said. Within about three and a half months from September to the be-

See BUSES, A5

Austin Humphreys | Photo Illustration

See SMOKING, A7

CITY

Councilmembers appoint new city manager After a four and a half month search and unanimous selection by city councilmembers, Jared Miller began work as San Marcos’ new city manager Jan. 6. Miller formerly served as the assistant city manager of North Richland Hills, a town of 65,000 residents. Miller attended his first city council meeting Jan. 7 and greeted the team of 603 employees working under him. “I am excited about joining the City of San Marcos and look forward to working with our citizens, the city council and staff to help guide the future of the fastest growing city in the U.S.,” Miller said in a press release from the city. Miller earned a bachelor of

Courtesy of City of San Marcos

arts in political science from Abilene Christian University and a master’s in public administration from Texas Tech University. He is a Reserve Naval

Intelligence Officer and has served as past president of the West Texas City Management Association. He is also a member of the International City Management Association and the American Society for Public Administration. Miller worked in North Richland Hills for six years, where he was responsible for administration of economic development and parks and recreation. He managed budgets totaling $24.6 million and supervised 199 employees, compared to San Marcos’ 603 employees and annual budget of $166.7 million. “He is a sharp young man and he gets along very well with people,” said Mark Hindsman, North Richland

Hills city manager. “He was able to handle a variety of responsibilities here, he worked over numerous departments and did a good job. So, we’re sad to see him go, but at the same time we’re also happy to see him have an opportunity to serve in his capacity.” Miller worked for the South Plains Association of Governments from 2000 to 2003 as a regional services specialist, redistricting coordinator and criminal justice coordinator, according to the press release. He served as city manager for city of Crosbyton for two years and later spent another two years in the city of Snyder

See MANAGER, A5

PARKING

Permit program to relieve neighborhood congestion By James Carneiro News Reporter

Some residents in neighborhoods near campus may experience relieved parking as a result of a recently approved permit program. City councilmembers unanimously approved the establishment of a Residential Parking Permit Program in their Jan. 7 meeting. The need for the program arose from residents who expressed concern that students were parking their cars in neighborhoods and walking to campus. Under the new city council ordinance,

residents can enact a permit program in their neighborhoods by gathering a “significant number” of signatures on a petition. According to a Nov. 14 University Star article, the parking ordinance will not reserve individual parking spaces for residents. It will, however, allow officers to ticket parked vehicles lacking permits, regardless of their owners. During the Jan. 7 meeting, Fire Marshal Ken Bell said each household will be granted a maximum of five parking permits, one per each

resident. Bell said commercial vehicles weighing more than one ton may park in a neighborhood for up to 24 hours without a permit. Councilman John Thomaides, Place 3, amended the original language of the

Austin Humphreys | Photo Editor ordinance during the same meeting. In the section of the ordinance describing how a neighborhood makes a request for a designated permit area, Thomaides inserted the

See PARKING, A5


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