MINUTES
Special Meeting of the San Marcos City Council
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024
Community Center Food Hall
1 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Jones called the City Council Meeting to order at 2:00 PM.
ROLL CALL:
PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: JONES, JENKINS, MUSGROVE, NUÑEZ, SANNELLA ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Jordan Abeel, San Marcos Fire Association representative, spoke in favor of securing funding for additional public safety and other city service needs.
Paul Mendoza, resident, spoke in favor of smart growth of urban centers to increase funding for city services.
GOAL SETTING WORKSHOP
CITY MANAGER BENDER provided a brief introduction of the workshop and the facilitator, Jennifer Coyle, who conducted the budget workshop.
FACILITATOR JENNIFER COYLE began the workshop with information collected from city council members for consideration prior to the meeting contained in the chart below.
Theme Potential Action Items for Consideration
Budget: Address the City’s structural deficit
Make an informed decision about a sales tax measure/create a plan for reducing budget without a sales tax measure (underway).
Identify external sources of revenue to fund projects where possible. Complete revenue analysis of City-owned properties (underway).
Reevaluate internal service fund policy. Reevaluate service model used for City fleet.
Reevaluate payment terms for economic reserve fund. Cannabis dispensaries.
Council policy of austerity until budget is balanced.
Improve transportation system
Find revenue source for traffic signal sequencing project.
Prevent SANDAG Bus Rapid Transit project from negatively impacting City.
Work with NCTD to implement pilot project for intracity shuttle/intercity shuttle.
Explore city e-bike regulations.
Creek District Plan Update Task Force
Create new task force to update the Creek district plan.
Provide a higher level of customer service
Redesign City website for ease of use for community members. Review and streamline permitting process.
Provide assistance with city processes to Spanish speakers (e.g., how to apply for affordable housing, etc.).
Develop effective feedback mechanisms for all end users.
Empower staff be creative in finding responsible solutions for customers.
Consider governance changes
Evaluate and update processes and terms for commissions and committees.
Evaluate Council member compensation and its effect on future candidate pools.
Hire legislative analyst to support Council Members on their regional committees.
Support affordable housing
Address needs of mobile home residents facing increasing rents. Create a housing committee/work group to address current housing crisis.
Fire Station 5
Start process of siting, funding and building Fire Station #5.
Increase community engagement
Increase outreach and engagement (surveys, etc.) (underway). Improve communication between City and members of District #1. Create materials for Spanish speakers.
Hire Spanish speaking emergency responders. Reevaluate State-of-the-City event for equity. Creation of Spanish component to Citizen’s Academy. Creation of City of San Marcos Spanish CERT.
Creation of working group/advisory committee and designate staff members to be responsible for community engagement, assessment of the need for improvements (street lighting or other improvements). Form a Public Art Advisory Committee.
Build new skate parks
Build new skate parks for youth near La Mirada Academy or other locations.
The facilitator requested the members of the city council to identify their top two priorities. The priority themes identified from this exercise were Budget: Address the City’s Structural Deficit and the combination of Provide Higher Level of Customer Service and Increase Community Engagement and Fire Station #5. The city council then engaged in a discussion regarding the priority goals identified.
CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION INCLUDED: clarification of structural budget deficit, current revenue generating mechanisms, public safety needs including a fire station #5, funding sources available for increase of revenue and other cost cutting measures, feasibility studies of the use of tax initiatives and/or cannabis sales as revenue generators in San Marcos, updating development and franchise fees; city property rent revenues and tenant improvement challenges; current and future sheriff contract and public safety costs; reserve fund policies and reserve amounts; fire station 5 location and operational costs, pension trust fund investments; housing affordability crisis, city’s role in housing development, increased community engagement with different parts of the community and agencies, improving customer experience using city services and website; nothing off the table for consideration as budget austerity measures, and making the best use of the different city resources and assets.
By consensus, the City Council directed the city manager and staff to prioritize the stabilization and balancing of the current and future budgets and enhancing the customer experience of city services.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Jones adjourned the meeting at 3:45 PM.
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REBECCA D. JONES, MAYOR
CITY OF SAN MARCOS
ATTEST:
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PHILLIP SCOLLICK, CITY CLERK
CITY OF SAN MARCOS
Special City Council
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 | Page 2 of 2