Recent news includes proposals from the San Marcos veteran affairs committee, a new hotel slated for the Texas State University campus, and a $3.2 million contract between Hays and Haskell counties to return inmates to the Hays County jail.
San Marcos veteran affairs committee seeks support from city council
Members of San Marcos’ Veteran Affairs Advisory Committee are aiming to improve services and support for local veterans.
The VAAC presented a list of transportation, health care and other recommendations to the San Marcos City Council on July 1.
How we got here
Last March, the VAAC began identifying recommendations to make to City Council regarding veteran issues such as homelessness, rental assistance, transportation, health care and improvements to Hays County Veterans Memorial, per agenda documents.
The VAAC made the following recommendations to city council:
- Allocate funds to hire at least one trained case worker specializing in veteran issues to serve as a central point of contact and address critical needs
- Implement transportation solutions to ensure access for veterans traveling to and from Veterans Affairs health care appointments along the Austin-San Antonio corridor
- Establish a dedicated budget for improvements and maintenance at Veterans Memorial
- Seek financial support from the county to enhance efforts to meet the needs of veterans
There is currently no source identified to fund the recommendations, but committee members have expressed interest in creating a fundraising campaign to implement Veterans Memorial improvements, according to agenda documents.
Read the full story here from Reporter Brittany Anderson.
A new hotel proposed on Texas State University property near downtown San Marcos could bring jobs, events and more foot traffic to the area.
What’s happening
On July 1, San Marcos City Council approved the first of two readings needed to greenlight construction of “Project Cat Tree.”
Plans for the 130-room, full-service hotel include a restaurant and bar, meeting space, and an event lawn with an amphitheater.
Get the details here from Editorial Intern Katlynn Fox.
Hays County inmates housed in Haskell County will be brought back to the Hays County jail by 2027.
Hays County Commissioners Court members approved an agreement between the counties and a private, for-profit correctional facility at a July 8 meeting.
The details
There are currently 200 Hays County inmates housed at the Rolling Plains Detention Center in Haskell, managed by LaSalle Corrections West. The facility, which also operates as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, is almost five hours away from Hays County.
The LaSalle Corrections site will transport inmates to the Hays County jail in increments over the course of about a year and a half, according to agenda documents.
What they're saying
“I think the Haskell County contract is not only detrimental to justice but also a burden on the families at home who go through the emotional turmoil," Mano Amiga member Myles Martin said.
See the full report here from Reporter Elisabeth Jimenez.
