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City Council <br />Meeting Minutes September 21, 2021 <br />Tom Goynes, spoke regarding the can ban. He would like to save the river and <br />would like council to pass a can ban ordinance. <br />Chris Davis, spoke in opposition of item #44. He expressed concern that <br />citations will increase trauma and could block people from getting employment <br />or housing. He mentioned criminalizing does not end homelessness. <br />Vashayla Charvis, spoke against item #44 and expressed concern with how the <br />city can help the un -housed citizens. <br />Lexy Garcia, spoke against item #44. She provided statistics from the National <br />Center on Homeless Education. She urged council to stand against this <br />codified cruelty, and not use the state's law as an excuse to give law <br />enforcement more money to over police already targeted people. <br />CJ Cetina, spoke in opposition to item #44. She stated there is no need for this <br />kind of proposal in San Marcos as the city is a very tight -knit community. She <br />mentioned no one living in poverty should ever be criminalized. <br />Nathan Pino, spoke against item #44. He stated research demonstrates that <br />homelessness is best addressed not by criminalizing the homeless and giving <br />more resources to the police, but by providing funding for social services such <br />as housing and education assistance and treating mental and physical health. <br />Robin Blackburn, spoke against #44, she would like a system in place to help <br />these people overcome whatever put them in this position, help them find <br />employment, and get them out of the vicious cycle that so many low-income <br />folks get trapped in. <br />Heidi Luna, supports item #44, spoke on behalf of Green Guy Recycling, she <br />mentioned the company has a long history of dealing with homeless <br />individuals over the years. Green Guy Recycling agrees with the agenda item to <br />not allow these individuals within the city limits or the ETJ to promote a safer <br />environment. <br />Claudia Zapata, spoke in opposition of a camping/panhandling ban, item #44. <br />She stated the camping ban is not a solution to houselessness and strongly <br />urges Council to not waste taxpayer dollars by criminalizing houselessness as it <br />is an unenforceable, cyclical band-aid solution. <br />City of San Marcos Page 4 <br />