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City Council Meeting Minutes May 19,2026 <br /> update. <br /> Program Overview and Enhancements <br /> Ms. Perez-Carey summarized FY 2025 program changes: expansion to four <br /> partner agencies with city funding; distribution of about$45,000 in customer <br /> donations to three agencies; quarterly partner meetings; administrative fee <br /> increase from 8% to 10%; increase in eligible assistance instances from two to <br /> four per year; inclusion of reconnection and new-connection fees; and <br /> authorization to assist customers of PEC,Bluebonnet, and CenterPoint. <br /> Outreach was broadened through events, bus boards, and partner networks. <br /> Disconnection Summary and Financial Snapshot <br /> Utility Billing Manager Avalos reviewed service and disconnection trends. <br /> Clerks provide up to two-week payment extensions and refer customers to <br /> partners. Disconnections are paused during extreme heat or cold, and not <br /> conducted on Fridays, holidays,or weekends. Disconnections totaled 3,438 (FY <br /> 2024), 4,237 (FY 2025), and 2,615 (FY 2026 YTD). Accounts receiving <br /> assistance that were later disconnected rose from 134 to 255 year-over-year. <br /> FY 2025 used $108,368 of a$165,001 budget; FY 2026's $127,744 budget is <br /> nearly depleted. <br /> Program Insights and Demographics <br /> In FY 2025,335 households were assisted; in FY 2026 YTD,302. Senior <br /> households increased significantly. CIS aided families across nine campuses, <br /> with Crockett Elementary representing 47% of pledges. Common hardships <br /> included income loss, cost-of-living increases, health expenses, and vehicle <br /> repairs. CIS noted that families at Zavala and Travis Elementary could not <br /> access the program because they do not receive city utilities—likely due to <br /> being outside city limits. Agencies reported strong client appreciation. All <br /> agencies are projected to exhaust funds early,with BCL and Salvation Army <br /> depleting allocations especially quickly. <br /> Staff Recommendations <br /> Specify that each bill counts as one instance of assistance. <br /> Add hardship/emergency as a formal eligibility criterion. <br /> Allow CIS to assist Zavala and Travis students served by external utility <br /> providers using donation funds. <br /> Set quarterly funding caps,with CIS maintaining its internal model. <br /> Council Discussion and Direction <br /> Waiver of Fees: Council agreed unanimously to waive late, reconnection, and <br /> City of San Marcos Page 4 <br />