[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6101355,"mediaKeyId","2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531","parentId",2809419,"title","Council amends disconnect time: unpaid utility bills to trigger next-day 7:59 a.m. disconnection","audioSeconds",450,"startMs",6879000,"endMs",7329000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531&start=6879&end=7329","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531/thumbnail_6879000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6101355/Gonzales/Gonzales-County/Texas/Council-amends-disconnect-time-unpaid-utility-bills-to-trigger-next-day-759-am-disconnection","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101355-69ada7cf5def1758dab32a3145cf1fb9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194710&Signature=Pu-BC-UsA1hQE2hIYWNAMQmHxeBwKxGYGXDtkOQU7ARuZFvJnlNevHJtW6DfQfmkIxttXl6Q3pgTvP0gbkEZZ5ioocsmcJi-E9lcOEQQsarvNHQ3XJHjYQsbu68E4qQ9JhgpPDyckuMDIxKxP6l613dDO3doPb1mkYLoSH0gkSPWZEcc6lNdpAOK8k4MBK5q85W0f5X9GWdIz4wAkidbt-0GMD58Sg-q80j0Pw9w12X4JxgiO0ltl9yUX4oC6n20G6HdsLiWH55XNhiNhf5MJhCpnqAWvIFug7rCRBY1s-ku9w7KA~rQEs0LQl-uMp5fY3eM0PmCp9M~VdtFRcemnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Gonzales","date","2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Gonzales City Council on March 1 passed an ordinance amending Division 2, section 13.211 of the City Code to set disconnection for nonpayment at 7:59 a.m. the next day after a missed payment.

The ordinance change standardizes the timing for disconnection, aligning the policy used for other account types and addressing recent customer concerns about late payment windows. City staff said that setting the cutoff at 07:59 a.m. allows billing staff time to process payments that arrived after the 5 p.m. cutoff on the due date.

Nut graf: Council moved the formal cutoff earlier than the previous practice of a 5 p.m. administrative deadline and clarified how in-person, drop-box and online payments are handled; staff said the change requires one employee to input late payments before the 07:59 processing time.

City utility billing staff described the procedure: morning staff would input payments received after 5 p.m. and, at 08:00, disconnect lists would be generated for field crews carrying out reconnections and disconnections. Council discussed customer-service edge cases — for example, when a customer arrives in person after the administrative deadline but before physical disconnection — and agreed to continue discussing any additional discretion policies at a future meeting.

Councilmember Hernandez moved to approve the ordinance amending section 13.211 and set the disconnection time at 07:59 a.m.; a second by Councilmember Jordan carried by voice vote.

Ending: The ordinance passed; councilors asked staff to return with any recommended process changes to make the system more customer-friendly while maintaining fair application of the rule.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Gonzales, Texas City Council Meeting - March 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City Council amended municipal code section 13.211 to set utility disconnection for nonpayment at 7:59 a.m. the following business day and approved related budget and procedural clarifications.","taxTitle","Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas","taxId",69484,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101360,"Council reclaims tourism staff, approves festival funding and downtown farmers market site",2532,2674000,5206000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531&start=2674&end=5206","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531/thumbnail_2674000.jpg","/articles/6101360/Gonzales/Gonzales-County/Texas/Council-reclaims-tourism-staff-approves-festival-funding-and-downtown-farmers-market-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101360-8c95ab3d6e07fd1a1bd50b2838dc08e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194710&Signature=ORTNC9U~W7~jBc6F4GyEGr2Yvxf7trmHDZJWlUDMGsOr7mt35xjLL2f5ozDATvVDgj2a1k5jJs~vzJUkQoZqEQUUDPnv6SLFglE2J39pOgGYUHN~TZg0fkz77bTifmUgwo2pFgth0MTHLY~56Wqouq1NZfMcpo6~mcklTLzgDhfARdpBwc8k6OvGamF~nHIMxnrzMy4JZAWmWkAP4FjBJJWUXwiurOTDWwVn~ebnV~1HVKie1hd5C8vP0at3VhulHqyIf7Iz9iAlioydwOse75UVHIiXtbxUC8UAu2AJlacFstbD0dFdtQdTTCq3oZAqVjhcq0VTfz-O696VwKebuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Gonzales City Council on March 1 moved the city's tourism functions back under municipal control, approved event funding for the Come and Take It and Cattle Country festivals, and authorized a downtown farmers market at the northeast corner of Texas Hero Square.

Council voted to reject an amended publicity and tourism agreement with the Chamber of Commerce and return the two tourism positions and associated hotel/motel funding to the city immediately. The motion noted the city is prepared to house the two staff members and to operate the Convention & Visitors Bureau from the Riverside Center.

Nut graf: The decisions centralize tourism operations in city government and allocate hotel/motel tax dollars to local events and promotions; council also set the first location for a new farmers market in the downtown Main Street area.

Council members discussed logistics and budget impacts before voting. Councilmember Miller moved to return tourism operations and funding to the city; Jordan seconded. The motion passed by voice vote, and staff confirmed the move covers two full-time equivalents previously funded through the Chamber.

The council then voted to approve a farmers market permit to Gonzales Tourism in partnership with Gonzales Main Street, placing the market at the Northeast Corner of Texas Hero Square for the initial date of April 12 (to coincide with a master gardeners plant sale). Agritourism organizers told council they already have about 10 vendors signed and plan printed materials to guide visitors to downtown businesses.

Separately, the council approved event funding: a $30,000 award to the Come and Take It committee (contingent on the organization's 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) documentation) and up to $75,000 to Wine Country Festival LLC (d/b/a Cattle Country Fest) for promotion and advertising that targets tourists. The Come and Take It award reflects a compromise from a larger request tied to bicentennial programming; the Cattle Country award was approved after discussion of marketing timetables and economic impact considerations.

Quotable: \"We want those new businesses to have that exposure,\" said a city tourism coordinator during the farmers market discussion. In public comment, Bree Irons, speaking on behalf of property owners on Saint George Street, said, \"When we share the possibility of a farmer's market on Saint George Street with them, they were all excited about the increased foot traffic and visibility it could bring to their businesses.\"

Ending: Staff said they will coordinate permits, signage and promotional materials with Main Street and the Chamber, and that the Riverside Center will be prepared to house tourism staff. Council directed staff to return with any necessary agreements and budget amendments for the staffing and event funding changes.","Gonzales council voted to move two tourism positions from the Chamber back to the city, authorized funding for two major events, and approved a downtown farmers market at the northeast corner of Texas Hero Square.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101365,"Council approves memorandum with GBRA to join basinwide Habitat Conservation Plan",1846,2470000,4316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531&start=2470&end=4316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809419-a1d008bae0d3aa2adec0ae6352fb8531/thumbnail_2470000.jpg","/articles/6101365/Gonzales/Gonzales-County/Texas/Council-approves-memorandum-with-GBRA-to-join-basinwide-Habitat-Conservation-Plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101365-d88d8def32c33b6a60c6e6f78429eaa0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194710&Signature=io9dW5dDQO5NUNBbl-BXTJ9Sz7xL4qXcy6pOfoeVBo64uysxuSAIz~PJCu84MUpexLVhsXpGQY-A2PUh0fCeWwfitLkwOaxrBXMRzl8lA0r6ZBPs0x5f7Gj5UpcK6WG8p~OImi-L2Dvn0wmRhSfZ94ZdyK0u-7yu8G~aMcz67YDA188E8ASuI6wp7x5p9NmFHa2WxiiyvrCbkkdbOO65g-Ml1BdquoWf7cMamWmFEMYhPhF9usBM5tg-DcqAJVwC442vJFyf-Wf6oVawEirrjN9xi8bfVlfMlTjRE~Sz48-Ru0SOo2e1fWytqng6Kn5DfBty1DHhPdJIA3-WlmTHwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Gonzales City Council on March 1 approved a memorandum of agreement with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority to participate in a basinwide Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) intended to provide long-term regulatory certainty for water and hydroelectric operations.

The memorandum authorizes the city manager to execute an agreement that would allow the city to seek coverage under an HCP being led by GBRA. The plan quantifies potential impacts to listed species in the Guadalupe River Basin and pairs those impacts with mitigation actions, GBRA officials said.

\"The Endangered Species Act ... prohibits any negative impacts that could be caused to endangered species,\" said Nathan Pence, executive manager of environmental science at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, during the council presentation. Pence explained the HCP process and how a primary permittee can extend coverage to other entities through a certificate of inclusion.

Nut graf: Supporters said the plan would let the city continue lawful water uses while funding and implementing mitigation measures for species such as recently listed freshwater mussels and the Guadalupe darter; the council approved the measure by voice vote.

GBRA staff told the council the agency has already secured federal grants to fund much of the technical work and modeling. \"We have received over $2,000,000 in grant funding right now from the federal government to put this sort of a process and this sort of plan in place,\" Pence said. He estimated the basinwide program would cost about $1,000,000 annually to operate, with GBRA carrying a substantial share and participating entities paying a proportional contribution.

Discussion focused on how the HCP would address hydroelectric operations and wastewater discharges. Pence described how hydro pulsing — holding water to build pressure for turbine generation then releasing it — can dry side-margin habitat and affect mussels; he said standard operating procedures could reduce those impacts. On effluent, he said continuing to return treated wastewater to the river can be beneficial for species during drought but could limit potential revenue from reuse or sale of that effluent.

Councilmember Hernandez moved to authorize the city manager to execute the memorandum of agreement with GBRA; Councilmember Miller seconded. The motion carried by voice vote; the council noted one absence.

Ending: GBRA told the council it has included draft language about Gonzales' activities in its HCP and that formalizing the city's participation now would avoid redoing modeling later if the city chose to opt in. The MOA directs staff to continue technical collaboration as the final HCP and incidental-take permit application are prepared.","The Gonzales City Council voted to authorize a memorandum of agreement with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority to pursue a Habitat Conservation Plan and incidental-take coverage under the Endangered Species Act.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council amends disconnect time: unpaid utility bills to trigger next-day 7:59 a.m. disconnection

Council reclaims tourism staff, approves festival funding and downtown farmers market site

Council approves memorandum with GBRA to join basinwide Habitat Conservation Plan