San Marcos issues public-safety and city service reminders: emergency alerts, sirens, bus bike racks and passport services

City of San Marcos staff reminded residents and visitors about several public-safety and service resources during the council meeting record.

Staff urged people to sign up for Warn Central Texas to receive emergency alerts about natural disasters, weather warnings and evacuation notices; the city directed users to warncentraltexas.org and said alerts arrive by phone or email. The announcement noted outdoor siren towers as part of the city’s warning system and said local radio station 103.1 FM KZOS provides live updates during emergencies in case other communications fail. Staff also encouraged following the City of San Marcos on social media for updates.

The city provided step-by-step instructions for safely using the bike racks mounted on the front of buses: signal the driver before approaching, lower the rack by pulling the lever near the top, place the bike wheels into the tray, position the securing arm on the front wheel, remove belongings before boarding, tell the driver when retrieving the bike, and return the rack to the up/locked position after use. The city directed people seeking more transit options to sanmarcustx.gov/transit.

City staff described passport services available through the City Clerk’s Office: applicants can apply for a new passport, a replacement passport, or a passport for a minor. The city stated it does not handle passport renewals. For applicants under 16, both parents must be present; if one parent cannot attend, the absent parent must provide a notarized form. The city said the clerk’s office will walk applicants through forms, documents, fees, payment options, appointment scheduling and processing times.

The announcements were presented as public-information items; the transcript does not show deliberation or council votes on these items.