Treading ground they must be finding familiar lately, the San Marcos City Council at its regular meeting last week delved into a big-picture discussion on the role of municipal government when talk turned to a homebuyers assistance program funded with federal stimulus money.

Proposal would restrict strip clubs, adult video stores and the like to industrial areas, require licensing and permits and impose a number of rules. Among them, performers couldn’t come within three feet of patrons.

Enacted in 1970, San Marcos’ taxi ordinance is a curious piece of regulation both because it does not include requirements one would expect from a taxi ordinance and because it prohibits things one would expect of a taxi.

Homebuilder Ryan Thomason easily won a runoff election today for San Marcos City Council Place 6, taking in 696 votes, or 61.4 percent, of 1,134 votes cast.

Now that the San Marcos police and firefighters have won remarkably favorable contracts, the rest of the city’s employees should unionize too.

Early voting starts Nov. 30 in the runoff between Ryan Thomason and Lisa Marie Coppoletta for San Marcos City Council Place 5. Election Day is Dec. 15.

Incumbent pulls down 63.6 percent while Thomason fails to avoid runoff by three votes.

Incumbent John Thomaides and home builder Ryan Thomason were solidly in the lead of their respective San Marcos City Council races in early voting results released at the close of polls at 7 p.m.

Seeking to capitalize on Seton Medical Center Hays’ opening last month in Kyle, San Marcos city leaders have expanded a forgivable home loan program to include employees of the hospital who earn at least $40,000 a year.

At their Nov. 2 meeting, the San Marcos City Council is scheduled to consider setting their own compensation and banning the use of ‘jake brakes’ by big rigs. The regular twice-monthly meeting would have been held Nov. 3 but was rescheduled for the city election.