San Marcos residents will begin seeing a new line item on their monthly utility bills, but the charge is nothing new, according to a city news release.

The gist: Beginning in June, San Marcos Utilities customers will see a “Community Benefit Charge” on their bills. The charge is an existing cost previously included in the base utility rates.

The decision to make the “Community Benefit Charge” an individual line item was made to increase transparency and help customers understand how their utility funds will be used, according to the release.

The “Community Benefit Charge” will be an estimated $16.21 per month for a usual residential customer. The exact amount will vary based on usage and customer type.

A closer look: “The ‘Community Benefit Charge’ allows us to clearly show the value of services that support our community as a whole,” Assistant City Manager Joe Pantalion said in the release. “By separating this charge, customers can more easily see how their utility bill is structured.”

Since its return to downtown in late 2025, Buda’s historic train depot has seen significant changes in both its physical appearance and practical use. The structure will soon house the city’s newest economic development project, The Depot on Main.

The interior of the train depot will be converted into a retail business incubator and community marketplace, according to the Buda Economic Development Corp., or BEDC. Participating business owners will have access to below-market-rate retail space to establish themselves in the city and grow their consumer base.

Quote of note: “It’s an opportunity for home-based businesses or startups to have a presence on Main Street at below market rental rate for a shorter period of time,” BEDC CEO Jennifer Storm said.

The program will prepare owners for a full-rent retail space and allow them to test their products in the market, Storm said. One-to-two-year leases will be available.

A locally owned restaurant and bar named Hunter Road Country Club is opening this summer in New Braunfels.

What you need to know: The restaurant and bar is owned by brothers Seth and Chase Katz along with Benjie Ackerman. Chase Katz told Community Impact that the club will not require a membership. Hunter Road Country Club will have pool tables, a patio with an outdoor bar, a juke box and darts. Chase Katz also said kids will be welcome at the establishment until 7 p.m.

Quote of note: Chase Katz said they are calling it a country club, but "it ain't no country club."

“We’re a space for the community," he said. "We’re a space for the tourists and locals alike.”

• 1176 FM 306, New Braunfels

Comal County commissioners are asking state legislators to review or repeal the State Sales Tax Exemption for Qualified Data Centers.

Learn more: The commissioners are asking the Texas Legislature to designate an independent assessment on regional water availability and drought contingency planning for counties with Priority Groundwater Management Areas, or PGMAs, to appropriate legislative committees.

PGMAs are areas in Texas experiencing or expected to experience critical groundwater problems, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

This would allow the committees to evaluate water consumption and help enact statewide legislation to address the impacts of large-scale data center developments, especially in water constrained areas, such as counties with PGMAs, according to a May 14 resolution approved by the court in a 4-1 vote. Precinct 2 Commissioner Scott Haag was the single dissenting vote.