SAN MARCOS CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES
Chase Norris touts his education and his city government experience as key qualifications for his candidacy for San Marcos City Council, but his community involvement dates back to his small town Texas roots.
He was born in tiny Algoa, south of Houston on State Highway 6 between Alvin and Santa Fe. The 2000 census listed the population as 125.
Norris earned a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School and a Master of Science in Community & Regional Planning at the University of Texas at Austin. Following graduation, he moved to Seattle to work for the Service Employees International Union, where as a researcher, he helped to enforce, and ultimately raise, the minimum wage for SEIU members.
Norris then moved to Texas as a city planner for the city of Austin. He worked more than 12 years in several different departments, which he says have given him an understanding of city government that would make him an informed, efficient and effective city council member. These departments included Watershed Protection, where he helped update the strategic plan “to make sure that we are protecting our natural water bodies, identifying those that needed positive interventions and protection.”
A certified Master Naturalist, the scenery, wildlife and natural beauty of this area have great appeal to Norris. “There’s something very sacred and powerful about the San Marcos River.”
Norris moved to San Marcos two years ago, after visiting for Mermaid Fest. “I have never lived in a community like this. It’s charming. … It’s large enough for festivals, concerts and community theater in the park. … We have such a rich artistic culture. At the same time, it’s a very affordable community.”
Small businesses would be a priority, he said. Drawing on his experience as a site planner for the city of Austin, he would work with small businesses by helping them navigate the startup process.
Norris would also prioritize the creation of trade industry jobs. “I think that we could bring in some sectors that are in demand, that are increasing in the region, specifically of clean energy, advanced manufacturing, logistics and healthcare.
Bike lanes and bus stops are infrastructure areas Norris said he would focus on as a member of city council. “I think that if you can’t afford a car, or don’t want to use a car, and you want to ride your bike across town, you should feel absolutely safe doing so. … I think that every bus stop should have a bench and should have a shade structure. You should be able to sit there comfortably waiting for the bus, reading the paper or book or something, not standing on a concrete pad in the 100 degree weather.”
Town Hall meetings are key to creating a more straightforward and robust dialog between citizens and city leaders, Norris said. “I’m a big believer in Town Halls. If we had a Town Hall every quarter, or twice a year, people could have actual conversations with the mayor and council.”
Norris has championed the Tenant’s Bill of Rights, which the city council discussed in a workshop in September and will likely revisit during an October public meeting. He stresses the need for a clearly defined process for renters to address issues with landlords by requesting intervention from the City. “I think that there should be a more robust compliance system in place where city staff can go out to those properties and inspect them, get them up to code and make sure that they’re livable and dignified.”
While students represent a large part of San Marcos apartment renters, Norris would like to see more focus on affordable rent prices for apartments and houses for working families.
“We need more multifamily housing that isn’t student only. We have a lot of these high rises, but they’re student housing.”
Norris is currently employed as a disaster recovery and mitigation planner for the Texas General Land Office, where has been working to help Kerrville get funding for rebuilding.
