Mayor: San Marcos thriving as it continues to grow

Community involvement is the backbone of San Marcos, local officials said at the third annual San Marcos Chamber of Commerce’s State of the City luncheon Wednesday.

“The growth and prosperity of our community is not due to the work of one entity or one person,” Chamber Board Chairwoman Jessica Pizana said. “It is due to the hard work and vigilance of everyone sitting in this room today.”

The luncheon, held at the San Marcos Convention Center, featured remarks by Mayor Jane Hughson and San Marcos CISD Superintendent Michael Cardona. Representatives from the city, county and school district were among the attendees, as well as a representative from U.S. Rep. Chip Roy’s office.

The city’s perspective 

Hughson spoke about the “energetic, innovative and unique” place that is San Marcos.

“As your mayor, I am pleased to report that the state of our city is strong,” she said

Hughson emphasized the importance of the community and of preserving the city’s “small-town feel” as it grows.

“We are the heart of the innovation corridor, but the real heart and heartbeat of San Marcos is its residents,” she said. 

The mayor credited City Manager Bert Lumbreras for his leadership and highlighted the city council’s initiatives and progress made in several areas the council has chosen to focus on. She noted that the city made so much progress in stormwater management and community partnerships that it has been able to focus on new initiatives: workforce development and downtown vitality.

“With an unemployment rate that hovers below 3 percent, we know we have people who want to work to support their families and their futures,” Hughson said.

Workforce development opportunities will be aimed at people who are unemployed, underemployed or employed but making a commute to work that they would rather not make.

Jason Mock of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce

Downtown vitality efforts will be cooperative efforts between the city and the Downtown Association, Main Street, Texas State University and other stakeholders.

“We will develop strategies for vacant and neglected buildings and explore long-term funding solutions for beautification and maintenance,” she said. 

Hughson mentioned the council’s ongoing initiatives: workforce housing, multi-modal transportation and city facilities to be improved with funds from the city’s 2017 bond election. 

She also mentioned the efforts to diversify the city’s tax base and provide more jobs, and the roles that new businesses, the downtown area, the outlet malls, Amazon, the Best Buy call center and the San Marcos Regional Airport are playing in the city’s economic growth. 

Alongside the existing economic engines for the city is the forthcoming SMART (San Marcos Air, Rail and Truck) Terminal, which Hughson said will “attract corporate tenants with quality jobs and make significant capital investment in our communities.”

Hughson also highlighted the role of the Greater San Marcos Partnership in bringing new enterprises to San Marcos, including the SMART Terminal’s first tenant, Katerra. 

“Since 2010, GSMP and the city have made 22 announcements in San Marcos, which represents $365 million in new investments and countless new jobs,” she said.

Hughson also gave credit to numerous small businesses, volunteer organizations and nonprofit for contributing to the quality of life in San Marcos. She mentioned how the community came together in the face of the tragic Iconic Village apartment fire and in happier moments like the dedication of the new Playscape.

“It is because of each of you that we have a thriving and growing hometown,” she said.

Michael Cardona of San Marcos CISD

The state of the schools

Cardona spoke about the elements of education within the San Marcos school district that can’t be quantified but have value. He noted that the floral arrangements on the tables at the luncheon were designed by SMCISD students.

“And that’s kind of what I wanted to talk about,” he said. “Those are the things you don’t see that aren’t measured in accountability systems.”

The state’s current system, Cardona said, “doesn’t tell the story of what we do for our children and the work that our teachers and principals do for our children.”

Cardona spoke about the work that the San Marcos Education Foundation does to support teachers, and thus students, in the district, along with the work the school board does to give the district what it needs.

“None of this would happen without a team,” he said.

He also noted the support that the district receives from other organizations, including Texas State, the city, the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, the chamber of commerce and others.

“There’s so many of you that I could thank,” he said. “And really it is a team effort. … That’s very rare.”

Cardona said he believes that city and business leaders recognize the important role the school district plays.

“The vitality of the city, the workforce development of the city, directly depends on the graduate that we produce out of the high school,” he said. 

Cardona focused on some of the special programs that SMCISD offers, including the mariachi program, Certified Nursing Assistant certification and the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program.

Cardona noted that between testing that has been found to be skewed and a problematic school finance system, education is “in turbulent seas right now.” He mentioned that several standardized tests were found to be testing students above their grade levels, and the results are counterproductive.

“The messaging we have been giving kids is damaging to them,” he said.

However, the district is focused on making sure that graduates are college- and career-ready when they graduate. Cardona quoted an essay written by a student who said, “I’m coming for everything some people said I would never have.”