Dreaming of the future

City offers 'Dream Sessions' for civic participation

This article reviews the first Dream Session held by the city of San Marcos in October. The next Dream Session is tonight at 6 p.m. at the Dunbar Recreation Center.

Former city council members, residents of the Barrio Del Pescado and community members with historic kinship in the city were the attendees of the first-ever Dream Session hosted by the city of San Marcos.

In an effort to develop a consistent dialogue with the community, the City Manager's Office organized the event to engage with citizens and hear their future dreams for San Marcos. It seems to have worked, and the city has continued to expand on the public outreach effort.

Public officials in attendance at the first Dream Session included City Manager Stephanie Reyes, Administrative Services Manager Hayden Migl and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Grisell Perez-Carey.

'I'm a firm believer in including everyone in the conversation by expanding the table and pulling up more chairs, to then work together to make San Marcos more equitable and inclusive,' Perez-Carey said. 'I hope that the Dream Sessions serve as one of the ways that we can effect change, something I know myself and others are committed to doing.'

Suggestions from attendees touched on road improvements, daycare services, inclusion efforts, housing for the homeless, public transportation and transparency from elected officials.

Mary Peterson Earls, 65, said having a police department that is well-funded and held to a higher standard would aid in the safety of San Marcos.

“The police department has improved,” Earls said. “There are always issues ... but I truly, truly believe that leadership has become more transparent. Give the department what it needs, so we can make changes. We can be transparent because I know that's what’s we need within the guidelines of the law. You know they work for us. That's the way I see it.”

Former city councilmember Maxfield Baker said communication, accountability and developing an interchange with the public should be a priority for the city moving forward.

“We don't know if things are being done or taken care of,” Maxfield Baker said. “Oftentimes, we'll send out complaints, and it's only if it hits the right person that you hear anything back. When the city messes something up, the accountability doesn't typically present itself. Address it in a meaningful way and how the community feels about it. Otherwise, it really doesn’t leave any room for healing.”

Baker has since started the San Marcos Civics Club to have monthly meetings with the intent of sharing resources with interested community members, talking about local issues and finding the avenues to help those residents address their specific concerns. The first meeting of the San Marcos Civics Club will be Jan. 20 at the Tantra Coffee House at 6:30 p.m.

At the October Dream Session, Earls also said more inclusion efforts needed to be honored by the city through outreach with members of the community who traditionally aren’t heard, specifically those with disabilities and the elderly population of San Marcos.

The people, to be mostly active in the communities that might be impacted, they don't have a space at the table in the discussion,” said Earls. “You know, let them have their voice. Sometimes they see things that the community that the leadership does not see. So, the more we educate our community, the more they're going to have a voice. An educated community is a more participatory community.”

Kaycee Baker, 36, said she would like to see the city offer affordable daycare services for lower-income families, something other attendees said is a barrier for developing a thriving, healthy local economy.

“Our core four, the city, Texas State, SMCISD and Hays County maybe pull together to come up with a way to do some public, city-available childcare,” Kaycee Baker said. “People don't have to leave the workforce and take unemployment while they stay home and take care of their children because they can't afford to put their kids in daycare. So, it's pushing people out of the workforce and harming the economy.”

Rachel Ozuna, 75, of the Barrio Del Pescado, said her primary concerns are for road improvements in what she called 'one of the poorest parts of town.'

“The road conditions need to be better,” Ozuna said. “Where I live, people can’t get out and leave their homes. When the roads aren't muddy, there’s dirt everywhere. It shouldn’t take a year and me contacting Austin for improvements to be made.”

The next Dream Session will take place at 6 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Dunbar Recreation Center, 801 MLK Drive.