The San Marcos State Of The City Address

“The City of San Marcos continues to grow and focus on maintaining a city where you desire to live, work and play.”

by Terra Rivers, Managing Editor

The San Marcos Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2017 State of the City event at the San Marcos Conference Center on May 4.

Local business owners, San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District educators and board members and elected city and county officials attended the event sponsored by the H-E-B.

“San Marcos consistently ranks as one of the fastest growing cities in the nation,” Jason Mock, San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, said. “The City of San Marcos continues to grow and focus on maintaining a city where you desire to live, work and play.”

Mayor John Thomaides and SMCISD Superintendent Michael Cardona were keynote speakers at the event and looked back at the improvements and growth the city made in 2016.

In his address, Mayor Thomaides said, “With a city like San Marcos, we really are blessed with a beautiful natural river and 2400 acres of pristine green spaces, 23 miles of hiking and biking trails in that greenspace.”

Recent statistics, provided by Mayor Thomaides, project the population of San Marcos to reach 85,000 by 2030. In 2010, the population for 2010 was “just shy” of 45,000; today, San Marcos has a population of over 59,000.

“The state of our city is strong,” Thomaides said. “And this city and this region will continue to grow and change. But what remains constant is the passion of our community.”

Superintendent Michael Cardona talked about the growth and changes in SMCISD.

Over the 12 campuses, SMCISD serves approximately 8100 students. The district has 1100 staff members, and a 79 percent graduation rate currently. Seventy percent of the student population is on free lunch.

According to Superintendent Cardona, 930 students of the district’s students come from Red Wood in Guadalupe County.

“This journey began about a year ago,” Cardona said. “I think we all agree that our kids need to be college and career ready. It is absolutely critical in the city of San Marcos that we have to be the military center, the workforce center and the college center.”

Cardona said the district is growing about 200 students a year and he expects to grow more than that when the district finishes its improvements.

“We’re trying to overcome the poverty cycle,” Cardona said.

“We can’t wish away growth,” Thomaides said. “And we can’t afford to bury our heads in the sand hoping it won’t happen.”