Mayor Jim Desmond delivered San Marcos’ 2017 State of the City Address on Tuesday, Feb. 28 as part of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors’ Installation and Awards Luncheon program.
Presented to an audience packed with leaders, entrepreneurs, non-profits, local businesses, residents and others devoted to San Marcos, Mayor Jim Desmond’s talk highlighted the most significant accomplishments of the last year and outlined upcoming goals in the areas of public safety, parks and community services, community development, traffic and transportation and other quality of life issues.
“The priorities of the city are safety, management or resources and quality of life,” said Mayor Desmond. “In 2016, we had much to be proud of.”
Recent achievements included a 22 percent decrease in reported crimes, aggressive flood management, above average San Marcos Fire Department response times, maintaining and improving city infrastructure, the addition of fifteen new development projects in the pipeline, and a balanced budget of nearly $70 million. In 2017, residents can expect traffic relief as the city works with Caltrans to widen State Route 78 between Woodland Parkway and Twin Oaks Valley Road. By 2018, construction will start on two new bridges over the San Marcos Creek at Via Vera Cruz and Bent Avenue.
Mayor Desmond also applauded the city’s economic achievements and noted that San Marcos is the education hub of North County San Diego.
“In San Marcos, we continue to build upon our foundation as the education hub of North County; within that foundation is jobs and economic vitality,” said Mayor Desmond. “With education as our backbone, we are uncovering San Marcos’ economic potential together.”
In his address, the Mayor stressed the importance of the community partnerships to tackle the various issues facing the city—issues such as the move to by-district elections, increasing retirement costs, and re-calibrating the San Marcos Creek District plan to accommodate changing retail and housing demands.
Desmond stated, “We’re [the City of San Marcos] proactively addressing challenges ahead and leaning on our partnerships to drive overall regional success. We will not be the economic engine that could, or should, but the engine that will get the job done.”
The 2017 State of the City Address will be rebroadcast on San Marcos TV during the month of March on Cox Communications Channel 19, Timer Warner Cable Channel 24, AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 or on demand at www.san-marcos.net.
