Melissa Derrick

Length of residency in San Marcos: SMTX has been my home for most of the last 33 years. I left for Austin after graduating from Southwest Texas State, and immediately returned. Work took me to Houston from 2003-06, but again, I quickly returned to the only place I’ve ever planted roots and called home.

Experience: I assisted with amending and passing our new 450-page land development code and know the steps we must now take to guide growth responsibly. I have assisted in setting policy for flood mitigation, economic development, capital improvements, land acquisition, student housing and student rental rights. I know where our needs are and prioritize them during budgeting. I’ve lobbied for disaster funds.

Why are you running? I have no further political aspirations; I simply want to continue to be the voice of our citizens and to work with them towards shared goals. I’m obligated to complete work on Code SMTX to its completion and am compelled to continue to endeavor to find balance between growth and preservation, city and university needs, while keeping an eye on the future, knowing decisions made today will create the San Marcos inherited by generations to come.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge facing the city? No singular challenge faces us in this time of growth, as needs must be addressed in concert. Affordable workforce housing and student housing must be matched with an improved transportation network to create efficient mobility. All future housing must be built resilient to our common flood events, and current affordable housing must be maintained to keep gentrification at bay. Preservation of our rivers and neighborhoods are also vital when addressing plans for growth and transportation.

Why do you believe you’re the most qualified candidate? In the past I protested rampant rezoning that had negative [e]ffects upon our neighborhoods and our environment. I learned the old land development code and it’s many faults and argued my case, but no one would listen. I listen and know how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go. Good governance comes from the heart, not from special interests. My only interest is making San Marcos a better place for all.

What do you believe the city should do to protect neighborhoods and have adequate
housing for students and families? I’m on the committee for workforce housing; we’ve set ambitious new policy for city led initiatives to provide affordable housing for the backbone of our community. Council has also directed student housing downtown and the university edge, where it offers a walkable, bikeable lifestyle close to amenities and away from neighborhoods where lifestyles are incompatible. This policy is working to the benefit of both communities. Our new code will ensure the protection of neighborhoods from incompatible developments. Until neighborhood character studies and small area plans are completed for each area in San Marcos, we have in place a single-family preservation buffer.

What do you believe are the top priorities for San Marcos? We’ve prioritized flood mitigating infrastructure projects across the city and adopted a new workforce housing policy to increase home ownership. Focus must be given to acquiring greenspace for flood mitigation and to completion of neighborhood character studies for our new land development code. We must also gain community input and analyze, amend and adopt our new Transportation Master Plan and Parks Master Plan while partnering with the county and university on shared goals. I believe that addressing the needs of the roughly 70 percent of our community who reside in rental property is imperative. After I learned of the struggles suffered by students who had signed leases for newly constructed housing, which opened months later than anticipated, I assisted in crafting ordinance language that protects student renters against exploitation. After yet another “late opening,” I’ve made it a priority to soon help update that language and place into it further protections. Additionally, recent meetings have brought to light the need for more staffing in our departments that oversee the health and safety of multifamily rentals, and I support these needed changes and the funding they require from our budget.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaDerrickCouncilPlace6/

Juan Miguel Arredondo

Length of residency in San Marcos: San Marcos has been my home since Aug. 29, 1991. I am a lifelong Texan and a fifth generation San Marcan who has had the privilege of growing up in the Sunset Acres and Oak Heights neighborhoods. I currently live on the east side of San Marcos in the El Camino Real neighborhood.

Experience: I currently serve on the San Marcos CISD School Board, making me the youngest elected official in Hays County, having been elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2017. In this role I provide oversight for the school district’s $70-plus million-dollar budget and the voter approved $107.3-million-dollar bond package. I also serve on the city of San Marcos Comprehensive Plan Oversight Committee, Housing Authority Board and the Board of Directors of United Way of Hays and Caldwell County. I also actively volunteer at Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos and with the San Marcos Education Foundation.

Why are you running? I am running to represent the average San Marcan, who often feels overlooked or ignored at City Hall. I am dedicated to bringing common sense leadership to our City Council, actively working to lower property taxes, being a vocal voice for taxpayers—both homeowners and renters alike—and to bring focus and attention to citywide issues like mobility, managing growth responsibly and keeping San Marcos a great place to live.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge facing the city? Whether you are a homeowner or renter, housing affordability impacts all of us. Everyone who works in San Marcos should be able to live in San Marcos. If elected, I would pursue policies that support sustainable homeownership, reduce the risk of flooding in all neighborhoods and encourage home builders to build diverse housing options. However, as we struggle with housing affordability and how to grow, we must not forget to preserve the things we all value—our river, neighborhoods, historic downtown and small businesses.

Why do you believe you’re the most qualified candidate? I am the only City Council candidate on the November ballot who was born and raised in San Marcos. I learned how to swim in our river, I grew up in our neighborhoods and was educated in our public schools—San Marcos CISD and Texas State University. My commitment and passion is to give back to the community that has given me so much while preserving the things we all value and love. I am running because I want the next five generations that call San Marcos home to experience the same unique sense of place we have all been privileged of experiencing.

What do you believe the city should do to protect neighborhoods and have adequate housing for students and families? We have to acknowledge the fact that our community will continue grow, in particular, Texas State University. We must work together to ensure that there are adequate housing options for both short-term and long-term San Marcos residents that are located in appropriate places in our community and that development conforms to the city’s comprehensive master plan.

What do you believe are the top priorities for San Marcos? Housing affordability, flood mitigation and prevention, public safety, economic developing/living wage jobs and infrastructure, in particular providing multimodal transportation options to our residents to ensure we all have access to essential city services.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/VoteJMA/