San Marcos residents rate city services in survey

"I think there are a lot of economic issues here that other communities aren't having to deal with as much as you are," Tatham told council members. "This is an important issue that the city as a whole—not just city government—has to tackle."

ETC also conducted a San Marcos community survey in 2011. In the past two years, satisfaction most notably increased in areas of library service, customer service and solid waste service.

Tatham said residents' satisfaction most notably decreased in areas of street maintenance, transportation planning, management of stormwater runoff and flood prevention, and code enforcement. Tatham added that residents' satisfaction should rebound once numerous road improvement projects have concluded throughout the city.

"You have to suffer a little bit in order to get the benefits when those improvements are done," he said.

City Manager Jim Nuse said he was pleased with the findings about the city's level of service.

"Working with an organization that provides what they call [a] standard-setting level of service in a government organization, that's something I'm really proud to be a part of," he said.

Based in Olathe, Kan., the ETC Institute conducts surveys for cities throughout the nation, including Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.