City, university plan Community Welcome

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
August 1, 2008

The City of San Marcos and Texas State University are co-sponsoring a Community Welcome on Wednesday, August 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the N.LBJ, Craddock, Sagewood, Cedar Grove, Sonora, Bishop Square, the Metropolitan Apartments, Hughson Court and Crest street areas.

Teams of police officers, city and university staff, student, and non-student residents will walk the area distributing ordinance information and welcoming new residents to the neighborhoods.

“This is a great opportunity for us to welcome new residents to our town and promote positive relations between student and non-student residents,” said Mayor Susan Narvaiz. “Our goal is to spend time walking door-to-door to speak with student and non-student residents about how to achieve community together.

“By emphasizing community, we want to express the value we place on relationships that create a quality, livable city, and the responsibility that lies with each of us to extend common courtesy to our neighbors,” Mayor Narvaiz added.

The ACT campaign is a collaborative effort of the City of San Marcos and Texas State University to promote positive relations between student and non-student residents through education, community connectedness, and resources.

“We have been giving all of our commuter students pertinent information about being good neighbors in San Marcos or other communities for the last few years, said Dr. Joanne Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs.  “This campaign takes us to a new level of awareness and will really help all of us better communicate and understand each others’ needs in our neighborhoods.  I am excited about our heightened level of collaboration and can only see relationships reaching new levels for everyone involved.”

San Marcos Police Department Assistant Chief Lisa Dvorak is leading a working group of City of San Marcos and Texas State University staff developing the Achieving Community Together (ACT) program.

To volunteer, or for more information, contact Danny Arredondo at (512) 754-2270 or darredondo@ci.san-marcos.tx.us or Michelle López at (512) 245-3219 or ml32@txstate.edu.