New Hours & New Jobs

Bobcats of the world unite! I am proud and happy to be a Bobcat. I want to welcome back those Bobcats who visited their home away from home this summer. While you were away a few things have changed, most notably the San Marcos bar hours. 190 new jobs in San Marcos also opened up due to a new manufacturer coming to our city.

I am sure you heard before you left that the San Marcos City Council passed an ordinance creating extended hours for the sale of alcohol between the hours of 12:00 AM to 2:00 AM.  Months before this passage the council put together a 2:00 AM implementation task force, which was charged with addressing problems that could impact the successful transition from 12:00 AM to 2:00 AM. The task force discussed several issues and presented a formal report to the city council, which encouraged the council to address issues related to transportation, police coverage, education and infrastructure.

The Task Force recommended closing high traffic streets around the Central Business District. They also requested permission from Hays County to use their parallel parking spots on the Hopkins side of the County Court House for bus, taxi and SWAT service for those needing a ride home.  The task force encourages all San Marcos Citizens and downtown patrons not to drink and drive. Instead, call a cab, call SWAT or get on a bus; save your life and someone else’s.

In addition the Task Force also recommended additional police coverage for downtown between the hours of Midnight and 2:00 AM.  The task force has also asked the city manager to launch a “Don’t Drink and Drive” education campaign.  The task force was also concerned with lighting in certain areas and has recommended that city staff look into and address these issues. Finally, the taskforce recommended that behavioral statistics be gathered and analyzed in January and again one year after implementation.  If you would like to see the final report from the Task Force, you can find it on the City of San Marcos website.

San Marcos is also proud and happy to welcome Grifols to the city. Grifols is a company that  provides research, development, manufacturing and marketing of plasma derivates, IV therapy, enteral nutrition (feeding tubes), diagnostic systems and medical materials for the bioscience, diagnostic and hospital sectors. The company will create 190 new jobs and generate more than $76 million in capital investment.

Gov. Rick Perry committed $500,000 to Grifols Inc., through the Texas Enterprise Fund, a business incentive fund that was created by legislation in 2003. The fund, which had an initial $295 million investment, is used for ensuring the growth of business in Texas. According to Grifols President and CEO Gregory Rich, “The Texas Enterprise Fund, as well as the skilled workforce and favorable business environment of San Marcos, were key factors in our decision to make Texas a strategic part of our long term growth plan.”

Operations in San Marcos will be developed in two phases, beginning with a new plasma testing laboratory. The company will continue to expand the company’s operations with a fractionation plant that will manufacture life saving medicines derived from human plasma to supplement its current facility in California. Upon completion of the second phase, Grifols will be the first company in the industry to have two fractionation plants in the nation. I believe this is a step in the right direction for San Marcos. It is my hope that this opportunity will allow more Bobcats to stay in San Marcos upon graduation.

In closing, remember: “The eyes of Texas are not upon you but they are looking up to you because Bobcats are the Stars of Texas!”