Unprecedented Challenges Galvanize our Community’s Commitment

Jason J. Giulietti | President, Greater San Marcos Partnership (GSMP) jasong@greatersanmarcostx.com

Considering the spring-like weather we are having, it’s hard to imagine that Texas is in the process of recovering from a historic winter storm that immobilized our state. The barrage of ice and snow was a startling reminder to appreciate basic comforts we take for granted, like running water, electricity, and heat for our homes.

Since sub-freezing temperatures and ice froze out the state, we have seen a widespread commitment to our community’s recovery. Utility providers worked around the clock to ensure that our residents and businesses throughout the region are receiving power and water. Municipalities and chambers of commerce across the region have been assisting businesses to help get our residents back to work as soon as possible.

Know that the Greater San Marcos Partnership (GSMP) is here to utilize our network of resources to assist the business community with any of their operational challenges, including contacts from both the state level and municipalities across Hays and Caldwell Counties.

Many of you already know that the mission of GSMP is to enhance the quality of life for our region’s residents by attracting and retaining employers that provide good-paying jobs and benefits. Unprecedented challenges like this winter storm only galvanize our commitment to this important mission.

Although many of us throughout the Greater San Marcos region and Texas experienced the temporary loss of water and electricity during the winter storm, there is a significant number of our residents living below the poverty line who face the uncertainty of being able to maintain these basic utilities on a regular basis.

COVID-19 has made this situation all the more challenging, displacing many even before this storm – especially those who were employed in the leisure and hospitality industry sectors. As vaccination numbers increase and case numbers go down, we have strong reason for optimism for our region, but we still must be proactive in attracting new employers to the region and assisting all those displaced workers secure good-paying jobs. To that end, we will be hosting an event, in late March, to help those displaced workers with those employers actively looking to grow their workforce. Please keep up to date on our website for more information.

Likewise, we must be proactive to get local businesses up and running again following unprecedented challenges like the winter storm that has passed and the pandemic that will eventually pass. GSMP is committed to working with our community leaders to not only help get struggling businesses back in action, but to also prepare for future challenges our region will face as well.

Please call upon me or anyone with the GSMP team to assist your business recovery from this storm, whether your business needs help or if your business can offer resources that can help in our mission to assist businesses recover. I can be reached by email at JasonG@greatersanmarcostx.com or on Twitter @JasonGiulietti.

Thank you again to all the utility workers, first responders, and all our fellow Texans who stepped up to ensure our community continues to be resilient and persevere through whatever comes our way.