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Mayor Jane Houston proclaims community observances, recognizes volunteers and swears in firefighter
Summary
Mayor Jane Houston issued multiple proclamations honoring local volunteers, conservation and community-planning milestones, announced Dia de los Muertos and native-plant events, and presided over the swearing-in of firefighter Steven Ramirez.
San Marcos Mayor Jane Houston read a series of proclamations during a city meeting recognizing local volunteers, conservation efforts and community events and administered an oath to a newly appointed firefighter.
The mayor proclaimed Nov. 1, 2025, as Harvey Miller Day of Service to honor Harvey Edward Miller’s civil-rights work, his role founding the Bridge Builders organization and his contributions to revitalizing Juneteenth and the Dunbar neighborhood. A representative of the Dunbar Heritage Association described the planned cleanup route through Dunbar and said the event partners with the city and the food bank: "we will have a food bank truck there," the speaker said, and invited volunteers and donations.
Amy Tamades, introducing herself "with Keeps and Markets Beautiful," said her group expects "probably at least a 100 or so people" at the Dunbar cleanup and encouraged public participation.
Houston also proclaimed the week of Oct. 19, 2025, as Texas Native Plant Week, citing the Native Plant Society of Texas and local conservation organizations and urging residents to select native plants to support wildlife and water conservation. A participant noted San Marcos’s designations as a mayor's monarch champion, Bird City and Bee City and encouraged more native plantings downtown.
The mayor proclaimed October 2025 as Community Planning Month, highlighting recent awards for the VisionSMTX comprehensive plan and other planning achievements recognized by the American Planning Association Texas chapter, and thanked volunteer planning commissioners and professional staff for their work. A city staff member summarized upcoming planning activities, including an upcoming historic preservation plan discussion at a work session and several neighborhood-area planning workshops.
Houston proclaimed October 2025 as Code Compliance Month, noting the role of code compliance officers in enforcing building, zoning and property-maintenance codes and citing an 83% voluntary compliance rate for San Marcos officers.
Other proclamations recognized the Statue of Liberty's historical significance, honored Larry Patterson for volunteer service (including Meals on Wheels, court-appointed special advocates and tutoring at Travis Elementary) and designated the Dia de los Muertos 5Ks Day, naming the late Dr. James "Jim" Garber as the 2025 honoree with proceeds directed to the Johnny T. Rosales Memorial Scholarship nonprofit. Celia Rosales of the Dia de los Muertos planning group introduced Garber’s family and invited attendees to a butterfly release following the proclamations.
The session closed with a personnel recognition and oath: a presenter noted that Firefighter Steven Ramirez, hired on 01/22/2024, had completed a one-year probationary period on 03/30/2025; Mayor Houston and an official administered the oath and welcomed Ramirez to the department.
No formal votes or ordinances were recorded in the transcript of these agenda items; the meeting focused on ceremonial proclamations, community announcements and the firefighter swearing-in.
