October 8th, 2010
San Marcos council hires Nuse as city manager

SUBMITTED REPORT

The San Marcos city council this week unanimously approved an employment agreement with Jim Nuse to become the next city manager of San Marcos. He begins work Dec. 6.

Jim Nuse. COURTESY PHOTO

The city manager of Round Rock for the past eight years, Nuse will receive a salary of $180,939, a monthly car allowance of $500 and reimbursement of up to $11,000 for moving and related expenses.

“I am grateful that the council chose me and I look forward to serving the community,” Nuse said.

He will lead a San Marcos team of 550 employees with an annual budget of $147.8 million, including general government, electric, water and wastewater utilities.

“I think it is very exciting to have attracted someone with Jim’s depth of experience and insight into the successes and challenges that a growing community faces,” said Mayor Susan Narvaiz. “Jim comes to us as a beloved member of his community and that is the most credible reference a person can have.”

San Marcos, with a population of 53,913, is one of the top tourism destinations in Texas, home to Texas State University, and the county seat of Hays County, the third fastest growing county in the nation in job growth. San Marcos has been named one of the “Top 10 Best Places to Raise Kids” in the U.S.

He was selected following a three month national search and selection process with the assistance of the Stroman Group, LLC. Nuse was one of three finalists interviewed by the city council and introduced to the community at a public reception two weeks ago.

In the past five years, Round Rock has been named one of the “Safest Cities in the United States” and is deemed the Safest City in Texas over 100,000 population.

Nuse has been Round Rock’s city manager since 2002 where he has led a staff of 840 employees with an annual budget of $130 million. Before that, he was Public Works Director for 18 years. He has worked for the City of Round Rock since 1983, helping it grow from a population of 13,000 to more than 100,000 today.

Round Rock has developed transportation and utility master plans under his leadership, and he oversees Round Rock’s $600-million-plus Capital Improvement Program. Nuse has been a regional leader on water and wastewater issues.

On economic development, Jim successfully negotiated the agreements that brought Round Rock Premium Outlets and IKEA to Round Rock, and was instrumental, along with Mayor Nyle Maxwell, in bringing the Round Rock Higher Education Center, a Texas State University institution, to his community.

He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming and master’s coursework at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Nuse replaces Rick Menchaca who was fired in June after a little more than two years on the job.