Northeast San Antonio Metrocom Edition | February 2023

PEOPLE Steve Williams Schertz city manager

BY JARRETT WHITENER

PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT GROWTH

City Manager Steve Williams noted three areas of growth in the city that he is excited for and projects correlated to those areas. Main Street The city of Schertz is working to revitalize Main Street and create an area where the community can enjoy the charm of the city and local businesses.

Steve Williams joined the city of Schertz as the new city manager at the beginning of December. Williams holds the position formerly held by Mark Browne, who retired from the city in November after three years. Williams sat down with Community Impact to introduce himself and talk about his hopes and goals for the city during his time as city manager.

Steve Williams

SCHERTZ PKWY.

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TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. WHAT BRINGS YOU TO SCHERTZ? I grew up in the North Dallas area, and I went to [the] University of North Texas and got my bache- lor’s degree from there as well as a master’s in public administration. I started out there, wanting to move into city management, and I worked my way into the nance side, so I initially wanted to be a city manager, but was able to nd a job as a budget analyst for the city of Dallas and ended up going that path before working my way back into city management. I have been married going on 30 years this August, and we have four children: a daughter who lives in Washington, D.C.; a son who just graduated from the University of North Texas; a son who goes to Sam Houston State; and a son that is working in the hospitality industry. Schertz was an exceptional opportunity really. It was an oppor- tunity to serve [in] the city man- ager role in a growing and dynamic city, but it already has excellent foundations in place as far as the community, the leadership and the sta. That excites me.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE CUR RENT ATMOSPHERE OF THE CITY AND ITS IDENTITY? Right away, I noticed that it is a very upbeat and a very positive community. People I have met around town, they are welcoming and friendly, and they pretty much accepted me right away. Even though we are growing, Schertz is still a close community. There are a lot of people that are from here that really identify with the city, and even the people that have moved in, they have a strong Schertz identity, which is really nice. I think it is one of the best-kept secrets around, because it is in a great place with a lot of things to do, and you still have that small-town feel. WHAT IS THE MINDSET YOU AND STAFF HAVE WHEN APPROACHING GROWTH? I have spent almost my entire career in rapid growth. In fact, the last two cities I was in were at one point some of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Realizing that growth is coming and laying out a course for ensuring that the city is prepared and has a vision is a critical rst step. Then,

you can really start working towards preparing yourself for that future. Schertz has done an exceptional job at laying the foundation in both of these areas through the implementation of our strategic and master plans. Keeping focused on our goals will be key as we move into the future. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN THIS ROLE? I want to take the city to the next level. Schertz is already a great community and a very well-run municipal organization before I ever got here. I want to take it to the next level in terms of our stang, our plan- ning and the way we build a com- munity. I want it to be something that we can all be proud to live in and be part of for generations. All that being said, from now until the future, I want to be sure that we are giving excep- tional customer service and providing exceptional services to our residents. That is what I want to achieve everyday, living up to our motto: “Community. Service. Opportunity.” This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

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FM 1518 Texas Department of Transportation aims to widen FM 1518 from FM 78 to I-10 with two 11-foot lanes in each direction. This roadway will help accelerate development in the southern part of Schertz and allow for more connectivity.

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I-35N, and Loop 1604 at I-10 The city of Schertz has plans for the northern and southern parts of the city. Development in the north surrounds I-35 and is focused around industrial growth. For the south, growth is projected around the intersection of Loop 1604 at I-10.

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SOURCE: CITY OF SCHERTZCOMMUNITY IMPACT

EST. 1982 CHEERS TO 40 YEARS CARING FOR OUR PATIENTS

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NORTHEAST SAN ANTONIO METROCOM EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023

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