Born and raised in West Texas, I grew up with close access to the mountains of Ft. Davis and taking frequent trips to Big Bend and Guadalupe National Park. I love the the feeling of being close to nature and being able to explore the outdoors, one of the things that makes Sunset Valley special for me.

Sunset Valley 2020 Election Central

Education:
University of Texas at Austin: Master of Science, Software Engineering 2008; Bachelor of Arts, English Literature 1997; Bachelor of Science, Mathematics 1996
PMI PMP certification 2010-present
Experience:
Sunset Valley City Council 2015-2019

Marc Bruner

In his own words:

My wife, Zoe, and I have been proud members of the Sunset Valley community since moving here with our family in 2013. Prior to that, we lived for a number of years in Austin, where we met while both attending the University of Texas at Austin.

Marc Bruner is originally from West Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, a Bachelor of Arts in English literature, and a Master of Science in software engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He is married to Zoe.

Sunset Valley 2020 Election Central - OpenGov

I have spent over twenty years in my professional career leading teams and managing software projects for a number of corporate and government clients. In 2018, I returned to work for my alma mater as a project director leading the modernization of the University’s software for managing research grants and awards.

Marc Bruner worked as a project director at the University of Texas at Austin. He has led teams and managed software projects for corporate and government clients.

Marc worked as a project director at the University of Texas at Austin. He has led teams and managed software projects for corporate and government clients.

Bruner, who served on City Council until 2019 before taking a year off, defeated outgoing Council Member Phil Ellett for mayor in the Nov. 3 election, receiving 58.38% of the votes cast.

Marc Bruner steps in as mayor of Sunset Valley as new leadership takes dais

Since moving to Sunset Valley, I have been an active participant on our community, including serving on the Budget and Finance and Public Works Committees, and serving two terms on City Council from 2015-2019.

Marc was elected mayor of Sunset Valley in a Nov. 3 election. He previously served two terms on the Sunset Valley City Council from 2015 to 2019.

Marc Bruner steps in as mayor of Sunset Valley as new leadership ...

2026 Texas General Election

I would like to thank the Budget and Finance Committee for their hard work in reviewing the budget requests and assisting in the development of the budget. We continue to take a fiscally conservative approach that balances the services our residents receive while acknowledging the need to monitor the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on our revenues. I support the recommendations of the committee on the proposed budget with few exceptions as noted below.

II. Mayor's Transmission Letter

We again have a balanced, pay as you go budget, paying from revenues received or from our reserves set aside specifically for projects as are included in the proposed budget. In anticipation of continued impact to our businesses, revenue projections are set at 5% below the average of the three years preceding FY19/20.

* Marketing and Economic Development – As we continue to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, I have proposed investment in two areas to capitalize on the return of shopping to our retail areas. The first is leveraging the City branding work developed with our marketing firm and the Marketing Ad Hoc Committee to fund a comprehensive marketing campaign using City Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds.

It is critical that the City have a cohesive approach to branding that can be used across all areas of our marketing. The second is the proposed hiring of a staff member focused on economic development and being the liaison with our retail partners. This proposed position was recommended by the Marketing Ad Hoc Committee and will play a critical role in working with our businesses and retail centers to support our City’s vision for our retail areas.

* Staff Salary – We need to ensure we are offering competitive salaries to retain and attract staff. Austin is a growth-heavy market, and in addition to rising costs of living, employers face increased hiring competition. I anticipate the need to incorporate necessary changes from our recent salary survey to continue to ensure we can recruit staff. I have included budget as a placeholder for merit and cost of living adjustments. This amount may be adjusted as the salary survey is completed.

Supports a fiscally conservative, balanced pay-as-you-go budget financed by revenues and project reserves while monitoring the effects of the pandemic on revenue.

Proposes using hotel occupancy tax funds for a comprehensive city marketing campaign to support retail-area economic recovery.

Proposes hiring an economic-development staff member to serve as a liaison to retail businesses and centers.

Supports competitive city employee salaries and budgeting for merit and cost-of-living adjustments to recruit and retain staff.

- Supports a fiscally conservative, balanced pay-as-you-go budget financed by revenues and project reserves while monitoring the effects of the pandemic on revenue.
- Proposes using hotel occupancy tax funds for a comprehensive city marketing campaign to support retail-area economic recovery.
- Proposes hiring an economic-development staff member to serve as a liaison to retail businesses and centers.
- Supports competitive city employee salaries and budgeting for merit and cost-of-living adjustments to recruit and retain staff.

Economy

* Open Space Planning - Finally, as a City, I support funding for a community-driven process to decide on continued investment in our public spaces that reflects our values. The City has never gone through a public process to look at the park and open spaces throughout the City and plan for future amenities.

As recommended by the Budget and Finance Committee, I have included $50,000 for funding the development of a Park and Open Space Master Plan. This project will provide the public process and create a plan for how the City will address the needs of the residents for recreational opportunities. In addition, I will be asking City Council to pass a resolution that sets aside funding for future development of our open spaces.

This project will provide the public process and create a plan for how the City will address the needs of the residents for recreational opportunities. In addition, I will be asking City Council to pass a resolution that sets aside funding for future development of our open spaces. I propose that this investment be funded through a “sweep” of any surplus we have at the end of the fiscal year, up to a cap of $100,000 each year. This funding will be reserved to provide additional planning, engineering, and development for specific projects based the prioritization from the Park and Open Space Master Plan.

Supports funding a community-driven process and a Park and Open Space Master Plan to identify future recreational amenities.

Proposes reserving up to $100,000 of annual fiscal-year surplus for future open-space planning, engineering, and development.

- Supports funding a community-driven process and a Park and Open Space Master Plan to identify future recreational amenities.
- Proposes reserving up to $100,000 of annual fiscal-year surplus for future open-space planning, engineering, and development.

Public Services

As of September 29, 2026, Marc Bruner did not have a website or any information online.

Housing & Urban Development

* Emergency Preparedness – In addition, I am proposing investment in our emergency preparedness. During the winter storm event of February 2021, our staff worked to meet the needs of residents, but lacked the tools and resources that would have assisted in our response. Specifically, I am calling for investment to support making City Hall an emergency shelter, including the purchase of a generator that can supply power.

Calls for equipping City Hall as an emergency shelter, including purchasing a generator, to strengthen responses to severe weather.

- Calls for equipping City Hall as an emergency shelter, including purchasing a generator, to strengthen responses to severe weather.

Public Safety

Specifically, I am calling for investment to support making City Hall an emergency shelter, including the purchase of a generator that can supply power.

I also want the City to invest in micro water treatment equipment to be able to provide limited amounts of potable drinking water during emergencies.

Wants the city to invest in micro water-treatment equipment to provide limited potable drinking water during emergencies.

- Wants the city to invest in micro water-treatment equipment to provide limited potable drinking water during emergencies.

Transportation & Infrastructure

The committee chose to take no action with regards to increasing utility fees to offset the growing cost of residential utility service, specifically contractual residential waste services, which has increased to a total projected subsidized amount of $100K. I strongly recommended that the Council look to implement a program to increase rates over time to cover a larger portion of the cost rather than continue to subsidize them.

These increases will not be popular, but the City Council needs to address this issue over a period of years. The subsidy to our utility fund is currently an astounding 18% of our total general fund revenue, and our goal should be to develop a long-term plan in conjunction with a cost-of-service utility study to reduce the subsidy amount to ensure those funds are self-sustaining.

Advocates gradually increasing utility rates and conducting a cost-of-service study to reduce utility subsidies and make the utility fund self-sustaining.

- Advocates gradually increasing utility rates and conducting a cost-of-service study to reduce utility subsidies and make the utility fund self-sustaining.

Energy & the Environment

Marc Bruner

As of September 29, 2026, Marc Bruner’s website did not contain information on this issue.

LinkedIn

Education:
University of Texas at Austin: Master of Science, Software Engineering 2008; Bachelor of Arts, English Literature 1997; Bachelor of Science, Mathematics 1996
PMI PMP certification 2010-present

In his own words:

My wife, Zoe, and I have been proud members of the Sunset Valley community since moving here with our family in 2013. Prior to that, we lived for a number of years in Austin, where we met while both attending the University of Texas at Austin.

Marc worked as a project director for the University of Texas at Austin. He has led teams and managed software projects for corporate and government clients.

Marc was elected mayor of Sunset Valley in an election on Nov. 3. He previously served two terms on the City Council from 2015 to 2019.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

- The role of a mayor in Texas is to preside over council meetings, represent the city, and facilitate communication between officials. 
- Cities may grant the mayor additional power or roles. 
- Mayors can also appoint members of citizen advisory boards and commissions.
- Mayors represent the city in intergovernmental relationships.
- Term limits, length of office, and salaries vary across cities or townships.

Head of the executive office in each city.