City holiday string lights recycling available Nov. 28 through Jan. 31
The City of Georgetown has partnered with Texas Disposal Systems to offer free holiday string-light recycling to all Georgetown residents beginning Nov. 28.
Residents can drop off their old or broken string lights through Jan. 31 at one of three collection stations:
- City of Georgetown Collection and Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Road
- Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
- Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
Sun City residents may also drop off old or broken string lights at the Cowan Creek Pavilion, 1433 Cool Spring Way, in Sun City.
The program is limited to string lights. Lights must be taken to a collection station and cannot be placed in residential or commercial recycling bins because they will damage the sorting machines at the recycling center. Yard art, inflatables, and other holiday lighting will not be collected.
Georgetown was the first city in Central Texas to offer this service when the program launched in December 2017. Last year residents recycled more than 4,800 pounds of Christmas lights.
For more information about recycling in Georgetown, visit recycle.georgetown.org.
Downtown Georgetown Association hosts Christmas Stroll Festival on Dec. 2 and 3
The 41st annual Christmas Stroll is the first weekend in December in downtown Georgetown around the Courthouse Square. This free, family-friendly holiday festival sponsored by the Downtown Georgetown Association is 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3. See all the event details at TheGeorgetownSquare.com.
The Christmas Stroll on Saturday includes a parade at 10 a.m., live entertainment, and holiday shopping at more than 160 arts and crafts, clothing, and jewelry vendor booths as well as downtown merchants. The food court areas offer a variety of food items, including sweet and savory crepes, barbecue, hot chocolate, funnel cake, and other seasonal treats. Enjoy Santa’s Village on Saturday, including photos and visits with Santa from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the west side of the Williamson County Courthouse. Other photo opportunities include a large holiday snow globe.
The young and young at heart can visit the Country Wonderland featuring free activities including a four-station eurobungie jump, train ride, bounce houses, and other children’s activities on Seventh and Eighth streets. The event also includes street hockey, arcade basketball, and a Who hair salon and face painting. Princesses and superheroes from the Greater Austin Comic Con will also be available for photographs.
On Friday night come dance the night away at Groovin’ with the Grinch at 6 p.m. at Main and Sixth streets. Hill Country Kettle Korn will be providing free kettle corn for children during the event.
Stop by Bethlehem Village on Friday and Saturday to enjoy booths, displays, and performers in costume from the time of Jesus of Nazareth.
Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday
The Stroll parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder will be the parade’s emcee and look for Santa as he makes his way through downtown. For safety reasons, the Georgetown Police Department asks that no candy or any objects be thrown from floats or participants in the parade.
If you come to the Stroll parade, please bring a toy for Blue Santa. New, unwrapped toys will be collected by Blue Santa Elves along the parade route, which travels along Church Street and Austin Avenue through the downtown Square. Blue Santa is a program of the Georgetown Police Department to provide toys to children in need in Georgetown. New, unwrapped toys also can be brought to donation barrels at many Georgetown locations. For donation barrel sites and more information, go to BlueSanta.Georgetown.org.
Free Event Parking
Parking is available at the Williamson County parking garage at Third and Rock streets, the lot at Seventh and Rock streets, Eighth and Martin Luther King Jr. streets, and the City parking lot on the west side of Austin Avenue at Fifth Street.
The City parking lot at Ninth and Main streets near the Grace Heritage Center will remain open Friday for parking for the Williamson County Tax Assessor-Collector office, and will be used as handicapped parking for the event starting Friday evening. Access to the lot will be through the entrance on 10th Street.
The parking lot at Sixth and Main streets will be closed on both days.
Street Closures
Austin Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, until 1 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, between Sixth and Ninth streets. The Austin Avenue closure will expand from Second to 11th streets on Saturday, Dec. 3, between 9 a.m. and noon to allow for the Stroll Parade. The Austin Avenue detour will be on Rock Street.
Main Street will be closed between Eighth and Ninth streets from 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, until 1 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4.
Other streets around the Square will be closed starting at 6 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, through 1 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4. Street closures include Austin Avenue and Main Street from Sixth to 10th streets, Sixth Street from Austin Avenue to Church Street, Seventh and Eighth streets from Rock to Church streets, Ninth Street from Austin to Church streets, and 10th Street from Austin Avenue to the parking lot exit on 10th Street. Visit TheGeorgetownSquare.com for details.
More Information
Admission to Stroll is free. A donation of a new toy to Blue Santa or Brown Santa is appreciated.
The Stroll is a rain-or-shine event. In the event of severe weather conditions such as lightning or high winds, festival activities will be adjusted as warranted. Check the DGA Facebook page at facebook.com/GTXChristmasStroll for updates.
For more information, go to the Downtown Georgetown Association website at TheGeorgetownSquare.com. The Stroll is brought to you by the Downtown Georgetown Association with the support of the City of Georgetown.
Georgetown leaders graduate from Texas Women’s Leadership Institute
Georgetown Downtown and Tourism Director Kim McAuliffe and Finance Director Leigh Wallace graduated from the 2022 Texas Women’s Leadership Institute.
McAuliffe and Wallace were selected from a competitive field of local government professionals from throughout the State of Texas. They were two of 20 female executives who were chosen to participate in a program designed to prepare and inspire women to become city managers in Texas.
“Leigh and Kim are outstanding leaders in our community and city organization,” City Manager David Morgan said. “I appreciate their commitment to grow and the Texas City Management Association’s prioritization to support this important program.”
McAuliffe has been with the City of Georgetown for five and a half years. She leads the team responsible for downtown development, arts & culture, and the Convention & Visitors Bureau. Wallace has been the finance director in Georgetown for six years. She leads the teams responsible for the budget, procurement, accounting, fleet services, and municipal court.
McAuliffe and Wallace participated in course discussions, tours, and in-person sessions, completed assigned books, and were introduced to the female leaders in the Texas city management profession. The combination of leadership assessments, tours, and case studies provides a well-rounded experience in learning more about the intricacies of the city management profession and creating a network of colleagues who will support each other in the future.
The Texas Women’s Leadership Institute was created by Texas Women Leading Government to increase the number of women who are ready to become city managers. The program is financially supported by the Texas City Management Association and is part of a national trend of academies addressing the lack of female representation in the chief executive role in cities across Texas.
Update: Customer Care call issues resolved
Thursday afternoon update: The Customer Care phone issues have been resolved. Thank you for your patience.
Contact Customer Care between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays by calling (512) 930-3640, emailing customercare@georgetown.org, or stopping by the Georgetown Municipals Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
GoGeo limited paratransit now offers service to residents age 65 and older
GoGeo, the City’s limited paratransit service, now is available to Georgetown residents age 65 and older.
Georgetown residents age 65 and older can request curb-to-curb service from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Eligible riders will pay $2 per trip and are required to make a reservation by 4 p.m. the previous day either through the City website or by calling 512-478-RIDE (7433).
City Council elected to expand the services to include residents age 65 and older during a workshop session on June 28, 2022.
“The City of Georgetown remains committed to providing exceptional services where they are needed,” Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder said. “The council recognizes the need for our residents to access services, such as healthcare and shopping, and we know this service will help us meet the needs of our residents, particularly those with disabilities or our older residents who would need a ride.”
The City’s limited paratransit service, which is operated by Capital Area Rural Transportation System, or CARTS, as a subcontractor for CapMetro, currently serves 321 customers. The limited paratransit service is available to people with disabilities. Eligibility and screening for limited paratransit services is provided, through a paper application, by the CARTS. Georgetown residents age 65 and older can simply call CARTS at 512-478-RIDE (7433) to complete an intake form.
This year, the City will provide two vehicles for curb-to-curb GoGeo services. The cost for limited paratransit and 65 and older service is estimated at $575,753. The City will pay $345,452, and the remaining cost would be covered through a match from the Federal Transit Administration.
CARTS’ Interurban Coach bus service between Georgetown and Austin will continue. The bus picks up passengers from two stops in Georgetown, at Ninth and Main streets and 3620 S. Austin Ave., twice a day Monday through Friday and has several stops on the way to and in Austin, including University Oaks, Tech Ridge Park & Ride, and Austin Greyhound.
For more information about the GoGeo program, visit gogeo.georgetown.org.
Georgetown Public Works program wins Texas Municipal League award
The City of Georgetown’s Public Works Department received a 2022 Municipal Excellence Award for its Downtown Ambassador Program from the Texas Municipal League in early October.
The program, initiated in November 2020 with the help of contractor Texas Disposal System, helps keep the Square clean by removing litter, emptying decorative sidewalk trash containers, cleaning up around dumpsters, and providing extra collection of the dumpsters when needed.
“The Georgetown Square is the Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas, and we want to make sure it lives up to that moniker,” City Manager David Morgan said. “By partnering in the Downtown Ambassador Program, the City and Texas Disposal Systems are dedicated to maintaining a clean and healthy environment for our residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The Municipal Excellence Awards recognizes cities in Texas for their work meeting the challenges of municipal governance. The ambassador program was recognized for its innovative problem-solving, excellence in management, and reaching toward higher service levels.
City seeks public feedback to help shape future of transportation
The City wants to know what is and isn’t working about Georgetown’s current transportation network and is asking the community to share their feedback and perspectives as it works to update its Future Mobility Plan, formerly known as the Overall Transportation Plan.
The Future Mobility Plan will make recommendations to improve transportation in Georgetown. These recommendations allow the City to apply for more local, state, and federal funding to implement the projects. Public feedback on the process will help identify and prioritize future road projects and planning.
“Public input is critical to helping Georgetown prepare and plan for our future transportation needs,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said. “We need your help to understand the current challenges, so we can build a transportation network that serves and meets our growing needs.”
When the City went through this process in 2014, residents identified the need to have an alternate to Williams Drive, and the plan included the concept of Northwest Boulevard Bridge. In 2015, residents overwhelmingly supported the bond election to fund the bridge, which was completed in 2021.
Members of the public can share feedback on the project website through Dec. 1, and in person at a community open house. The open house is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Friends Room of the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
At this stage, the City is asking for information from the community regarding gaps within Georgetown’s transportation network (for sidewalks, bicycle facilities, roadways, etc.), safety issues, and any other related feedback. Members of the public also can share how they currently get around the City. You can also sign-up to receive emailed updates on the plan at the bottom of the project website.
The City will provide additional opportunities during the next several months for the public to continue to provide input and inform the plan.
More information can be found at engagekh.com/gtx_fmp.
City Council adopts FY2023 budget that focuses on maintaining service levels
The Georgetown City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2023 budget Sept. 13. The adopted FY2023 budget totals $722 million and decreases the City’s property tax rate by 2.7 cents.
This is the third year in a row the City has proposed reducing the property tax rate, maintaining the City’s rate as among the lowest of all cities in the Austin area with a population greater than 20,000. The council also increased the homestead exemption to the greater of $5,000 or 5 percent.
By lowering the rate to 37.4 cents per $100 of valuation and accounting for the increase in homestead exemption, the average property tax bill is expected to increase by $56. Without lowering the tax rate or increasing the homestead exemption, the average taxpayer would see an increase of $178 to their tax bill.
Following cost recovery analyses across multiple departments and a water and wastewater rate study, Georgetown residents and customers can expect several user fees and water and wastewater rates to increase as well.
“The adopted budget is going to help make sure City staff and programs can keep pace with Georgetown’s rapid growth and the increased demands on our infrastructure and resources that come with it,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said. “In the next year, residents are going to see their dollars hard at work, with continued investments in transportation and water infrastructure, customer service, and public safety, so we can maintain the high level of service our residents expect.”
The adopted budget did not change from the proposed budget, which is provided online at finance.georgetown.org. The adopted budget book will be available later this year.
Major themes of the adopted budget are maintaining service levels in the face of record-setting growth and responding to nationwide economic pressure while executing studies and projects initiated this year, addressing staff workload pressures, improving risk management practices, and responding to a tight labor market through retention and attraction efforts. Adequately funding those priorities—particularly building the infrastructure needed to keep pace with growth, responding to development pressures, and retaining and recruiting high-caliber employees—contributed to the proposed budget being $239.5 million more than the current fiscal year’s original adopted budget of $483 million.
Highlights of the adopted budget include:
- 79.5 positions, the majority of which are in the water, public safety, and engineering departments
- Responding to pressures from development and record-setting growth: 129 percent increase in single-family building permits from 2019 to 2022; consistently more than 100 active public infrastructure construction sites in the city; 55 percent growth in population served by Water Utility since 2016
- Cost of service increases due to supply chain challenges and inflation. Several City expenses saw inflation increase by 20 percent.
- Employee recruitment and retention: The City’s turnover rate is expected to be 17 percent by the end of the year – higher than usual, but lower than nationwide trends. The budget includes increasing average merit pay to 5 percent, conducting additional market reviews for City positions, adding holidays, and authorizing overhiring in certain departments.
- Risk management, including adding staffing in finance, electric, water, and emergency management and contracting support for legal, real estate, and inspections
- A strong projected electric fund balance of $49.4 million and investments in staffing, technology, and infrastructure to maintain system reliability.
- Long-range water supply planning, staffing, and resiliency programs to ensure water demands in the City’s water service area meet current and future growth.
- Significant investment in transportation, including additional staffing, intersection and sidewalk improvements, and additional resources to ensure 2021 mobility bond projects are started within the next three years.
For more information, visit finance.georgetown.org.
Georgetown Visitors Center closed Aug. 22-24 for repairs
The Georgetown Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St., will be closed from Aug. 22-24 for repairs. There will be visitor guides in the information box located on the front of the building.
People in need of a public restroom may use the restrooms behind Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St., across from the Georgetown Art Center.
Watch school zones as classes start on Aug. 18
The first day of classes for schools in Georgetown ISD is Thursday, Aug. 18. The Georgetown Police Department reminds drivers to slow down in school zones. As students go back to school, police will be monitoring school zones throughout the city.
“This is an exciting time of year, and we look forward to welcoming students and families back to campuses throughout the district,” Superintendent Fred Brent said. “Help us ensure they arrive safely each day by reducing speeds and adhering to posted speed limits in school zones.”
Look for the school zones at most of these Georgetown ISD schools:
- Carver Elementary, 4901 Scenic Lake Drive
- Cooper Elementary, 1921 NE Inner Loop
- Ford Elementary, 210 Woodlake Drive
- Frost Elementary, 711 Lakeway Drive
- McCoy Elementary, 401 Bellaire Drive
- Mitchell Elementary, 1601 Rockride Lane
- Purl Elementary, 1953 Maple St.
- Village Elementary, 400 Village Commons
- Williams Elementary, 4101 Southwestern Blvd.
- Wolf Ranch Elementary, 1201 Jay Wolf Drive
- Benold Middle School, 3407 Northwest Blvd.
- Forbes Middle School, 1911 NE Inner Loop
- Tippit Middle School, 1601 Leander Road
- Wagner Middle School, 1621 Rockride Lane
- East View High School, 4490 E. University Ave.
- Georgetown High School, 2211 N. Austin Ave.
- Georgetown Alternative Program, 502 Patriot Way
- Richarte High School, 2295 N. Austin Ave.
- S.T.E.P./Lott Juvenile Detention Center, 200 Wilco Way
School zone speed limits are in effect during the posted hours or when yellow lights are flashing. The school zones times are about 7-9 a.m. for before-school times and 2:30-4:30 p.m. for after-school hours. The fine for speeding in a school zone is $10 per mile over the limit, plus state court costs. This would mean a $100 fine plus $159 in state court costs for driving 30 mph in a 20 mph zone, for example.
State law prohibits the use of a wireless communication device in a school zone during the posted hours or when yellow lights are flashing.