Updated March 6, 2023–Two candidates have filed to run for Mayor while the Georgetown City Council incumbents for Districts 2 and 6 are unopposed. The deadline to file for candidates for Mayor or City Council was today at 5 p.m.

Incumbent Josh Schroeder and Jonathan Dade have filed to run for Mayor. Incumbent Council Members Shawn Hood (District 2) and Jake French (District 6) each filed to be re-elected.

According to a new state law, if a candidate in a single-member district is unopposed, but an at-large race in the jurisdiction is contested, then unopposed candidates will appear on the ballot.

Georgetown City Council members serve three-year terms representing one of seven, single-member districts. The mayor also serves a three-year term.

The last day to register to vote for the May election is April 6.

Early in-person voting is April 24-May 2. Election day is May 6. Early voting and Election day polling places, dates, and times will be listed at wilco.org/elections.

For details about the city election, go to government.georgetown.org/city-secretary/elections.

Several events to recognize Black History Month will be held in Georgetown during the month of February.

Georgetown Public Library

The GPL World Cinema film series at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St., will feature a screening of “Summer of Soul” at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8. The 2021 film is based on historic footage of the Harlem Cultural festival in 1969. Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the film includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, and The Fifth Dimension.

The library will also feature age-appropriate reading lists and displays throughout the library to help celebrate Black History Month. Find more information at library.georgetown.org. 

Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association

The Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association will host several events to celebrate Black History Month exploring the theme of Black Resistance: The Georgetown Journey. The events are free and open to the public.

Feb. 11: A panel discussion called “A Journey of Mental and Spiritual Resilience,” will be held at 4 p.m. at the McKinney Ministry Center, First United Methodist Church, 1205 Ash St. The panel will include a discussion of breaking the myths and barriers to mental and spiritual health in our community.

Feb. 18: Activities at the African American Shotgun House Museum, 801 West St., 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. including tours of the museum, talks by artist Norma Clark, who painted one of the murals behind the Shotgun house, talks on Black resistance by a local student, trivia activity handouts, and food and drinks.

Feb. 25: A Black history reception will be held at 4 p.m. at the McKinney Ministry Center, First United Methodist Church, 1205 Ash St.  The reception and program will look back at a journey through time for African Americans from the perspective of education, business, and the church.

For more information about the GCCMA events, visit gccmatx.org.

Updated Jan. 31, 2023: The City of Georgetown’s fourth annual State of the City event starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St. (Event was postponed from Feb. 1 due to expected cold and icy conditions.)

From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in council chambers, 510 W. Ninth St., Mayor Josh Schroeder and City Manager David Morgan will give a presentation highlighting significant events and major projects completed in 2022 and previewing what’s to come in 2023.

Topics of the State of the City address include:

• Growth
• Utilities
• Transportation
• Planning & development
• Quality of life

The address also will be live streamed on Channel 10 and Facebook Live. After the presentation, residents will be able to ask questions in person and on the Facebook video. Questions also can be sent in advance of and during the event via email to pio@georgetown.org.

Prior to the address, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., residents will have a chance to explore City Hall and meet with City staff and consultants to learn about and provide feedback on a variety of City projects and plans underway in 2023. Residents who visit most of the booths and engagement opportunities during this open house will be entered into a drawing for baskets full of Georgetown goodies. Refreshments will be available.

“We have a lot of important information to share about the steps we are taking to plan and prepare for Georgetown’s continued growth, while maintaining the welcoming, vibrant city we all love,” Schroeder said. “I hope you’ll attend, in person or virtually, to learn about highlights from 2022 and what is in store for 2023.”

The City held its first State of the City event in 2020 at City Hall and in council chambers. The 2021 and 2022 events were held virtually due to COVID-19.

View more information on the State of the City event, including additional details on the topics covered.

Updated: The Texas Department of Transportation has cancelled the I-35 and Williams Drive bridge closures originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday (Jan. 27-28). TxDOT will provide an update once it’s been rescheduled.

GEORGETOWN – The Texas Department of Transportation will close the northbound and southbound I-35 mainlanes to demolish and remove the northern portion of the Williams Drive bridge.

Beginning on Friday, Jan. 20, the northbound and southbound I-35 mainlanes will close to traffic nightly between Lakeway Drive and SH 29. Northbound I-35 traffic will detour to the frontage road at the Williams Drive exit (262) and re-enter the mainlanes north of Northwest Boulevard. Southbound I-35 traffic will use the Williams Drive exit (262) and re-enter the mainlanes north of SH 29.

The Williams Drive bridge will also be closed during the demolition. Eastbound traffic will detour to the southbound I-35 frontage road and use the U-turn at SH 29 to access Williams Drive. Westbound traffic will detour to the northbound I-35 frontage road and turn left at the signalized intersection at Lakeway Drive to access Williams Drive. Once reopened, the Williams Drive bridge will accommodate two lanes of traffic in each direction. (See attached detour map.)

CANCELLED for Jan. 27 and 28: Closures will take place Friday and Saturday nights, over two weekends, between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., weather permitting.

In preparation for bridge demolition, the dedicated-turn lanes on the Williams Drive bridge will be removed Wednesday evening. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction on the bridge throughout construction.

Road signs will be placed to alert drivers of the upcoming closures. TxDOT asks the traveling public to be patient and remain aware when traveling through the work zone.

The Williams Drive Bridge demolition is part of a larger TXDOT project at I-35 and Williams Drive. The new bridge will be reconfigured as a diverging diamond interchange.

To learn more about this project, visit My35Construction.org.

While usage information for most water and electric meters can be read with the utility’s automated system, in some cases, meters must be read manually with a technician in the field. The City has hired Putt Bro’s Meter and Hydrant to provide contract technicians to assist City meter readers when manual meter reads are needed.

The number of meters that must be read manually, or estimated based on past usage, was about 2,700 meters in November on a system with about 65,000 meters.

Water metering components fail over time as they age. City of Georgetown experiences about 100 – 150 new module failures a month, which is similar to other water utilities. Supply chain shortages have impacted our ability to replace these failed components on a timely basis and thus manual meter usage reads are needed.

Customers may see a Putt Bro’s employee in their neighborhood reading meters, especially for City water customers in areas west and north of Georgetown. Putt Bro’s technicians wear vests and have vehicles indicating they are City of Georgetown contractors.

“Adding contract staff to our Customer Service meter reading team allows us to get monthly meter reads for more of our customers and reduce the need to use estimates,” Customer Care Director Leticia Zavala said.

For more information about City utilities and customer accounts, go to gus.georgetown.org.

Effective Feb. 6, 2023, the scheduled, bulky pickup day for Georgetown residents will move to their regular trash day, rather than on Saturdays.

City of Georgetown residents can request four, free, curbside bulky-waste pickups per year through Texas Disposal Systems. Bulky items are materials that will not fit into your cart, such as furniture, mattresses, toilets, washers, and dryers. Additional charges for refrigerated appliances apply.

To schedule a bulky-waste, curbside pickup, residents must call TDS at 512-930-1715. TDS will not pick up bulky items without a reservation.

Starting Feb. 6, bulky-waste collections will coincide with the property’s normal trash pickup date. Items need to be on the curb by 7 a.m. the day of the pickup and cannot be placed outside more than 24 hours before the scheduled collection.

Learn more about bulky-waste pickup here.

A variety of events will be held in Georgetown Jan. 16-20 to honor the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Several City offices and facilities will be closed Jan. 16 in recognition of the holiday. For more information about City closures, visit this page.

MLK Day March and Program on Jan. 16

A march to honor the MLK Day holiday begins at noon Monday, Jan. 16, at the Williamson County Courthouse, 710 S. Main St. After meeting on the north side of the Courthouse on Seventh Street, there will be a seven-block march to Macedonia Baptist Church, 206 Martin Luther King Jr. St.

A program beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church features keynote speaker Dr. Belinda White. The march and program are sponsored by the Georgetown Fellowship of Churches and are free and open to the public.

MLK Leaders Prayer Breakfast on Jan. 16

The Georgetown Ministerial Alliance and the Georgetown Police Department will host the MLK Leaders Prayer Breakfast at 8 a.m. Jan. 16. The event is at the Public Safety Operations and Training Center, 3500 D.B. Wood Road. A light breakfast will be provided. View more information about the MLK Leaders Prayer breakfast.

Youth Service Day on Jan. 16

The Georgetown Project will host a Youth Service Day, 9 a.m.-noon, Jan. 16, on MLK Day for local high school students in grades 9-12.  A variety of projects will be available across the community. Drinks, snacks, and certificates for three hours of service will be provided.

Read more details about Youth Service Day on the Georgetown Project website or call at 512-943-0074.

MLK Jr. Service Week Jan. 16-20

United Way for Greater Austin is hosting an MLK Jr. Service Week Jan. 16-20. There will be a series of in-person community volunteer opportunities and an educational walking tour. Learn more about MLK Jr. Service Week.

Southwestern University Keynote Address Jan. 18

Southwestern University hosts a series of Dream Week events to celebrate the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Aaron Harris will present a keynote address during Dream Week at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in Ballroom 214B at the McCombs Campus Center, 1001 E. University Ave. The keynote address is open to the public.

Harris is a dynamic change agent who transforms adversity into power. He is dedicated to the empowerment of youth and young adults. Harris serves as the executive director of Keep My Promise Inc. KMP Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves the community through educational access, career readiness, and mentoring.

View Southwestern University’s campus map.

City of Georgetown offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. There will be normal solid waste and recycling collection on Jan. 16.

City offices and facilities closed Jan. 16 for MLK Day include the following:

• Animal Shelter, 110 Walden Drive
• Art Center, 816 S. Main St.
• City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
• Council and Courts Building (including Municipal Court), 510 W. Ninth St.
• Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
• Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St. (reservations for Jan. 16 can be made in advance).
• Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College St.
• Planning Department, 809 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
• Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
• Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records, and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road
• Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
• Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St.

Facilities open Jan. 16

• Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive, will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243, will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Collection Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive, will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GoGeo paratransit service

There will be no service Monday, Jan. 16.

Solid Waste and Recycling Collection

There will be normal residential solid waste and recycling collection for Texas Disposal Systems customers in the City of Georgetown on Monday, Jan. 16. For questions about solid waste collection, call TDS at 512-930-1715.

MLK Day events

There are several groups hosting a variety of events in honor of MLK Day. Read more about MLK Day events.

The City of Georgetown is hosting a six-part, bi-monthly workshop series on maintaining a healthy yard in 2023.

Classes will be:

• Jan. 26: SOLD OUT–Earth and Pocketbook Friendly Gardening
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  Sun City, The Oaks Room at The Oaks, 301 Del Webb Blvd.
• March 20: Native Plants and Deterring Deer
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  Georgetown Public Library Friends Room, 402 W. Eighth St.
• May 4: Pollinator Gardening
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  Georgetown Public Library Friends Room
• July 6: Landscaping for a Dry Climate
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  Sun City Ballroom, 2 Texas Drive
• Sept. 7: Gardening for Birds and Wildlife
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  Georgetown Public Library Friends Room
• Nov. 2: Composting
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  Georgetown Public Library Friends Room

Door prizes and drawings will be included as part of the workshops, and drinks and refreshments will be offered. Click here for more information.

Register for the first free workshop in the series on Eventbrite. The classes are free, but registration is required. Class size is limited to 60 attendees.

City of Georgetown offices and facilities will be closed Friday, Dec. 23, and Monday, Dec. 26, in observance of the Christmas holiday. City offices also will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

City facilities and offices closed Dec. 23, 26, and Jan. 2 include the following:

• City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
• Council and Courts Building (including Municipal Court), 510 W. Ninth St.
• Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
• Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College St.
• Planning Department, 809 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
• Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road

Additional closures

City of Georgetown facilities with weekend or evening hours will observe these closures:

• Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive: Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
• Animal Shelter, 110 W.L. Walden Drive: Closed Dec. 23-26, and Jan. 1-2
• Art Center, 816 S. Main St.: Closed Dec. 23-26, and Jan. 1-2
• Collection Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive: Will close at noon Dec. 24, closed Dec. 25, and closing at noon Dec. 31
• Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243: Closed Dec. 24-25
• Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St.: Closed Dec. 23 and 30
• Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.: Closed Dec. 23-26 and Jan. 1-2, and closing early at 6 p.m. Dec. 19-22 and 27-30.
• Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.: Closed Dec. 24-25, closes early at 6 p.m. Dec. 31, and closed Jan. 1
• Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive: Closed Dec. 24-25, closes early at 6 p.m. Dec. 31, and closed Jan. 1
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St: Closed Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1-2

 Solid waste and recycling collection

The holidays will not affect solid waste and recycling pickups, because Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on a Sunday. To look up your collection day, visit texasdisposal.com/waste-wizard.

For questions about solid waste and recycling collection, call TDS at 512-930-1715.

GoGeo paratransit services

GoGeo paratransit will not operate Friday, Dec. 23, Monday, Dec. 26, and Monday, Jan. 2

Personal fireworks prohibited

By City of Georgetown ordinance, fireworks are not allowed in the city limits of Georgetown or within 5,000 feet of the city limits, unless they are used in a permitted display authorized by the Georgetown Fire Department. A new ordinance change approved in October allows the homeowner or host to be held liable for a fireworks violation on their property in addition to the person who discharged the fireworks.

Violations can lead to fines of up to $2,000 per firework. To view a map showing the 5,000-foot boundary, go to

https://gis.wilco.org/maps/?viewer=countymapxdev.

To view firework exemptions permissible by City code, visit https://bit.ly/2CSOnIg.

Fireworks can be triggering for veterans and pets

Please remember that loud noises such as fireworks can be triggering for our veterans.

Fireworks also can be upsetting for pets. Please make sure your dog(s) is secure inside your home, particularly during the evenings of the holiday weekend. Georgetown animal control officers pick up several loose dogs around the Fourth of July and New Year’s holidays, many of whom are never reunited with their owners.

If your dog has a tendency to become anxious at loud noises, please consider staying home with the animal; playing music in the house to drown out the noise of fireworks; and/or buying a product that “hugs” the dog. Your veterinarian also may be able to provide a tranquilizer for the dog.

For more ideas on keeping your dog safe on these holidays, please see the article, “10 Fourth of July Pet Safety Tips.”