Beginning April 10, Georgetown electric utility customers will receive a text message letting them know they are now enrolled in the City’s real-time, power outage texting service.

Once launched, enrolled customers will be able to report electric outages and receive real-time updates via text message to and from 512-930-8400. Water outages must still be reported by phone, and future updates to the system will include water outages in the texting process.

Customers should still track water and electric outages on the City’s online outage maps and only report outages not already reflected on the maps. The City will not automatically text residents about power outages; instead, customers can send text messages to the system to report outages and learn about status updates.

“When services are interrupted, folks need information quickly, and this system lets us do that,” said City Manager David Morgan. “It’s critical for us to be able to send and receive power outage messages in real-time, and we know our customers are looking forward to having a more automated process to report and learn updates about outages.”

The City will automatically sign up residents using the phone number(s) associated with their utility account(s). Customers will also be able to enroll by texting ELECTRIC to 512-930-8400.

“The success of this service depends on our customers making sure they’ve given us the contact information for their accounts,” Morgan said.

Electric customers who do not have phones capable of receiving text messages may still report outages not reflected on the online outage maps to 512-930-3640, then press 1. The City’s phone system will recognize the number if it’s tied to the utility account.

TextPower serves 175+ utilities providing text messaging (SMS) solutions for mission-critical applications for immediate communications with customers via their trademarked SmartAlerts platform.

The City of Georgetown is celebrating Earth Day this April with its annual event focused on nature and recycling.

Gather the family and head to Garey Park from 1-4 p.m. April 22 for Family Nature Fest. The event focuses on connecting families with nature through a variety of activities, demonstrations, and environmental education.

Activities include Story Walk, upcycled nature crafts, wild animal visitors, birding, an obstacle course, pony rides, a petting zoo, and more.

Garey Park entry fees are required, and some activities may include a fee.

For more information, visit parks.georgetown.org/family-nature-fest.

City of Georgetown offices and facilities will be closed Friday, April 7, for Good Friday. Most facilities with Sunday hours will also be closed Sunday, April 9, for Easter. There will be normal solid waste and recycling collection.

City offices closed April 7

The City offices and facilities closed April 7 for Good Friday 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:

• Animal Shelter, 110 W.L. Walden Drive: Closed April 7 and 9
• Art Center, 816 S. Main St.: Closed April 9
• Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St.: Closed April 9
• Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.: Open April 7; closed April 8-9
• Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.: Closed April 7 and 9
• Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive: Closed April 7 and 9
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St: Closed April 7 and 9

 Facilities open

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

GoGeo paratransit bus service

There will not be service Friday, April 7.

Trash and recycling

There will be regular recycling and solid waste collection for City of Georgetown customers on Friday, April 7. Please place carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day. For questions, call Texas Disposal Systems at 512-930-1715.

The City is asking residents to share how they use downtown Georgetown and what they’d like to see improved as we work to update our Downtown Master Plan.

The City is undertaking a comprehensive assessment of our historic downtown district to create a vision for future land-use, facilities, programming, and conditions to ensure the continued success of this storied district for years to come. Over the next year, the City and its consultant, Design Workshop, will be investigating and analyzing our existing downtown area, comprehensively engaging the public, researching national trends and best practices, developing and evaluating recommendations, and documenting our findings.

“We urge you to be a part of this process by participating in our numerous community engagement opportunities to ensure all voices are heard throughout this year-long planning process,” Downtown & Tourism Director Kim McAuliffe said.

Members of the public can share feedback through this survey, which closes April 10. Representatives from the City and Design Workshop also provided information and input opportunities at the Williamson County 175th celebration March 10-11 and will present initial findings and additional information at the City’s 175th celebration, which will be during the Red Poppy Festival in the South Main Arts District on April 28-30.

At this stage in the plan-development process, the City is asking for information from the community regarding why they visit downtown, what they like about downtown, what they’d like to see expand or grow, where there are areas for improvement, and any other related feedback to incorporate into the plan update. Residents can also sign up to receive email updates on the plan at the bottom of the project website.

The City’s first Downtown Master Plan was developed in 2003. That plan was updated in 2014 through a collaborative effort between City staff, the Downtown Master Plan Advisory Committee, and residents. As the plan was revised, the City strived to maintain the downtown’s historical character, invest in economic development that not only enhances the lives of area residents, but increases the sustainability and financial standing of Georgetown.

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 georgetowndowntownmasterplan.com.

Georgetown residents, particularly those living in City Council District 5, are encouraged to come to a town hall hosted by Mayor Pro Tem and District 5 Council Member Kevin Pitts.

“Effectively communicating with constituents is one of my goals. I regularly post on Facebook from my City Council page but town halls allow for civil dialogue about the topics citizens care about most,” Pitts said.

The town hall will start at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 30, in the Heritage Oaks Community Center, 4611 Verde Vista.

Residents will learn more about water demand, transportation, growth and development, and more, and will be able to ask questions after the presentation.

More information is available on Pitts’ Facebook page.

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.