Georgetown Arts and Culture Board awards grants for 2021 Round II
The Georgetown Arts and Culture Board approved $12,650 in grants in July to local arts and culture organizations to help with funding local arts and culture programming that includes visual art, music, performance art, and history in Georgetown.
The funding is for events in Georgetown taking place between Oct. 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.
Grant recipients include:
Project or event name | Grant amount |
Central Texas Philharmonic, Inc., the Patriotic Pops Concert by The Central Texas Philharmonic | $5,000 |
Congregation Havurah Shalom for the ANNE FRANK – Let Me Be Myself Traveling Exhibit | $2,500 |
Williamson County Symphony Orchestra Society the Spring Concert in Georgetown | $2,500 |
Georgetown Texas Photography Festival for the Georgetown Texas Photography Festival 2022 | $1,250 |
Preservation Georgetown for Art at Grace Heritage – Hidden Gems of Georgetown | $500 |
Artists Molly Fonseca & Kayur Patel for the Healing Artists Workshop and Performance – Stories of Our People | $500 |
Gary Anderson dba AndersonArt for Jingle Georgetown | $400 |
The next grant cycle will accept proposals Dec. 1 -31, 2021, for events and programs occurring April 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2022.
For more information about the Georgetown Arts & Culture grants, visit arts.georgetown.org.
‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ screened at back-to-school teen movie night
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department presents “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (PG-13) on Friday, Aug. 6, in San Gabriel Park as part of its annual Sunset Movie Series.
The free, community event will take place in the Legacy pavilion in San Gabriel Park, 445 E. Morrow St. Free parking is available throughout the park.
The movie starts at dusk, around 8:30 p.m. Moviegoers are welcome to bring blankets, chairs, and picnics. Come early for free popcorn, to explore the park, and to visit with vendors.
The movie is rated PG-13. Parents are urged to be cautious, as some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.
For more details, visit parks.georgetown.org/sunset-movie-series.
Candidate filing period starts for District 6 special election
The first day to file for candidates who wish to run for the District 6 Georgetown City Council seat is Wednesday, July 28. The filing deadline is Aug. 16.
City Council passed a resolution at its regular meeting Tuesday to call for a special election on Nov. 2 to fill the District 6 vacancy on the council created when Rachael Jonrowe resigned on July 6.
Completed applications for candidacy should be submitted at City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St. To see maps of council districts, go to maps.georgetown.org.
Georgetown City Council members serve three-year terms representing one of seven single-member districts. A candidate for City Council must be at least 18 years of age on the first day of the term of office and a citizen and qualified voter of the state of Texas and the City of Georgetown. Candidates for council district seats must be a resident of the council district the member would be representing for a period of six months as of the last legal date for filing.
The last day to register to vote for the November election is Oct. 4.
Early in-person voting is Oct. 18-29. 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.
City hosts Economic Development Symposium on Aug. 30
The City of Georgetown is hosting the fifth annual Economic Development Symposium from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel and Conference Center, 1101 Woodlawn Ave.
The symposium will feature a lunch and keynote presentation by real estate economist Mark G. Dotzour on the economic outlook for investors and business decision makers.
Each fall the Georgetown Economic Development Department invites a nationally recognized expert to share insightful analysis on a topic of importance to business owners, real estate professionals, and community leaders for its annual economic development symposium.
Past events have highlighted the impact of the presidential election on the economy, how changing retail-customer behaviors ripple through the economy, and workforce trends.
In addition to the keynote speaker, Georgetown City leaders will provide a look back at the year’s important announcements and events and give a sneak peek of those to come.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit invest.georgetown.org/symposium2021.
City of Georgetown seeks applications for Civic Leadership Academy
The City of Georgetown is creating a Civic Leadership Academy to educate, connect, and inspire leaders to develop a strong commitment to community service for the greater good of Georgetown.
The academy will provide a learning experience for existing and emerging leaders to understand City services and functions while building the skills and knowledge to succeed in City leadership roles. Participants of the program are given the opportunity to develop an understanding of the promises and challenges facing our community, as well as their role as future City leaders.
The eight month program will meet from 2-6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, except for the first class, which will meet Sept. 30.
Applications will be accepted through Sept. 15.
To be eligible to attend, participants should be a resident of the City of Georgetown and be able to attend 6 out of 8 sessions.
Benefits of participating in the program include:
- an enhanced understanding of Georgetown local government, community challenges, and decision-making
- relationships with other community and local government leaders
- insight into how to use data to articulate challenges and advocate for resources for your community
- an in-depth look at how the City works and develop specialized knowledge about the City’s departments and programs
- information about how to become an effective community leader
To learn more and apply, visit government.georgetown.org/georgetown-civic-leadership-academy.
Public input sought for parks and recreation master plan
The City of Georgetown is looking for community input to guide decisions on the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan through a digital survey. The survey is open July 12 through Sunday, July 25.
The survey also was mailed to a random sample of 4,000 Georgetown households to collect statistically valid results. People who received the survey in the mail should follow the instructions instead of responding to the open-link survey. The open-link survey will give all residents an opportunity to provide feedback, and all responses will be included in the final analysis, which the City expects to share with the public by the end of August.
“The results of this survey will create a priority blueprint for where we can improve, how to grow responsibly, and what programs and recreational opportunities our community needs,” Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Garrett said.
The master plan will provide a vision for the Parks and Recreation Department and act as a guide during the next 10 years. The master plan will prioritize the community’s desires for upgrading and improving parks and recreational assets to develop goals, policies, and guidelines, as well as an implementation plan. There will be several opportunities for public input throughout the master planning process, which is expected to be completed by January 2022. So far, public engagement to develop the master plan has included a community questionnaire and a public forum in May.
During the master plan process, consultants GreenPlay will look at the existing parks, recreational facilities, and services, and use public input to determine the future level of services that will be needed. GreenPlay also is conducting a needs assessment survey to determine priorities for the parks and recreation system, facilities, and activities; identify potential funding sources and partnerships; and create a plan for how best to support the parks and recreational needs of the community.
To take the survey and learn more about the master plan process, visit gtxparkplan.com.
City begins street maintenance projects this summer
Street resurfacing projects, including a high-performance surface seal treatment and hot-in-place recycling, will be completed throughout the summer.
The work schedule can be affected by weather conditions, mechanical issues, and product availability. For updates on the paving schedule and a complete list of projects, visit transportation.georgetown.org/2021-street-maintenance-projects.
The City is using two types of street maintenance applications:
High-performance surface seal
As part of this surface treatment, a sealant is applied to the surface of the roadway, reducing damage from UV radiation, water, and vehicle traffic.
On the day work is scheduled for surface seal treatment in the Old Mill Crossing, Pleasant Valley, Quail Valley, and portions of Sun City neighborhoods, the streets will be closed to traffic and street parking from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Work scheduled in portions of Berry Creek, Gatlin Creek, and Lakeside at Lake Georgetown will close streets for 24 hours from 7 a.m.-7 a.m.
Hot-in-place recycling
Hot-in-place recycling is an alternative to mill and asphalt overlay in which existing pavement is removed, ground, and mixed with new material to create a new asphalt surface.
Streets will not be closed during repaving; however, drivers should expect delays and are encouraged to choose alternate routes. Flaggers will be present to assist drivers.
For questions about street maintenance projects, contact customercare@georgetown.org.
Council Member Jonrowe resigns
Georgetown District 6 Council Member Rachael Jonrowe has resigned from her seat effective July 6, 2021. She cited personal reasons for her decision when she announced her intention to resign in June.
“Serving on behalf of the residents of District 6 for the last 10 [plus] years has been the honor of a lifetime, and I look forward to being able to continue to connect and serve with many of them, as a friend, in the years ahead,” Jonrowe posted to her official Facebook page Tuesday. “I wish everyone full measures of grace, empathy, and wisdom, as our community continues to deliberate, debate, and vote on issues of vital importance to the current generation and those to come. And I encourage us all to actively search out opportunities to include people with different experiences and points of view in these decisions. I believe we all benefit when we do so…and listen to their voices.”
Jonrowe was serving her fourth term on City Council, after being most recently reelected in November 2020. The City Charter and the Texas Constitution require a special election within 120 days of a vacancy, which coincides with the Nov. 2, 2021, election.
“While I was surprised and saddened by Jonrowe’s resignation from City Council, I fully support her decision to prioritize her family and her health,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said. “I thank her for her service to this community and wish her well in her future endeavors. I know that she will remain an active participant in Georgetown. I look forward to working with the next representative of District 6.”
Jonrowe served on multiple boards during her time on the council, including the boards for the Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation, the Downtown Georgetown tax increment reinvestment zone board, the Transportation Advisory Board, and the Animal Shelter Advisory Board. As a volunteer in the community, she has helped organize letter-writing, voter registration, and get-out-the-vote drives and works to encourage greater diversity and participation in local government.
While a City Council member, Jonrowe was committed to encouraging more people to “be aware of who their representatives are, get involved, and encourage accountability and transparency.” She said her personal goal, as an elected representative, was to do her part to make sure decisions made at City Council reflected the needs and desires of her district and benefited the people of Georgetown.
Jonrowe was born and raised in Austin and moved to Georgetown in May 2006. Jonrowe and her husband, Brian, have four children, and she is a co-owner of Lark & Owl Booksellers, 205 Sixth St., Ste. 101.
Kittens in the Library
The Georgetown Animal Shelter will host a kitten adoption event from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 16 at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
The shelter will bring kittens available for adoption to the library, where there will be opportunities to meet, pet, and, hopefully, adopt some kittens.
Adoption fees are $35 at the event, and kittens will be able to go straight home with their new families. A cardboard carrier and kitten food will be provided to adopters.
For more information about animal adoptions, visit pets.georgetown.org.
Public comment sought on proposed City Charter amendments
Georgetown City Council will host a public hearing July 13 during its regular meeting to get feedback on proposed amendments to the City’s charter.
The City Charter is the legal document establishing a municipality and defines the structure, powers, functions, and procedures of local government.
City Staff and members of the council-appointed Charter Review Committee identified several potential charter amendments, which were presented to the council at its May 25 workshop for discussion and direction from City Council. Direction from the council was sent back to the committee for consideration and to be drafted into a final report that outlined the committee’s recommendations to the council.
At its June 8 meeting, City Council reviewed the committee’s final recommendations and gave its recommendations for charter amendments.
Proposed amendments include changes related to:
- Term limits
- Council qualifications
- Council vacancies
- Rules of procedures
- Procedures to enact legislation
- Franchise agreement notifications
- Public lead initiative, referendum, and recall requirements
- City structure language
Details of proposed changes can be found at Georgetown.org/2021-charter-amendment-election.
The council is expected to consider the first reading to call a charter amendment election at its July 27 meeting. The second reading would be Aug. 10.
If approved, the charter amendments would be on the Nov. 2 ballot. Early voting and Election Day information will be listed at wilco.org/elections.