The City of Georgetown is accepting applications to serve on one of Georgetown’s Advisory Boards or Commissions.  The City Council depends on citizen board members to assist in evaluating local issues to enrich and promote the community. We have several expiring terms and vacancies. Terms expire on February 28, 2021.

For more information regarding the variety of boards and commissions and their roles in City government, please visit https://government.georgetown.org/boards-and-commissions/   There is a link on this page to complete an online application, with instructions.

If you are interested in serving as a board member, please complete an application.  The application requires that a resume be attached before submitting.

The deadline to apply is January 4, 2021.  Board and Commission appointments are made in February.  Per Chapter 2.36 of the Municipal Code, the Mayor recommends the appointments of new members and the Council approves the recommendations.  New members begin serving in March.

Please contact the City Secretary’s office at 512.930.3651 with any questions.

The City of Georgetown is partnering with The Caring Place, a community-based nonprofit in Georgetown, to provide qualified customers financial assistance with their utility bill.

The Good Neighbor Fund, which allows utility customers to add onto their monthly bill to support neighbors in need, now has a new option: Customers can elect to round up their utility bill, with all the proceeds going to the Good Neighbor Fund. Donations support The Caring Place, which administers the fund, to provide financial assistance with utilities to more families in need.

“As more residents are affected by the pandemic, we expect to see a rise in the number of utility bill assistance requests,” City Manager David Morgan said. “This is an easy way to help our neighbors. Even a small change can make a big difference. We are pleased to include this option for our customers and want to thank everyone already participating in the program.”

Customers can sign up to donate online at gus.georgetown.org/gnf. There customers will be able to choose from two donation options:

1.     Contribute a specific monthly donation amount.

2.     Round-up the monthly utility bill to the nearest dollar and donate the overage to the fund. For example, if a participant’s utility bill totals $151.02, it would be rounded up to $152. The extra 98 cents would be donated to the fund.

With either option, the pledge will appear as a line item on the utility bill. Participation in either Good Neighbor Fund Pledge program is voluntary and can be cancelled at any time by contacting the Customer Care Center at 512-930-3640 or customercare@georgetown.org.

During the 2020 fiscal year, the Good Neighbor Fund assisted 215 families with more than $45,000 in utility charges. The Good Neighbor Fund is completely supported by utility customer contributions. Currently 2,764 customers contribute to the fund.

Nov. 30, 2020—Temperatures are forecasted to dip below freezing tonight in Georgetown. In Central Texas, overnight temperatures can drop below freezing throughout the winter months. Here are ways to keep your pipes, pets, and plants from freezing.

Pets, such as cats and dogs, need access to shelter to protect them from cool temperatures and winds, and an unfrozen water source. Outdoor pets may also need additional caloric intake to help them maintain their body heat.

Plants in containers are more susceptible to freezing temperatures because they lack the insulation the earth naturally provides. Move container plants inside where temperatures will stay above freezing, or put them on the south side of the house, water them and pile on mulch, leaves and hay to protect the roots, and/or cover them with a frost blanket.

Pipes can freeze and burst in lower temperatures. Be sure to protect outdoor water spigots with faucet covers and use foam pipe insulation on outdoor pipes. Above-ground irrigation backflow devices can also freeze, so remember to wrap or insulate them, and turn off backflow water valves and irrigation system controllers to reduce the freeze potential. To protect your indoor pipes, let hot and cold water trickle from an indoor faucet.

Nov. 19, 2020—Georgetown Public Library Director Eric Lashley, who has served in that role for 20 years, announced his retirement from the City of Georgetown today. Lashley will retire Jan. 29 to become the executive director of Central Texas Library System, a nonprofit serving 218 member libraries across the state.

High points in Lashley’s 25-year career at the City include National Medal recognition for the library in 2018 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and being named Texas Librarian of the Year in 2019 by the Texas Library Association.

“Eric’s passion for public service has been an inspiration to our team for 25 years,” Assistant City Manager Laurie Brewer said. “He initiated the programs that designated Downtown Georgetown as a cultural district through the Texas Commission on the Arts and has led our library to National Medal status. We are so fortunate that he will continue to support our community and our library in his new role.”

Lashley played a key role in championing the need for a new library, as well as its construction and opening in 2007. During his tenure, the library has increased materials circulation and has also served as a community gathering space where groups can meet, artists can show their work, children can develop reading skills, and adults can learn and find the latest bestsellers or information on many topics. The library regularly partners with local nonprofit groups to offer tax assistance, voter registration, exhibits, and programs for all ages. About 15,000 items are added to the library’s collection each year, and materials are checked out more than half a million times per year. The library’s door counts show more than 380,000 visits per year.

Under Lashley’s leadership, Georgetown Public Library became a member of the Family Place Libraries national network, providing a welcoming community environment with resources to help families nurture their children’s development and early learning during the critical first years of life. In the most recent pre-COVID year, the library’s children’s program attendance totaled almost 16,000.

The library has regularly received Best of Georgetown awards for Best Place to Take Children, Best Meeting Venue, Best Place to View Art, and Best Place to Volunteer.

“Eric leaves a lasting legacy with our beloved library and vibrant arts community. His leadership will be missed, but I’m glad Eric will be sharing his talents broadly across Texas,” City Manager David Morgan said.

Beyond metrics showing the scope of the library’s impact, Lashley’s quirky personality is apparent in the Jeep that sits in the children’s area, art pieces such as an enormous banana made of plastic toys or a huge metal rhinoceros that sat by the entrance, or belly-dancers who performed at the library opening in 2007.

Lashley also was instrumental in creating the City’s Arts and Culture Board, the Georgetown Art Center, the Cultural Arts District, and the art, music, bookmobile and bike share programs at the library. His community honors include the W. D. Kelley Foundation Outstanding Leadership Award, the Georgetown Sertoma Club Service to Mankind Award, and the Williamson County Sun newspaper’s Person of the Year award. Lashley was honored twice as a Manager of the Year for the City of Georgetown and as Employee of the Year, as well.

Lashley will use his experience as an innovator and leader in Georgetown to help libraries across the state when he becomes the Central Texas Library System executive director in January.

“Eric has been part of CTLS since its beginning, and his passion for the mission and vision of CTLS and the role it plays for libraries in the state of Texas has always been apparent to the board,” CTLS Board Chair Gretchen Pruett said. “Of course, the residents of Georgetown know that Eric and the library he has led are among the very best in the country, and we are pleased that Eric will have the opportunity to share his knowledge with so many more libraries. It is a rare opportunity for him to make a difference for every library in the state through CTLS.”

CTLS currently serves public libraries spanning 114 counties and serving 7.76 million Texans.

“I have had a wonderful career with the City and will miss the day-to-day interaction with patrons, volunteers, and my staff, but look forward to serving public libraries statewide,” Lashley said. “I will continue to live in Georgetown and plan to stay active in the community. I want the public to know they are in good hands with the staff of the library.”

Sally Miculek, currently assistant director of library services, will serve as interim director while the City conducts a search for a new library director.

City of Georgetown offices and facilities will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. There is no solid waste or recycling collection on Thanksgiving Day (details below).

City facilities and offices closed Nov. 26-27 include the following:

• Animal Shelter, 110 W.L. Walden Drive
• City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
• Economic Development, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
• Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
• Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
• Municipal Court, 510 W. Ninth St.
• Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College St.
• Planning, 809 Martin Luther King Jr. 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

Other Facility Closures

The facilities listed below will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26, and open these hours on Friday, Nov. 27:

• Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243, open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Transfer Station, 250 W. L. Walden Drive, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St., open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Georgetown Public Library will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, and reopen for curbside service from 10 a.m.-noon and 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28.

GoGeo bus service

There will be no GoGeo bus service on Thursday, Nov. 26, Friday, Nov. 27, or Saturday, Nov. 28. Buses will resume normal operation on Monday, Nov. 30.

Solid Waste & Recycling

There will be no trash or recycling pickup for Texas Disposal Systems customers in the City of Georgetown on Thursday, Nov. 26. Solid waste collection for Thursday and Friday slides one day:

• Thursday slides to Friday
• Friday slides to Saturday

Solid waste and recycling carts should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on pickup day. For questions, call TDS at (512) 930-1715.

The Transfer Station at 250 W. L. Walden Drive will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving Day), but open regular hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 27.

Nov. 17, 2020—City Council passed a resolution during Tuesday’s special meeting to call a runoff election for District 2. Shawn Hood and Lisa King, who won the most votes in the Nov. 3 election, are the candidates in the runoff.

Early voting dates for the runoff election are Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 7-11. Election Day is Dec. 15. The early voting location is Georgetown City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St.

Also during the meeting, Josh Schroeder was sworn in as mayor and Rachael Jonrowe was sworn in for a fourth term as District 6 representative.

Council members also expressed their appreciation to Dale Ross for his 6.5 years as mayor and three years as a council member, as well as to Valerie Nicholson for three years as representative for District 2.