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Georgetown Animal Shelter organizes donation drive for GivingTuesday

The Georgetown Animal Shelter and the Friends of the Georgetown Animal Shelter will kick off the generosity season by hosting a drive-through donation event for homeless dogs and cats for GivingTuesday.

GivingTuesday, which falls on Dec. 1 this year, is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world. The shelter and its nonprofit partner, Friends of the Georgetown Animal Shelter, will inspire generosity by organizing a donation drive for shelter pets Dec. 1-5, 2020.

“We are thrilled to join GivingTuesday this year,” FOGAS president Sharon Buford said. “Our usual fundraising and other events were canceled because of the pandemic. GivingTuesday allows us the opportunity to work with the community for the first time in months.”

Volunteers and shelter staff will be accepting donations next to the Georgetown Public Library, in the parking lot at West Eighth Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Street. Donors can look for the colorful adoption trailer to locate volunteers. Employees and volunteers will be stationed at the trailer from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, Dec. 1-4, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.

“We’re hoping to fill the trailer with pet supplies to last us through the holiday season,” Animal Services Manager April Haughey said. “The Georgetown community always floods us with donations this time of year, and we wanted to make it as easy as possible for them!”

Haughey said the organizations are hoping to collect dry pet food, new toys for dogs and cats, small blankets, leashes, and other items.

Those who are interested in donating to the animal shelter’s GivingTuesday initiative can visit pets.georgetown.org for a wish list of specific items and the donation drive schedule.

The shelter also has an Amazon Wish List with needed items, such as food, specialized toys, and cleaning items at tinyurl.com/WoofPurr. A portion of the money you spend on Amazon can also be donated to the shelter by selecting the animal shelter as your designated nonprofit on Amazon Smile.

Georgetown Animal Services is located near San Gabriel Park and is currently operating by appointment only. It has been serving Georgetown for decades as the open-intake municipal shelter for the City. Friends of the Georgetown Animal Shelter formed in 2010 to support the shelter’s mission. Learn more at friendsofgtownshelter.org.

Breakfast Bites: Building Community Through Arts and Culture

The Breakfast Bites meeting on Dec. 3 will feature Amanda Still, City of Georgetown Arts and Culture coordinator, and Jane Estes, the City’s Arts and Culture Board chair, presenting on “Building Community Through Arts and Culture.” The informal meeting opens at 8:15 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at the Council & Court building, 510 W. Ninth St. The presentation will start at 8:30 a.m. and will include both an in-person and virtual attendee option. Limited seating is available to attend in person, and participants must register in advance.

The presentation will cover the growing affect arts and culture is having in Georgetown from building community to impacting economic development and cultural tourism, as well as creating collaborative partnerships between businesses and the arts.

The meeting will also include City and community updates.

Participants attending in person will be required to wear a mask or face covering and maintain physical distancing of at least six feet. Hand sanitizer will also be available for attendees. Food and drink will not be provided during the event due to COVID-19 safety restrictions.

Breakfast Bites is a quarterly meeting of the Georgetown Main Street Program. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, online at https://bit.ly/3lr7nPF.

Public Library moves to curbside service only Nov. 13

Nov. 12, 2020—The Georgetown Public Library will begin offering curbside pickup of reserved materials; the building will be closed to the public starting Friday, Nov. 13. The shift to curbside-only service follows the announcement yesterday from the Williamson County and Cities Health District that the County has moved into the orange phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, characterized by high spread of the disease in the community.

Hours for curbside pickup service at the Library are 10 a.m. to noon and 2-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to noon and 2-5 p.m. Saturday. The Georgetown Public Library is at 402 W. Eighth St.

Books, DVDs, and other library materials can be requested for curbside pickup via the Public Library catalog website at catalog.georgetown.org. Items and previously reserved craft kits can be picked up in the Ninth Street parking lot. Patrons should have a mobile phone, park in a designated spot, and follow the instructions on the sign at the parking stall. Materials will be brought to their vehicle by Library staff.

Returned materials are being accepted in the drive-through book return slot in the Ninth Street parking lot. The Library does not charge fines for overdue items. Donations are not being accepted at this time.

For additional information or questions, visit the Library website at library.georgetown.org or call 512-930-3551.

Visitor Center and other City facilities open

Updated, Nov. 13, 2020–The Visitor Center at 103 W. Seventh St. and other City facilities–except the Library–will remain open. At the Visitor Center, lower limits on the number of people allowed in the public area will be enacted to increase safety. Occupancy limits remain in effect in other City facilities and masks are required to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Visitor information can be found at VisitGeorgetown.com or by following Visit Georgetown on instagram.com/visitgeorgetowntx, twitter.com/visitgeorgetown, or facebook.com/VisitGeorgetownTX. Visitor Center staff are also available 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday for tourism information by phone at 512-930-3545 or by email at cvb@georgetown.org.

Citizen advisory committee proposes project list for Mobility Georgetown Bond 2021

The City of Georgetown is putting together a mobility bond package for a vote by its residents in May 2021 and wants public feedback on a proposed list of projects.

The 16-member Mobility Georgetown 2021 Citizen Advisory Committee met throughout August, September, and October to narrow down a list of projects for the bond program that address Georgetown’s overall transportation challenges, limit the burden to taxpayers, and reflect the public priorities shared through a digital survey this summer.

From Nov. 16 to Dec. 7, members of the public can use an interactive, online map tool to indicate whether they support the proposed projects, as well as provide comments on each of the projects. The public can also use the survey tool to provide recommendations for projects not included in the 10 projects identified by the committee. Printed versions of the survey, in both English and Spanish languages, will be available at City facilities.

The citizen committee members want to understand the level of support for the top 10 projects they identified before making a final recommendation to City Council. In addition to the proposed 10 roadway projects, the committee also is considering allocating $2.5 million for sidewalks, $1.5 million for bike facilities, $1.7 million for intersection projects, and $1.3 million for transportation technology upgrades. Not all of the proposed projects will move forward. City Council initially targeted about $50 million for the bond package, and the 10 proposed projects alone total about $165 million. The committee will review the feedback prior to making its final recommendations to City Council in January 2021.

Virtual Town Hall Event: The public also will have an opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and provide comments via a virtual, live, town hall event. People can tune in from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, on Zoom and the City’s Facebook page to hear more about how the committee developed the proposed project list and more about each project. People can submit comments via Facebook comment or by emailing pio@georgetown.org prior to the event ending. The town hall will be recorded and shared on the bond website as part of a virtual open house. The agenda and meeting information will be available on agendas.georgetown.org.

The primary focus areas of this mobility bond are:

  • Increasing capacity of Georgetown’s roadway network and bridges with high traffic volume.
  • Improving intersections, building sidewalks, and enhancing safety throughout Georgetown to create new connections within and among neighborhoods.
  • Coordinating with other planned transportation work, including projects identified in our Pedestrian and Bike master plans, to accelerate delivery to Georgetown residents

For more information about the bond process, visit bonds.georgetown.org.

NorthPark35 development under construction at I-35 and SH130

NorthPark35 ground breaking: Representatives from Titan Development and the City of Georgetown break ground on NorthPark35, the city’s first master-planned industrial business park on 146 acres at I-35 and SH 130.Titan Development Real Estate and the City of Georgetown broke ground on the first phase of the 146-acre NorthPark35 Class A industrial development at I-35 and SH 130 today.

Phase one of the project includes two buildings totaling more than 330,000 square feet, as well as the extension of Aviation Drive to intersect with SH 130 and I-35. One building will be partially occupied by Georgetown-based Texas Speed and Performance, while the remaining space will be available for future industrial users. The park is designed and master-planned to accommodate users in need of 25,000-250,000 square feet of space.

Phase one of the project is expected to be completed in spring 2021 and will be Georgetown’s first master-planned industrial business park

“Georgetown is poised to become an important new business center along the I-35 corridor,” said Joe Iannacone, vice president of development for Titan Development. “With such direct access to major markets such as Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, we’ve already had exceptional interest from end-users in the e-commerce, logistics, pharmaceuticals, light manufacturing, and agriculture industries. This new park is destined to become a hub of innovation for Georgetown and beyond.”

The project also includes the extension and expansion of Aviation Drive, as well as electric and waterline infrastructure extensions.

“Here is another great example of how this city is a wonderful place to do business,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “This project creates an opportunity for our local companies to expand and offer others a place to relocate or open. This project will help draw new jobs to our community, which is something our residents have asked for, and something that helps make Georgetown the best community for businesses and residents.”

City Council approved $10.5 million to be reimbursed to Titan Development for the infrastructure improvements, including $8 million from the Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation for the road construction, $1.9 million from the Georgetown Economic Development Corporation for the electric construction, and $600,000 from the water capital improvement fund for the waterline construction.

Reimbursement would be made in three installments if certain terms are met, including construction of the roadway within 24 months, an investment of a minimum of $15 million in capital expenditures, and the developers adhering to approved design and use standards for the construction of the industrial park.

The new road and the utility line extensions will serve future phases of the NorthPark35 industrial business park as well as other undeveloped properties along Aviation Drive.

Resident survey open through Dec. 6

What are your top priorities for the City of Georgetown?

How would you rate our City parks, library, police, fire/EMS, and other City services?

Here is your chance to tell us.

Take the open online resident survey at georgetown.org/2020opensurvey. The survey is open to all Georgetown residents through Dec. 6. Your answers are anonymous.

The online open survey, as well as a mailed survey sent to a random sample of residents, is conducted by Texas State University for the City of Georgetown. The resident survey happens every two years.

Results from the survey inform future city budgets, capital improvement projects, plans, and new programs.

Blood Drive at Recreation Center Nov. 13

The City of Georgetown will host a Blood Drive Nov. 13 for We Are Blood, the nonprofit community blood supplier for Central Texas. The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Avenue.

Appointments are required for blood donors and can be scheduled through the We Are Blood website or by calling at 512-206-1242. Donors should bring a government-issued photo ID and must wear a mask in the Recreation Center. Staff at the event will screen for COVID-19 with donors and will follow safe practices such as cleaning surfaces after each donor. Those who are donating should have a meal 2-3 hours prior to donating.

We Are Blood will conduct COVID-19 antibody testing on all donations.

For eligibility questions, assistance signing up, or more information, call We Are Blood at 512-206-1242 or visit their website at WeAreBlood.org.

I-35 mainlanes close overnight for bridge work Nov. 8-12

The I-35 mainlanes north of Williams Drive in Georgetown will close nightly Nov. 8-12 as crews construct the new Northwest Boulevard bridge. Lane closures each night will start at 9 p.m. and lanes will reopen to traffic the next morning at 5 a.m. All work is weather permitting.

On Sunday and Monday nights, Nov. 8-9, two northbound I-35 mainlanes will close to traffic.

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Nov. 10-11, all southbound I-35 mainlanes will be closed. Southbound traffic will be diverted to the frontage road at the Williams Drive exit.

On Thursday, Nov. 12, the right lane on the southbound frontage road will be closed.

Road signs have been placed to alert drivers of the closures. Please use extra caution when traveling through the area.

The Northwest Boulevard bridge will be a new east-west connection spanning I-35 and an alternative to Williams Drive. The project connects Rivery Boulevard to the west and FM 971 to the east and is scheduled to be complete in early 2021.

City to host household hazardous waste collection event Nov. 18

The City will host a household hazardous waste collection event from 3-6 p.m. Nov. 18 at the old show barn in San Gabriel Park, 425 E. Morrow St.

At the event, the City will collect household hazardous waste items from 300 Georgetown solid waste customers who have solid waste service through Texas Disposal Systems. Customers must contact Customer Care and have their name placed on a list to participate. Contact the City’s customer care at 512-930-3640 or customercare@georgetown.org to request being placed on the list for the Nov. 18 event.

“Our last event didn’t go as smoothly as any of us wanted to, and we sincerely apologize to those who sat in long lines or were turned away and did not have the best experience,” Public Works Director Ray Miller said. “We missed the mark and learned a lot from that event. We are doing everything we can to ensure it’s better this time.”

Changes to the event include:

  • Restricting the number of cars at the event to 300
  • A new traffic pattern
  • Two unloading areas instead of one
  • Additional staff to assist the City’s vendor

Due to COVID-19 safety restrictions, residents must remain in their vehicles during the no-contact collection. Staff will unload items from the back seat or trunk of the vehicle.

All items to be dropped off must be in its marked original containers. Commercial disposal and trailers are not allowed.

Acceptable items include:

  • Batteries (household, hearing aids, cell phone, etc.)
  • Automobile batteries
  • Pool and spa chemicals
  • Used oil/oil filters (up to five gallons per vehicle)
  • Transmission fluid
  • Light bulbs (including four-foot fluorescent, curly, regular)
  • Grease
  • Thermometers
  • Over the counter, home lawn and garden chemicals
  • Aerosols
  • Household cleaners and disinfectants marked caution, warning, or poison
  • Art and hobby chemicals
  • Paint (up to 10 gallons per vehicle)
  • Clothing and household items for nonprofits Goodwill and Josco
  • Over the counter one-pound disposal propane bottles
  • Gasoline (up to five gallons per vehicle)

Unacceptable items include:

  • Unmarked containers or unknown chemicals
  • No construction, commercial, or landscape waste
  • Professional, concentrated chemicals that require a professional license to mix
  • Medications or pharmaceuticals
  • Oxygen tanks
  • Electronics
  • Tires
  • Explosives (including ammunition and fireworks)
  • Radioactive materials
  • Biological materials

For more information about the City’s solid waste and recycling services, visit recycle.georgetown.org.

Williamson County is also hosting a household hazardous waste collection event open to all county residents from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Williamson County Expo Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail, in Taylor. For more information, call 512-759-8881 option 4 or visit https://bit.ly/3648ZYX.

Runoff election for District 2 council seat Dec. 15

Since no candidate received 50 percent of the vote on Nov. 3 in the District 2 Georgetown City Council race, there will be a runoff election for the two candidates with the most votes.

The runoff with Shawn Hood and Lisa King will be on Tuesday, Dec. 15. The early voting period will be Dec. 3-11. Polling locations and times will be announced after they are determined.

In other Georgetown races on Tuesday, Josh Schroeder won the election for mayor and Rachel Jonrowe was reelected to District 6 on the council. Votes will be canvassed and new council members will be sworn in at a special City Council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Voter turnout in Williamson County in the Nov. 3 election was 75 percent.