The City has completed construction on two new fire stations to serve growing areas of our city and emergency response area. Fire Station 6 on Williams Drive at FM 3405 will serve the far west side of our city, while Fire Station 7 on University Avenue at NE Inner Loop will serve the east side of town.

City of Georgetown officials and members of the Georgetown Fire Department gathered at Fire Station 7 yesterday to mark the completion of the new station. Fire Station 7 on the east side of the city will be staffed with an engine company and a medic unit when it opens next spring.

Fire Station 7 has three truck bays with living quarters for 11 and will initially be staffed with a combination of 6 firefighters and medics. The construction cost for the 13,000-square-foot station was $6.3 million. The station was developed in partnership with Emergency Services District 8.

“The completion of Fire Station 7 ensures a high level of fire and medical response as we continue to experience growth in east Georgetown,” said District 7 City Council Member Tommy Gonzalez. “The station is a quality facility that fits in well on University Avenue and supports the men and women of our Fire Department.”

Fire Station 6 on the west side began operating last month with an engine company and a medic unit. It has three truck bays and living quarters for up to 6 personnel, and will initially be staffed with a combination of 4 firefighters and medics. The construction cost for the 12,000-square-foot station was $5.5 million. As with Station 7, a cost-sharing agreement between the City and ESD 8 helps to fund the station.

“These two new fire stations will allow for improved emergency response on the northwest and east sides of our city, which are two of the fastest-growing areas in our town,” said City Manager David Morgan. “We greatly value our partnership with ESD 8 that enables us to make these critical investments to serve our fire and medical response service area.”

The Georgetown Fire/Medical Department encourages homeowners living within five miles of one of the new fire stations to contact the Insurance Service Office for a review of your insurance policy.  To learn more on ISO ratings, go to fire.georgetown.org/iso-ratings.

The Williamson County Elections office results in the Nov. 3  City of Georgetown election. Final unofficial Election Day results including Early Voting with 57 of 57 polling locations reporting:

To see complete Nov. 3, 2020, election results, go to wilco.org/elections.

Votes will be canvassed at a special City Council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17. During that meeting, the newly-elected mayor and city council members will be sworn in.

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.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting ended on Oct. 30.

Polling places and polling place wait times on Election Day are listed at wilco.org/elections. Voter ID information can be found here. Masks are strongly encouraged at polling places for the safety of others, but not required per recent legal action.

Rides on GoGeo buses are free on Election Day, Nov. 3. The GoGeo 472 Purple route has a stop near the Election Day polling location at the Georgetown Housing Authority, 210 W. 18th Street.

A voter with a photo ID may hand-deliver their own mail ballot to the County Elections office on Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There is no drop box for mail ballots in Williamson County. If you have a mail ballot, but change your mind and want to vote in-person, you can surrender your mail ballot at a polling site and will be given an in-person ballot.

The municipal election for the City of Georgetown includes candidates for mayor and the District 2 and District 6 city council seats.

OCT. 29, 2020–Outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people and special events are allowed in the city limits of Georgetown, provided attendees and organizers adhere to a local order issued by Mayor Dale Ross. The order is effective immediately and is in response to and in accordance with orders issued by Gov. Greg Abbott.

“We recognize the good people of Georgetown want to get back to some form of normalcy after months of quarantine and closures, and we believe we’ve optimized a way for people to gather while still keeping our community safe and our hospitalizations low,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “The success and longevity of these orders hinge on two very important factors: Compliance and hospitalization rates. I am confident our neighbors will adhere to these safety precautions, which are aimed at minimizing hospitalization rates and ensuring we have an adequate number of hospital beds. Georgetown, like many communities, will continue to monitor and adapt our COVID-19 medical protocols to keep our citizens as safe as possible.”

The order allows outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people in the city limits provided all attendees, including employees and vendors, wear face coverings over their nose and mouth wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of distance from people outside their household.

Events requiring a Special Event Permit now will be required to develop, implement, and post Health and Safety Policies detailing the steps the organizer is taking to reduce the risks of spreading COVID-19. The policy must at least require all attendees, including employees and vendors, to wear face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of distance from people outside their household. Policies also should specify other safety measures, such as taking temperatures or performing health screenings. An example of a health and safety policy is available on the City’s website.

Both outdoor gatherings and special events must comply with other existing orders. This includes Gov. Abbott’s executive orders (GA-29, 30, 32, and any future orders) which speak to occupancy limits and triggers for changing responses based on hospitalizations. It also includes Georgetown’s local order issued July 3, 2020, that requires all people age 10 and older in Georgetown wear face coverings while in public, with some exceptions.

Enforcement 

While the City will prioritize education, both the State and local orders allow for fines to be assessed for violations of gathering orders.

Individuals who believe the orders are being violated by individuals or businesses in Georgetown can report it to the Georgetown Police Department’s non-emergency number: 512-930-3510.

Event organizers found in violation of the order, including failure to post a health and safety policy, may be given a citation and fined up to $1,000 per offense. Individuals found in violation will be given a verbal warning upon first offense and a fine of up to $250 per additional violation.

If an event or business has a customer who is unwilling to abide by the order, the business can ask the individual to leave. If they refuse to leave, the business can call the police department’s non-emergency number and officers will respond. No one can be jailed for violating gathering orders, but if an individual who refuses to comply refuses to leave the premises of the event or business, the individual may be arrested and charged with criminal trespassing.

For more information and updates, visit bit.ly/COVID19GTX.

Georgetown’s Director of Water Utilities Glenn Dishong has announced his retirement from his position effective Dec. 18, 2020.

“Glenn has embodied hard work, optimism, and outstanding problem solving during his career with the City,” City Manager David Morgan said. “He’s been a pillar in the city for nearly two decades. His contributions to this community are countless, and he will be greatly missed.”

Dishong came to the City of Georgetown in 2002 as the water services manager.  In 2010, he became the utility director, with responsibility for utility operations encompassing electric, water, and wastewater services. After a reorganization of the utility in 2019, he became the director of water utilities. He is a 1980 graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering. In addition to being a former U.S. Navy submarine officer, he has more than 30 years of experience in utility operations and management, including both water and electric utilities.

“My 18 years with the City have been the most rewarding of my 40-year career leading and managing people in the business of providing essential utility services, Dishong said. “While I turn loose the responsibility of leading a fabulous group of people, I look forward to keeping the relationships into the future.”

Dishong has been involved in numerous community activities, including service as president of the Texas Municipal Utility Association, as vice president of Georgetown Summer Swim Association, as senior warden of Grace Episcopal Church, and as a member on both the Texas Municipal League and the United Way of Williamson County boards.

While in Georgetown, Dishong and his wife, Nancy, started their family by adopting two children from Russia. With one now married to a Navy medic and the other in college, they look forward to the next phase of their journey, which hopefully includes car and motorcycle restoration and lots of travel.

“His vision and leadership were key to the City’s successful management of growth in the water utility,” Assistant City Manager Laurie Brewer said. “His list of accomplishments is exhaustive, and it includes the acquisition of the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District, implementation of advanced metering infrastructure, and a conservation program for the summer peak water demand.”

The recruitment process for a director of water utilities will begin in November, with the goal of hiring a new director after the first of the year. Director responsibilities will be divided among existing staff until a permanent selection has been made.

The last day of early in-person voting for the November election is Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through early voting and on Election Day.

Polling places and polling place wait times for the early in-person voting period and on Election Day are listed at wilco.org/elections. Voter ID information can be found here.

A voter may hand-deliver their own mail ballot to the County Elections office only during business hours with a photo ID. There is no drop box for mail ballots in Williamson County. If you have a mail ballot, but change your mind and want to vote in-person, you can surrender your mail ballot at a polling site and will be given an in-person ballot.

The municipal election for the City of Georgetown includes candidates for mayor and the District 2 and District 6 city council seats.