Join a community-wide read and virtual panel discussion called “Confronting Racism: A Community Conversation.” The books and the online, moderated discussion on Aug. 31 will focus on deepening participants’ understanding of racism and the ways it impacts individuals and society. The community-wide read and the virtual discussion are open to all and are sponsored by the Georgetown Public Library and Lark & Owl Booksellers.

Select from a slate of three best-selling books: “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi (for adults), “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas (for teens), and “New Kid” by Jerry Kraft (for children grades 5-8). All three books are available in print, audiobook, e-book, and e-audio from the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St., and in print and audiobook editions from Lark & Owl Booksellers, 205 W. Sixth St.

Public Library Director Eric Lashley said, “I would encourage our community to read these critically acclaimed books and sign up to follow the panel discussion focusing on how we can take steps to overcome racism in our personal lives and our community.”

The panel discussion will be facilitated by Tiffanie Harrison, an equity leader and marketing educator in Round Rock ISD who was Round Rock High School Teacher of the Year in 2015 and 2019. Harrison has an MBA and a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University, and she is a Beyond Diversity Affiliate Practitioner and Facilitator as well as an active leader in community organizations like Undoing Racism Round Rock, Engage Round Rock, and the Round Rock Black Parents Association.

Of the upcoming virtual panel discussion, Harrison said, “I am honored to be included in this incredibly important work. Georgetown and surrounding communities have the opportunity to show that we have not only the ability, but also the shared duty to honor the humanity of people of all races. At this juncture, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be actively anti-racist. This conversation is a great start to the work that lies ahead of us.” Panel members who will participate in each discussion will be announced prior to the event on Aug. 31.

Schedule for panel discussion on Aug. 31:

7 p.m. Welcome
7:10 p.m. Discussion of “New Kid” by Jerry Kraft
7:45 p.m. Discussion of “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
8:30 p.m. Discussion of “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi

The virtual panel discussion will be held on Crowdcast, which is a videoconferencing platform. Receive details and updates about the books and the virtual panel discussion at bit.ly/gtx-confronting-racism.

The City of Georgetown is enacting water use restrictions as a result of increasing landscape and lawn irrigation. Yesterday, the City’s water utility reached 85 percent of water treatment capacity on three consecutive days and is enacting Stage 1 of the Drought Contingency Plan, effective Tuesday, July 14.

During Stage 1 of the DCP, customers may not water their lawns between the hours of noon and 7 p.m. Irrigation before noon or after 7 p.m. will avoid the hottest daytime hours and let the water reach the roots of your lawn.

“Our water customers should look to ensure they are not watering during the heat of the day,” Director of Water Utilities Glenn Dishong said. “Watering during the hottest part of the day results in significant evaporation and water waste. We are enforcing our watering rules with the goal of avoiding more serious limits, such as watering only one day per week.”

Make sure you are only watering on your scheduled days based on your address (see graphic), not watering from noon to 7 p.m., and never watering on Mondays.

Stage 2 of the DCP is triggered when water use reaches 90 percent of capacity for three consecutive days. If water use continues to increase, further watering restrictions will be enacted.

Find your watering schedule, details on rebates, programming your controller how-to videos, and information on water planning and our water system at water.georgetown.org. For questions about the watering schedule and water use limits, contact Customer Care at 512-930-3640 or customercare@georgetown.org.

SEPT. 23 UPDATE: The City updated its local mask order to reflect the Governor’s Executive Order No. 30. The City’s mask order will be lifted when the statewide mask order is lifted.

Read Georgetown’s updated orders here.

Read Gov. Abbott’s Executive Order No. 30 here.

All people age 10 and older in Georgetown are required to wear face coverings while in public, with some exceptions, according to updated orders issued Friday, July 3, by Mayor Dale Ross. The orders reflect additional restrictions authorized by Gov. Greg Abbott on July 2. The governor’s orders also prohibit outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people at a time, without mayoral approval.

Read Georgetown’s updated orders here.

Read Gov. Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29 here.

Georgetown’s revised order expands upon previous requirements for commercial businesses to adopt and post health and safety policies requiring masks in the premises whenever physical distancing of six feet isn’t possible. Businesses still must adopt and publicly post health and safety policies by July 3. Those policies can include additional restrictions, such as taking temperatures, at the business’s discretion.

The Georgetown order will remain in place until Williamson County reports a positive test rate of 7 percent or fewer over a two-week average. The Georgetown order is similar to those in other Williamson County cities, including Round Rock, Hutto, Taylor, Leander, and Cedar Park.

“It was great to learn Gov. Abbott has joined me and other mayors in Central Texas in acknowledging the importance of requiring masks, so we can slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and across the state,” Mayor Ross said. “With these new orders, the governor has used good judgement in giving more authority back to local officials, who have the best view into how this pandemic is affecting our fellow neighbors. In these dangerous times, we have to be able to act quickly to protect our communities. The City Council, staff, and I are committed to do everything we can to protect the health and safety of the good people of Georgetown.”

Face coverings do not substitute for the need to maintain physical distancing. Face coverings, combined with physical distancing, decrease the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Enforcement 

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

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.

Businesses 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 a 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 mask orders, but if an individual who refused to wear a mask refuses to leave, the individual may be arrested and charged with criminal trespassing.

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

A construction project to improve safety on Hwy. 195 at Berry Creek Drive has been completed. The crossover at Berry Creek Drive closed permanently yesterday. Access to and from Berry Creek Drive on Hwy. 195 is now via turnarounds at either side of the intersection. (See map.)

The $776,000 project by the Texas Department of Transportation added auxiliary lanes and turnarounds at the intersection, as well as lighting, signage, and safety barriers. The contractor for the project was Angel Brothers Construction.

City offices and facilities will be closed Friday, July 3, for the Independence Day holiday. Facilities closed on Friday, July 3, include:

• Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive
• Animal Shelter, 110 W.L. Walden Drive
• City Hall, 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 Department, 406 W. Eighth St.
• Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St. (will be closed July 3-5)

The following City facilities that typically have Saturday hours will be closed Saturday, July 4:

• Animal Shelter, 110 W.L. Walden Drive
• Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
• Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
• Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St. (will be closed July 3-5)

Pools Schedule for July 3 and 4

On Friday and Saturday, July 3 and 4, the outdoor pools at Village and Williams Drive will be open from 1 to 6:30 p.m. The outdoor pool at the Recreation Center will be open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 3, and closed on Saturday, July 4.

The outdoor splash pads at San Jose Park, Rabbit Hill Park, and downtown at Ninth and Main streets also will be operating on July 3 and 4.

July 4 fireworks canceled

The July 4 celebration and fireworks display in San Gabriel Park has been canceled due to COVID-19 safety and physical distancing concerns.

GoGeo bus service

There will be no service Friday, July 3. Saturday service has been canceled due to COVID-19.

Regular solid waste and recycling collection

There will be regular solid waste and recycling collection for City of Georgetown customers on Friday, July 3. For questions about trash or recycling collection, call Texas Disposal Systems at 512-930-1715.

The Collection Station at 250 W.L. Walden Drive will be open normal hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, July 3.

Three Georgetown Fire Department firefighters have recently tested positive for COVID-19. These are the first cases of public-facing City employees testing positive for COVID-19 in Georgetown.

The firefighters all work in three different City facilities and wore personal protective equipment when interacting directly with the public. All staff who were exposed to the confirmed COVID-19 positive employees were evaluated for exposure risk, symptoms, and, when recommended, COVID-19 tests, and appropriate action was taken. Employees who are exposed and/or developing symptoms are identified through the COVID-19 screening and exposure process. The City follows CDC guidance and works closely with the Williamson County and Cities Health District to minimize COVID-19 risk to employees and the community.

At this time, the City has enough staffing to continue to meet service demand and is working through plans to address any staffing shortages as they arise. Due in part to the increasing occurrence of COVID-19 within the community, we expect more employees to test positive for COVID-19 in the coming weeks, and will share that information only when residents will see a change in services.

While most City facilities are open to the public and offering limited services, all employees and visitors are required to maintain physical distance and wear masks when that is not possible. Employees also are required to take their temperatures upon entering a City facility. Given the recent spikes in our area, the City is reviewing additional closures to keep the public and staff safe.

“I want to thank all our City employees, who have remained dedicated and committed to serving this community throughout these uncertain, stressful times,” City Manager David Morgan said. “Our thoughts are with our affected employees and their families. We are making every effort to care for our employees and maintain their privacy.”

It is important for everyone to continue to take measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 to keep our medical professionals, public safety professionals, friends, family, and neighbors safe.

The City and other health and government partners continue to stress the importance of practicing good personal hygiene and maintaining social distance during essential activities to disrupt the spread of the virus. Proper hygiene practices include:

• Stay home whenever possible, especially when you are sick.
• Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet between yourself and others when you’re outside.
• Do not gather in groups of 10 or more.
• Wear a mask, particularly if physical distance can’t be maintained.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For health-related questions about COVID-19, call the WCCHD hotline at 512-943-3600.

For Georgetown COVID-19 updates and information, visit bit.ly/COVID19GTX.

Effective Friday, June 26, Blue Hole Park is closed to the public until further notice to help enforce physical distancing.

The section of the trail going through Blue Hole Park will also be closed, and barricades will be installed at Scenic Drive and at Rock Street to close off the trail. Access to the trail via the low water crossing below the dam also will be closed off. Restrooms will be closed as well.

“Due to the large crowds that continue to gather in our small, Blue Hole Park and the spiking number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Williamson County, we are closing the park out of an abundance of caution and to better ensure the safety of our residents,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “We encourage every Georgetown resident to please, take this threat to our health and safety seriously. Please stay home if you can.

“The keys to our safety are to keep your distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands,” Ross said. “Our community is in this together, and your neighbors are counting on you.”

Park and trail users are encouraged to follow CDC guidance and practice physical distancing by remaining a minimum of six feet away from anyone you pass on the trails and avoid areas where people may gather.

For more information about City services, community resources, and frequently asked questions about COVID-19, visit bit.ly/COVID19GTX.