Proposed Voluntary Disannexation of 80.929 Acres
The City of Georgetown is considering a voluntary disannexation of property from the city limits. The public hearing will be held at the December 10, 2019 City Council meeting at 6 pm.
City Council meetings are located at the City Council Chambers, 510 W. 9th Street.
The area being considered for voluntary disannexation is approximately an 80.929-acre tract of land situated in the J. Thompson Survey, generally located on the north side of FM 2243, east of CR 176.
After holding the required public hearing, the City Council will consider an ordinance for the disannexation.
For additional information, please contact Chelsea Irby in the Planning Department, 512-931-7746 or email to chelsea.irby@georgetown.org.
Arts and Culture Board seeks grant proposals for projects, events
The Georgetown Arts and Culture Board is seeking grant proposals for art, music, theater, dance, and cultural heritage events or projects to take place in Georgetown between April and September 2020. The call for grant proposals opens Dec. 1.
Nonprofit organizations, schools, informal arts and culture organizations, and individual artists who are creating public art, arts and culture programming, or an event open to the public are eligible to apply. Organizations that received grant funding in the previous grant cycle are not eligible to apply. Grants awarded last year averaged $1,000 apiece.
Proposals should include:
- Contact information for someone who is readily available to answer questions about the proposal
- Purpose and description of the event or project
- Amount being requested and total budget, including other anticipated funding sources
- Date, location, admission charge, and anticipated attendance
- Size and demographic makeup of past audiences or participants
Special consideration will be given for events or projects that meet one or more of these criteria:
- Free admission
- Outreach to populations that are traditionally underrepresented
- A cultural tourism or economic impact
Organizations or individuals that receive funding will be required to follow up by:
- Recognizing the City of Georgetown Arts and Culture Board in their advertising and programs
- Submitting a one-page report to the Arts and Culture Board with a description of the use of grant funds and copies of event promotion materials
Grant proposals must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Organizations will be notified by email about funding decisions in January.
To submit a grant proposal and get more information about the grant program and requirements, visit arts.georgetown.org. If you have questions, contact Amanda Still at (512) 930-8471 or amanda.still@georgetown.org.
2019-20 Sculpture Tour awards announced
The City of Georgetown Arts and Culture Board has awarded Marble Falls sculptor Dan Pogue the first prize award in the 2019-20 Sculpture Tour, a juried year-long outdoor exhibit in the vibrant Georgetown Cultural District. Pogue won for his piece “One Trick Pony,” a cast bronze sculpture inspired by carousel ponies. The sculpture is located at the corner of Austin Avenue and Sixth Street.
Second prize went to Anthony St. James for his piece “Remember When,” a giant steel bicycle crafted from steel, stainless steel, and antique industrial wheels. This piece is located in front of the Georgetown Public Library’s Eighth Street entrance.
The other sculptures accepted into the tour include:
Anthony St. James, “Cloud Kaleidoscope”
Mary Paige Huey, “Garden Femme”
David Southerland, “Healing Hand”
Cindy Debold, “In and Out of the Box”
Steve Parker, “Lo Fi Cycle”
John Mark Luke, “Wastin’ Away Again”
Laura Sturtz, “Cheshire Cat”
Laura Sturtz, “Hands”
Cindy Debold, “Joy”
Jay Schaan, “Quest for Knowledge”
Laura Sturtz, “High Stepping Dancer”
The board selected these 11 sculptures from a total of 20 pieces submitted for consideration by 14 artists. Two sculptures, “Hands” by Laura Sturtz and “Quest for Knowledge” by Jay Schaan were part of the 2018-19 Sculpture Tour and will remain into the 2019-20 tour due to popularity. All sculptures will remain on exhibit through October.
For more information, including a map of the sculpture tour and images of the sculptures, visit arts.georgetown.org/art/sculpture-tour.
Thanksgiving holiday city facility closings
City of Georgetown offices and facilities will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29, 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. 28-29 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, 406 W. Eighth 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. 28, and open these hours on Friday, Nov. 29:
- Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Collection Station, 250 W. L. Walden Drive, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243, open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St., open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Georgetown Public Library will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, and reopen for normal hours at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.
GoGeo bus service
There will be no GoGeo bus service on Thursday, Nov. 28, or Friday, Nov. 29. Buses will resume normal operation on Saturday, 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. 28. 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 Collection Station at 250 W. L. Walden Drive will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day), but open regular hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 29.
Lighting of the Square on Nov. 29
Celebrate the holiday season at the annual Lighting of the Square event on the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 29. The event will be held on the east steps of the historic Williamson County Courthouse, 710 S. Main St. The festivities include entertainment from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Mayor Dale Ross and Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell will flip the switch illuminating the courthouse lights and grounds, as well as the lights around the Square, at approximately 6 p.m. Stores will be open late.
Entertainment during the event will be provided by the Austin Carolers, and complimentary refreshments will be provided.
Swing by The Williamson Museum where children will be able to make a craft from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The museum is free and open to the public.
Toy donations the Georgetown Police Department Blue Santa and to Williamson County Brown Santa are encouraged. More information and applications are available bluesanta.georgetown.org for Blue Santa or at wilco.org/brownsanta for Brown Santa.
After the lighting, Williamson County Brown Santa will offer the option for visitors to take photos with Santa inside the courthouse from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for a donation of an unwrapped toy, wrapping paper or a monetary donation. Enter the courthouse on the south side on Eighth Street.
Free parking for the event can be found at Sixth and Main streets, Seventh and Rock streets, Austin Avenue and Fifth Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Seventh and Eighth streets, and the parking garage located at Fourth and Rock streets.
The lights around the Square are supported by the City of Georgetown, and Williamson County provides the lights on the courthouse.
For details on holiday events and activities in Georgetown, call the Georgetown Convention & Visitors Bureau at (512) 930-3545, or visit VisitGeorgetown.com.
Shop Small Business Saturday and be a hero
Shoppers are invited to Shop Small with local merchants during the annual Small Business Saturday event on Saturday, Nov. 30.
This year’s theme is Be a Hero! Shop Small! Celebrate how you can be a hero to a small business, by shopping local this holiday season.
The day will kick off at 10 a.m. at the Georgetown Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St., where shoppers can pick up special Shop Small shopping bags, giveaways, and compete for prizes. Shoppers are encouraged to dress as superheroes and have fun while shopping small.
The annual Small Business Saturday event is sponsored by the Georgetown Main Street Program, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Georgetown Association.
Texas Speed and Performance expanding in Georgetown
Georgetown-based Texas Speed and Performance, a high-performance aftermarket automotive parts retailer, is expanding its operations in Georgetown. Founders Trevor Doelling and Jason Mangum have plans to construct two buildings through their real estate company Motion Commercial Properties LLC.
Motion Commercial Properties purchased 157 acres next to the Georgetown Municipal Airport and will build two commercial buildings with a total of 200,000 square feet. Texas Speed will occupy 70,000-square-feet within the first building that will total 120,000 square feet, and the remaining space will be leased to other businesses.
The total capital investment for the project is expected to be $11.5 million, including $1.5 million in infrastructure improvements.
“It’s great when our local businesses expand here in Georgetown because it shows they know this is a wonderful place to do business,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “Georgetown residents have said one of the top needs in our community is creating employment opportunities, and Texas Speed and Performance’s expansion helps us get one step closer to that goal. We work hard to build relationships with our existing businesses to support their continued growth that helps make Georgetown the best place to live, work and play.”
Doelling said the company purposefully chose to expand in Georgetown because so many of the company’s employees are already located in the Georgetown area.
“We also wanted to stay on the same electric provider because of its reliability, which is a concern due the power requirements to run all of our machining equipment,” he said.
“We love working with the City of Georgetown with all of our businesses, and we are very excited for the opportunity to expand our business even further. Georgetown is a great location, and with the significant growth it makes it a no-brainer to continue our expansion in the city that has supported us with our other ventures,” Doelling said. “We are anxious to begin the construction of our facility that will offer lease space to attract additional businesses to Georgetown, and the ultimate goal is to add a second facility once the first one is fully leased out. Georgetown is a prime location for continued growth, and we are excited to be a part of it.”
Texas Speed, founded in 2002, is now one of the largest high-performance late-model General Motors parts retailers in the country and currently leases 36,000 square feet of space from Texas Outdoor Power Equipment. The company employs 62 people and plans to add 45 new employees with an average salary of $50,000 over the next five years.
Community Thanksgiving on Nov. 28
Organizers of the communitywide Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day are seeking volunteers and monetary donations. Community Thanksgiving takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28. A traditional Thanksgiving meal is served to 500 people at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St.
This event is free and open to the public. There is no ticketing involved. Meals are provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Monetary donations to help fund the event can be made to Sertoma Club of Georgetown, with “Community Thanksgiving” in the memo line. Mail donations to Sertoma Club of Georgetown, P.O. Box 1501, Georgetown, TX, 78627. Donations can also be dropped off at First Texas Bank, 900 S. Austin Ave.
Volunteers are also needed to assist with event set-up, food preparation, serving, logistics, and clean-up. Dinner includes turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, rolls, and sweet potatoes. Water and tea are also available.
Community Thanksgiving is planned and supported by the City of Georgetown, City of Georgetown Police and Fire departments, Do Yourself a Flavor Catering, CJ’s Catering, GW Pyro, and The Salvation Army of Williamson County.
If you or your organization would like to help volunteer, or if you have questions, please contact the organizing committee at gtxthanksgiving@gmail.com or signup online at bit.ly/gtxthanksgiving19.
Veterans Day events
The annual Veterans Day Ceremony in Georgetown is at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, at the Georgetown-Williamson County Veterans Memorial Plaza, 2 Texas Drive. All veterans and their families attending will be recognized and several veterans will participate in the program. The ceremony also includes a dedication to Gold Star families and a musical salute to our armed forces.
The guest speaker during the event is The Adjutant General of the Texas National Guard Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris.
Parking is available at the Sun City Social Center at 2 Texas Drive and across the street at the Activities Center at 1 Texas Drive. Seven-hundred folding chairs will be placed at the Memorial for event seating. Guests also may bring a folding chair and sit at the plaza under the trees. The Sun City Community Association will serve refreshments on the Social Center patio after the ceremony. The event is free and open to the public. In case of rain, the event will be held in the ballroom at the Sun City Social Center, 2 Texas Drive, Georgetown, TX, 78633.
Field of Honor
The Rotary Club of Georgetown is hosting its annual Field of Honor in San Gabriel Park, at Chamber Way and East Morrow Street in cooperation with the City.
The event features a field of approximately 2,000 American flags each purchased to honor a veteran, active or reserve duty military individual or first responder.
Flags will be set up on Nov. 8 and on display Nov. 9-17. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found at www.georgetowntxfieldofhonor.org.
Calixtro and Fuller in runoff for Council District 1
The Williamson County Elections office has posted final, unofficial results for the City Council District 1 special election on Nov. 5 in Georgetown.
These are the final, unofficial results for District 1 as of 10:57 p.m.
Race | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
District 1 | Mary Calixtro | 178 | 38.70 |
Alex Fuller | 200 | 43.48 | |
Stevie Nicole Jones | 82 | 17.83 |
To see complete Nov. 5, 2019, election results, go to wilco.org/elections.
Votes for the District 1 special election will be canvassed at a City Council meeting at 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, in the Council and Court building, 510 W. Ninth St.
Run-off election for District 1
Since no candidate received 50 percent of the votes cast, a District 1 run-off election between those with the most votes, Alex Fuller and Mary Calixtro, will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 10. There will be a five-day early voting period for the runoff election from Monday, Dec. 2 through Friday, Dec. 6. Details about the runoff election polling places and times will be available at Williamson County Elections office website at wilco.org/elections.