The City again needs to increase the power cost adjustment, or PCA, on customers’ electric bills. This follows an initial increase in February that was originally expected to be reduced in September.

The PCA allows the City to compensate for fluctuations in purchased power cost and is one tool to ensure the stability of the electric fund. The City has increased and decreased the PCA several times over the years in response to changing energy prices.

The increased costs for energy is in part tied to energy providers not being able to supply energy to the statewide electric grid. This phenomena, known as congestion, occurs when there is more energy generated than is needed to meet demand. If the energy is not consumed, the transmission lines “fill up,” breaching their limits, which can cause reliability issues. This congestion increases the overall cost of energy for the City.

Customers will incur an increase of $0.00625 per kilowatt hour, resulting in a new PCA of $0.02375 per kilowatt hour. This new PCA amount will be assessed on electric consumption starting June 1. The average customer uses 949 kilowatt hours per month and will experience a $5.93 increase on their monthly bill. During the summer, the average use increases to 1,600 kilowatt hours, resulting in an increase to $10 on their monthly bill.

“As we get through this fiscal year, we will revisit the PCA,” City Manager David Morgan said. “Based on the current performance of the City’s energy contracts and uncertainty regarding the energy costs this summer, fully reducing the PCA may not be possible.”

The City has taken steps to address congestion, as well as securing new third-party energy management partners that are able to more rapidly respond and react to changing market conditions and better ensure against market volatility. Along with bringing on new partners, the city is focusing on internal and external resources to increase the reporting, oversight, and accountability for decision-making related to the energy contracts.

Utility bond rating adjusted

This week, rating agency Standard and Poor’s adjusted the City’s combined water and electric utility bond rating from AA to AA-.

The factors cited in Georgetown’s rating include the energy the City is under contract to purchase above what is needed to serve customers, above average customer electric rates, as well as low energy prices and transmission congestion in the statewide energy grid.

However, S&P highlights a stable credit outlook for the utility, citing strong debt and cash management, continued customer growth, and a strong local economy. The new rating is expected to increase costs for issuing debt by less than 0.1 percent.

“Although it’s disappointing, a AA- rating is still in line with or better than most utilities our size,” Morgan said. “In Texas, similarly sized city-owned utilities have bond ratings that range from A- to AA.”

“We are working to address the issues highlighted in the rating as soon as we can,” Morgan added. “This is a multi-year challenge. There is no silver bullet or short-term solution. Our current focus is bringing in new partners to help improve the day-to-day management of our energy portfolio.”

The search for a new general manager begins

The City will be reorganizing the management of its water and electric utilities as part of the budget process currently underway. Earlier this month, long-time General Manager of Utilities Jim Briggs announced he will retire at the end of September. Current Utility Director Glenn Dishong will continue to lead the City’s water utility, and the City will begin the search for a new general manager of electric this summer.

The new general manager of electric will focus on improving the performance of the City’s energy portfolio, developing new measures to evaluate portfolio performance, as well as clarifying the process for how these measures are shared in meaningful ways with City Council and the public. This person will also be developing and implementing a comprehensive risk management policy that sets boundaries on risk tolerances, financial obligations, and guides decision-making at all levels of the electric utility. Finally, they will be charged with studying alternative governance structures for the electric utility (e.g., a separate oversight board) and the implications of opting in to the competitive retail market.

For more information, please review the FAQ on the City’s energy contracts at gus.georgetown.org/electric.

Today the U.S. Census Bureau released population estimates showing that Georgetown is ranked seventh on the list of fastest-growing cities in the country with a population of more than 50,000. Georgetown’s growth rate was 5.2 percent from July 1, 2017, through July 1, 2018, resulting in a population estimate of 74,180.

“I promise, we’re not trying to be the fastest-growing city in the U.S.,” Mayor Dale Ross said. “Frankly, people choose Georgetown because we are a safe city with a high-quality of life, great parks, an award-winning library, a low tax rate, and the Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas. We recognize what a great place Georgetown is, and others recognize it, too.”

“Georgetown is well-positioned in a fast-growing region. We are working to make the most of opportunities to bring high-quality employers to our city, while preserving Georgetown’s authentic charm and character. We’re fortunate to have like-minded partners like Southwestern University, Georgetown ISD, Williamson County, St. David’s, and Sun City, too.”

Georgetown was the sixth fastest-growing city in the U.S. on the list released last year by the Census. In 2017, Georgetown was the fifth fastest-growing city in the U.S., the fastest in 2016, and the second fastest in 2015.

Georgetown’s population was 47,400 in the 2010 census. According to today’s estimate, Georgetown added 26,780 residents with a growth rate of 56.5 percent from 2010 to 2018.

“The growth does help the City maintain one of the lowest tax rates in the region,” Ross added. “It helps fund the infrastructure needed to prepare for the many new people who will call Georgetown home this year. In fact, we are on pace to complete a decade’s worth of voter approved road bonds in just seven years.”

According to the Texas Demographic Center, the Austin region is expected to more than double in size by the year 2050, growing from 2 million to 4.5 million population.

“We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can stop growth,” Ross said. “It is critically important that we work leverage opportunities that are presented to us, with a focus on preserving what makes Georgetown unique.”

The news release from the Census about the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. is at census.gov.

The annual Memorial Day ceremony in Georgetown will be held at the Georgetown-Williamson County Veterans Memorial Plaza located at 2 Texas Drive, behind the Social Center in the Sun City neighborhood. This free event begins at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 27 and is open to the public. The ceremony honors the men and women of our armed forces who gave their lives in service to our country.

The guest speaker is U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Music will be provided by the 36th Infantry Division Band of the Texas Army National Guard. The ceremony also includes singing of the national anthem, presentation of wreaths at both Memorial Walls, and sounding of taps. The event also includes a flyover by Falcon Flight, a recreational aircraft formation flying team.

Seven-hundred folding chairs will be placed at the Memorial. Guests also are invited to bring their folding chairs and sit under the trees. The Sun City Community Association will serve refreshments on the Social Center patio after the ceremony.

In case of rain, the event will be held in the Social Center Ballroom. Seating is limited to 600 in the Ballroom due to the room capacity.

City of Georgetown offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day holiday. This includes the following:

• 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.
• Light and Water Works Building, 406 W. Eighth St.
• Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
• Municipal Court, 510 W. Ninth St.
• Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College 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

The Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St., will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday, May 27. Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243 will be open normal hours, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., on Monday, May 27.

GoGeo transit service

There will be no GoGeo bus transit service on Monday, May 27.

Pools open Memorial Day weekend

All seasonal outdoor pools will open Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, but will close May 28-30. Below are hours for City pools on Memorial Day.

Seasonal Outdoor Pools: The Village, River Ridge, and Williams Drive pools will be open 1 to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 27. The Tennis Center Pool will be closed on Monday, May 27.

Outdoor Play Pool at the Recreation Center will be open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. The play pool will be closed May 26-May 30, and will reopen for normal hours Friday, May 31.

Splash pads: The splash pads at San Jose Park, 1707 San Jose St. and Downtown, 816 S. Main St. and Rabbit Hill Park, 1109 Blue Ridge Drive are open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. each day through Sept. 30. The splash pad at Garey Park is open daily during park hours from March 9 through October 31. The Garey Park splash pad closes 30 minutes prior to park closing.

The outdoor pools will close May 28-30, but will reopen May 31 and remain open for normal summer hours.

For details, go to parks.georgetown.org/aquatics or call (512) 930-3596.

Solid waste and recycling

There will be normal solid waste and recycling collection for City of Georgetown customers on Monday, May 27. Carts should be at the curb by 7 a.m. on pickup day. The Collection Station at 250 W.L. Walden Drive will be open normal hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., on Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day holiday.

The City will celebrate the completion of all the recent improvements to the Georgetown Municipal Airport with a ribbon cutting May 31 at 10 a.m. The event will be at the Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive.

The most recently completed work includes the rehabilitation of Runway 18-36, the airport’s main north-south runway. Other improvements to the airport include the construction of a parallel north-south taxiway, lighting upgrades, and the relocation of the fuel storage tanks to above-ground.

The event will include remarks from Mayor Dale Ross and Marc Williams, deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation, as well as Buz Landry, who attended the airport’s opening in November 1945.

A team of three student attorneys from Georgetown won the teen court state competition held in Bedford last month. Linsey Jensen, Taylor Price, and Matthew McCarthy took first place in the final round on April 13 in which they competed against a team from Allen. Georgetown Teen Court state competition participants were honored at the Georgetown City Council meeting this week.

The annual state competition in which three-person teams of teen attorneys are scored for their lawyering skills in mock trials is sponsored by the Teen Court Association of Texas. Municipal Court and Teen Court Judge Randy Stump and attorney Caden Wenzel served as competition coaches for the Georgetown Teen Court attorneys.

A Georgetown Teen Court team won the state competition previously in 2016. This is the eighth year that Georgetown has sent a team to participate in the teen court state competition.

Georgetown Teen Court is a program of the City of Georgetown Municipal Court. High school students age 13 to 18 serve as attorneys, jury members, and defendants in the program, which is a real court for traffic tickets and other misdemeanor offenses. The program started more than 25 years ago.

Pictured left to right: Municipal Court and Teen Court Judge Randy Stump, Camryn Whitman, Bella Bartholomew, Daniel Nehrbass, Matthew McCarthy, Linsey Jensen, Taylor Price, Caden Wenzel, and Tina Heine, Georgetown Teen Court coordinator.

Pictured left to right: (State champion team) Linsey Jensen, Taylor Price, Tarrant County District Attorney Sharon Wilson, City of Ft. Worth Chief Judge Danny Rodgers, Metroport Teen Court Attorney Luvenia Sanchez, and Matthew McCarthy.

Pictured left to right:  (All Georgetown Teen Court competitor team members) Bailiff Fred Pitcher, Judge Randy Stump, Matthew McCarthy, Linsey Jensen, Taylor Price, Camryn Whitman, Bella Bartholomew, Daniel Nehrbass, Teen Court Coordinator Tina Heine, and Ashley Huey, Georgetown High School teacher/coordinator.