Cupid’s Chase 5K and Fun Run on Feb. 3
Register now for the 23rd annual Cupid’s Chase 5K and Fun Run on Saturday, Feb. 3. The chip-timed 5K run/walk begins at 8 a.m. in downtown Georgetown at Seventh and Main streets and ends at the Bark Park on Holly Street. (A shuttle will take you back to the starting line).
Through Jan. 10, the registration cost is $18 for adults ages 13-54 and $16 for children age 12 and younger and seniors age 55 and older. Registration between Jan. 11 and Feb. 2 is $22 per person for all age groups and $25 on race day.
The Kids Fun Run for children age 8 and younger starts at 7:30 a.m. The course is a loop around the Courthouse. Registration is $10 before Feb. 3 and $15 on race day.
Participants receive a Cupid’s Chase T-shirt, while supplies last. Cupid costumes are encouraged. Strollers and dogs on a non-retractable leash are always welcome on the Cupid’s Chase course. T-shirts are not guaranteed for those who register on race day.
Awards will be presented to the top overall male and female winners and the overall male and female masters winners as well as the top three male and female finishers in each age division. Awards also will be presented to the top overall male and female City of Georgetown employee. If you are a City of Georgetown employee, be sure to indicate so when you register.
Race results will be posted after the race at cupid.georgetown.org.
In case of bad weather on race day, check facebook.com/GTXParksandRec, and parks.georgetown.org for updates. There are no refunds or transfers for participants.
Cupid’s Chase is sponsored by Georgetown Parks and Recreation. Event proceeds help fund projects at Georgetown parks. To register online or for details, go to cupid.georgetown.org.
Recycling Christmas trees and boxes
City of Georgetown residents are encouraged to recycle Christmas trees, boxes, and wrapping paper to reduce material going to the landfill. If you recycle your tree, please remove the tree stand and any garland, ornaments, or lights. Artificial trees cannot be recycled.
Curbside Pick-up: Texas Disposal Systems customers in the city limits of Georgetown can put Christmas trees on the curb for collection on your regular yard trimmings pickup day. Trees seven feet in length or less can be placed at the curb uncut. Longer trees should be cut into sections. No artificial trees.
Collection Day Lookup: For Georgetown city residents, your yard trimmings collection day is on your first recycling day of the month. Look it up at recycle.georgetown.org.
Boxes and Wrapping Paper: Cardboard boxes and wrapping paper are recyclable. If they won’t fit in your recycling cart, you can put wrapping paper and boxes in a larger box and set it next to your recycling cart so it can be recycled. Ribbons and bows are not recyclable. Cellophane wrap and plastic bags are recyclable if they are placed in a yellow bag-the-bag, tied, and placed inside the recycling cart. Note that no extra plastic bags next to your trash cart are permitted without a bag tag. Go to recycle.georgetown.org for a complete list of recyclables.
Christmas Tree Drop-off: From Dec. 26 through Jan. 31 at no charge, Christmas trees will be accepted at the City of Georgetown Collection Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive. Normal fees apply to other items. Mulch is available, year-round, free-of-charge to City residents.
Collection Station: Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Collection Station is closed Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1. For details, contact Texas Disposal Systems at (512) 930-1715.
The City is also collecting holiday string-lights for recycling at designated drop-off locations. Click here for more information.
Council sets vision, goals, and strategies for Georgetown
The Georgetown City Council confirmed a new vision statement for the city, as well as five goals and nine strategies to support that vision, during its policy workshop yesterday.
“Georgetown: A caring community honoring our past and innovating for the future” was approved as the new vision statement to express the city’s identity and aspirations. The vision statement was developed by the City Council in goal setting meetings Nov. 1-2. Ideas and input for the vision statement came from residents in two community surveys conducted in September and October. The vision statement helps to align the community’s future direction and serves as a building block for updating the City’s comprehensive plan, future branding initiatives, and City Council goal-setting.
In addition to approving the vision statement, the City Council set five goals and nine strategies to advance those goals at their meeting yesterday.
Council goals
The City Council affirmed five broad goals in support of the overall vision for Georgetown. Those goals, which create a framework for all facets of city operations, include the following:
Cultural: Georgetown is a truly diverse, vibrant, innovative, inclusive, and socially dynamic city where everyone has the opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, our economic, political, and social activities.
Employee: Our outstanding City employees work diligently to bring the vision of council to life and deliver exceptional services to our customers while exemplifying our Core Values.
Internal Business Processes: Our policies and procedures are easy to understand and consistently and professionally applied. Our internal processes are effective, efficient, fair, inventive, and transparent and make us a desired destination for residents and businesses.
Customer: Anyone interacting with the City will have such a positive experience that they will tell everyone about it.
Financial: We maintain a fiscal environment conducive to attaining the goals of the City.
Council strategies
In support of broad goals and the overall mission, the City Council also developed nine strategies to advance the vision and goals. The nine strategies represent a refinement of 14 strategies set by the council in 2015, several of which have been fully accomplished. The new list of strategies serve to establish direction for city programs and operations. The strategies include:
1. Become a destination for unique experiences
2. Create a strategy to increase mobility
3. Promote greater diversity in our population and our businesses
4. Create and maintain outstanding aesthetics and a welcoming appearance and spirit
5. Develop an annexation and MUD strategy
6. Monitor, promote, and communicate a long-term water and utilities plan and strategy
7. Expand on our reputation as a City of Innovation
8. Increase our influence with state government
9. Expand our role to develop collaborative strategies with Georgetown ISD, Southwestern University, and other entities
The vision, goals, and strategies approved by the City Council at their meeting last night serve as a starting point for an update to the City’s comprehensive plan, which will begin next year. They also serve as a framework for future projects, programs, budgets, and other initiatives by the City of Georgetown.
City introduces holiday lights recycling
The City of Georgetown has partnered with Texas Disposal Systems to offer free holiday string-light recycling to all Georgetown residents. Georgetown is the first city in Central Texas to offer this service.
Residents can drop off their old or broken string lights until Jan. 31 at one of three collection locations:
- City of Georgetown Collection and Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Road
- Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
- Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
Sun City residents may also drop off old or broken string lights at the Cowan Creek Pavilion, 1433 Cool Springs Way, in Sun City.
String lights should not be placed in residential or commercial recycling bins because they can damage the sorting machines at the recycling center. String lights must be taken to a collection location. The program is limited to string lights. Yard art, inflatables and other holiday lighting will not be collected.
Groundbreaking for downtown civic campus Nov. 28
The City of Georgetown will break ground on Nov. 28 to start the renovation of two City buildings that will be part of a civic campus for City government offices. The groundbreaking ceremony is at 10:30 a.m. in front of the future City Hall building at 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
Known as Downtown West, the new civic campus will include a City Hall and Council Chamber and Municipal Court Building as well as the existing Georgetown Public Library that opened in 2007, the Historic Light and Water Works office building, and a public parking lot on Eighth Street.
The former public library building at 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St. is being renovated to become a new City Hall office building. The 1987 library building was vacated when the new Public Library opened one half-block to the east. City Hall will include offices for City management, City Secretary’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources, and the Mayor. The building renovation will retain most of the limestone exterior walls as well as structural beams and the foundation.
Adjacent to the new City Hall will be the new Council Chambers and Municipal Court. The City office building at 510 W. Ninth St. currently called the Communication and Technology Building will be renovated to become the Council Chambers and Municipal Court. An addition on the east side of the building will include the new City Council Chamber that also serves as a municipal courtroom. The addition also houses a jury room and council meeting room. Offices for Municipal Court and Accounting will be on the first floor in the existing structure. Currently the building houses the Information Technology Department, which will remain on the second floor.
A walkway and green space area will connect the Council Chambers and Municipal Court with City Hall. The one-block section of Ninth Street between the two buildings and adjoining green space can be used for events.
The $13 million project is funded by proceeds from the sale of City buildings, municipal bonds, and fee revenues. Construction should be complete in 12 months. The architect for the project is Lawrence Group and the contractor is Balfour Beatty.
The current Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St., and City Hall, 113 E. Eighth St., and Council Chambers and Municipal Court, 101 E. Seventh St., will be sold for retail or commercial use. A request for proposals to purchase each building will be released in early-2018.
The new civic complex on Eighth and MLK streets will centralize several offices that are currently in buildings scattered throughout the city. In addition to providing needed facility space, the new civic campus enables easier collaboration for City employees and convenience for residents using City services.
City Vendor Meet and Greet Dec. 5
Do you have a business in landscaping, printing, plumbing or electrical services, graphic design, road construction, automotive maintenance, civil engineering, or architectural services? Do you sell vehicles, asphalt, medical supplies, or specialized software?
If so, you may have an opportunity to do business with the City of Georgetown.
Find out more at the City Vendor Meet and Greet on Dec. 5. Sponsored by the City of Georgetown Purchasing Department, the fair is 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, 1 Chamber Way in Georgetown.
At the event there will be an opportunity to meet with employees in the Purchasing Department and find out more about the City’s process to accept bids, proposals, and qualifications. A variety of other City staff will be at the event. Light refreshments will be provided.
If you’d like to attend the fair, please RSVP by Nov. 30 by sending an email to the Purchasing Department at purchasing@georgetown.org. If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Purchasing Department at (512) 930-3647.
Intergalactic Dog Adoption Special
Georgetown Animal Shelter wants the Force to be with you, just in time for the premiere of the next Star Wars movie. To help ease overcrowding, the shelter is offering 60% off of adoption fees through the end of the year.
The “May the Fur Be with You” adoption special applies to medium-large adult dogs. Normally $70, during the special, dogs may be adopted for only $25 – which includes their spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, heartworm treatment if needed, and a small bag of dog food and other goodies.
The city shelter is located in central Georgetown, next to San Gabriel Park, at 110 WL Walden Dr., and is open Monday-Friday, 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (closed Wednesdays) and 12:00-4:00 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. For more information about the Georgetown Animal Shelter, visit pets.georgetown.org.
Channel the Force, and visit the shelter today!
Georgetown Parks and Recreation announces Thanksgiving Camps
Georgetown Parks and Recreation will offer camps for students during the Thanksgiving break Nov. 20 and 21. Pricing and schedules vary for each program.
Participants can select from two camps:
- Camp Goodwater is offered for children ages 5-12. The camp includes a variety of activities, such as gym games, trips to local parks, and seasonal arts and crafts. The cost is $35 for Georgetown residents and $45 for nonresidents.
- Adventure Camp is offered for children ages 11-14. The camp offers an opportunity for youth to be exposed to outdoor adventure activities and challenges in a fun, safe and healthy environment. The cost is $45 for Georgetown residents and $55 for nonresidents.
For more information and to register, visit parks.georgetown.org/camp or call 512-930-3596.
Collectible Christmas Ornament: Mileham Building
A limited-edition collectible brass Christmas ornament featuring the Mileham Building at 708-710 S. Austin Ave. is now on sale. The 11th annual ornament sale is a project of the Georgetown Main Street Program. A limited number of the ornaments are available.
Ornaments may be purchased at the Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St. The cost of the ornament is $20. Payments by cash, check, or credit are accepted.
The Mileham Building is one of several Mesker Brothers storefronts in the downtown area. The City of Georgetown is home to one of the largest collection of Mesker storefronts, which incorporate a crest or shell design in the columns and cornice lines.
All proceeds from the ornament sale help fund Main Street projects and the Façade Fund Grant Program.
Airport Master Plan update workshop Nov. 16
Plans for the future development and operations of the Georgetown Municipal Airport will be shared at a public workshop on Nov. 16 as part of the Airport Master Plan update. The meeting will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Georgetown Communications and Technology Building, 510 W. Ninth St. There will be a brief presentation at 5:45 p.m.
There also is a Planning Advisory Committee meeting from 2 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 16 at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St. The meeting is open to the public to observe proceedings.
The Master Plan update provides a blueprint for future operations and development of the Airport, including a layout plan for future development at the Airport, a list of appropriate land uses, and a 20-year list of capital projects.
The Georgetown Municipal Airport opened in 1945. The last update to the Airport Master Plan was in 2005. Coffman Associates, an aviation consulting firm specializing in airport planning studies, is assisting the City on the current update process.
To see Airport Master Plan update documents and more information go to georgetown.airportstudy.com.