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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReporter Nov 08© City of Georgetown, 2008 VOL. 6 • NO. 11 A Publication of the City of Georgetown NOVEMBER 2008 DowntownHappenings The Palace TheaterThe Producers, weekends through Nov. 2The Gifts of the Magi, weekends Nov. 28 - Dec. 23Details atwww.GeorgetownPalace.com or call (512) 869-7469. Farmers Markets Fourth St. and Austin Ave.every Thursday, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.Sun City Activity Center, 2 Texas Drive every Tuesday, 9 a.m. until noon First Friday, Nov. 7Downtown shops, galleries, andrestaurants open 6 – 8 p.m. Market Days, Nov. 8Handmade arts & crafts, jewelry,woodcrafts, ironworks, AnimalShelter adoptions, food, andmore, on the streets around theSquare, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lighting of the Square, Nov. 28An annual holiday tradition withhot chocolate, cookies, andmusic by the Austin Carolers onthe east steps of the WilliamsonCounty Courthouse, 5:30 – 6:30p.m. Christmas Stroll, Dec.6Entertainment, photos withSanta, horse-drawn carriage rides,and the Stroll parade. Hours arenoon – 8 p.m. Details at theDowntown GeorgetownAssociation website atdgagtx.org. A local distribution center, Texas Outdoor Power Equipment, is doubling in size with a 73,500 square foot expansion. The wholesale dis- tributor of commercial lawn equipment such as trimmers, chain saws, and blowers is locat- ed in an industrial park near the Georgetown Municipal Airport. The expansion is a $5 million investment by the company, which has been located on Halmar Cove since 1990. A 42,000 square-foot phase 2 expansion is planned. In May, the City Council approved a job retention and creation performance agreement with Texas Outdoor Power and Equipment. The agreement club members Terry Palmer, Ron Greene, and Craig Boegler with Clay Shell, fire chief for the City. includes job creation targets for the firm and $160,000 in fund- ing from the City’s Georgetown Economic Development Corporation, as well as $300,000 in funding from the Georgetown Transportation Thanksgiving Holiday City offices closed Nov. 27 – 28 No trash pickup on Thursday, Nov. 27 Collection slides one day for remainder of week. Members of the Sun City Amateur Radio Society donated a two-frequency radio to the Fire Department that will be installed in the fire battalion command vehicle. The radio will allow firefighters to communi- cate with other emergency per- sonnel or amateur radio opera- tors in situations when phones or other radio frequencies may not be working. Pictured are Distribution Facility Expands Enhancement Corporation for a road that will provide access to Interstate 35 in the future. For more information on Economic Development, go to www.InvestGeorgetown.com. Radio for Fire Department Holiday events, entertainment,and shopping in Georgetown. Find it all at www.GeorgetownHoliday.com. Change Your Smoke Alarm Batteries Daylight Savings Time ends November 2 A message from the Georgetown Fire Department Discover the latest news about the city at www.georgetown.org The Georgetown City Reporter is a publication of the City of Georgetown PublicInformation Office located in City Hall, 113E. Eighth Street, Georgetown, Texas, 78626. For questions or comments, contact KeithHutchinson, Public Information Officer for the City of Georgetown at (512) 930-3690, or by email at pio@georgetowntx.org. Key Budget numbers: $2.8 million:Community Development (planning, building inspections, code enforcement) $7.9 million:Community Services (library, parks and recreation, tourism) $9.4 million:Finance and Administration (accounting, support services, municipal court, purchasing, utility billing, vehicle services) $6.9 million: Fire Services $33.0 million:Georgetown Utility Systems (electric, water, wastewater, engineering, solid waste) $13.2 million:Management Services (airport, city manager’s office, economic development, health and social services con- tracts, human resources, informa- tion technology, legal services, internal administrative allocations) $9.9 million:Police Services (includes animal services) $4.9 million:Transportation Services $53.0 million:capital improve- ments including facilities, roads, and utilities $46.6 million:wholesale elec- tricity purchases $15.8 million: debt payments (e.g., library, recreation center, utility infrastructure, vehicles) $11.4 million:interfund trans- fers (includes 10 percent return- on-investment from utilities and funding for facilities) $214.7 million:total budget Property tax rate (per $100 valuation) 35.6 cents (last year’s rate: 35.7 cents) Sales tax rate (unchanged) 8.25 percent (6.25 percent to state of Texas) Utility Rates Water:no change (review of conservation rates in 2009) Stormwater drainage:no change Sewer:no change Electricity:pass-through of any increase from wholesale power cost Solid Waste (trash and recy- cling): no change in base rate, pass-through of fuel cost increase begins Dec. 2008 Projects and Facilities Highlights ■Renovate former Albertson’s building for Police Department and Municipal Court ■ Remodel Fire Station 2 ■ Reconfigure Georgetown Municipal Complex interior to maximize staff space ■ Replacement of breathing apparatuses for firefighters to comply with national standard ■Continue wayfinding and gateway sign program ■Increased funding for downtown facade and sign grants ■Williams Drive Gateway Redevelopment: funding for right-of-way acquisition, Northwest Boulevard bridge engineering, and regional drainage plan City Budget Highlights for 2009 ■Mandated pre-treatment program for wastewater from industrial facilities ■Develop comprehensive bicycle route and sidewalk network plan ■Maple Street realignment at Southwestern University ■Traffic management plan for Williams Drive and Austin Avenue (e.g., signals, traffic- calming, signs, and markings) Fuel and Power Costs ■ Wholesale power costs increased 14.2 percent this year ■ 40 percent increase for fuel costs for City vehicles Staffing ■527.75 total employees (full-time equivalent) ■32 new positions in 2009 ■4 percent cost-of-living adjustment for non-public safety employees ■Public safety pay: 95 percent of Round Rock pay scale (12 per- cent average increase for Fire, 8 percent average increase for Police) ■15 percent increase for health insurance cost ■13 percent increase for adjustment to statewide retirement system Key New Positions ■9 employees for new Recreation Center (includes assistant supervisor, recreation specialist, special events /mar- keting position, two part-time assistants, and four part-time lifeguards) ■1 development engineering assistant ■1 contract specialist ■6 firefighters funded via Emer- gency Services District No. 8 ■3 employees for street department patching crew ■10 employees for electric utility ■2 employees for water utility The City Council approved a budget for the 2009 fiscal year that kept the property tax rate virtually unchanged at 35.6 cents. The fiscal year began on October 1, 2008. Below are highlights from the 2009 City budget. For more information on the City budget, go to the Finance and Administration section at www.georgetown.org. The complete budget book is available at the Georgetown Public Library at 402 W. Eighth Street. Palace Theater Collectible Ornament The second in a series of collectible Christmas ornaments, a replica of the Palace Theatre, goes on sale during the week of Thanksgiving. The limited-edi- tion ornament will be on sale for $20 at the Visitor Information Center at 101 W. Seventh Street and at the Palace Theater at 810 S. Austin Avenue. Only 250 of the Palace Theatre ornaments will be produced. Production and sale of the ornaments depicting historic buildings is a project of the Georgetown Main Street program. Proceeds from the sale of the ornament series will fund future downtown holiday decorations and lighting. Each year there will be a new and limited edition of these high-quality brass orna- ments. The inaugural piece from 2007 is of the Williamson County Courthouse. For more details, please contact the Main Street Program Office at (512) 930-2027 or mainstreet@georgetowntx.org.