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HomeMy WebLinkAboutreporter.may07May 12 City Election Early voting starts April 30 On Saturday, May 12, Georgetown residents in Council Districts 3, 4, and 7 will go to the polls to choose new City Council representa- tives. Council members serve three-year terms representing single-member districts. Candidates for the District 3 seat on the council include Dale Efflandt and Keith Brainard. William Sattler is the sole candidate for the District 4 seat. Candidates for the District 7 seat include Chris Damon and Ben Oliver, the incumbent. Doug Smith and Henry Carr, the current council members from Districts 3 and 4, respectively, are not running for re-election. Early voting will be held from April 30 through May 8, and Election Day is Saturday, May 12. Council District maps and information about voting times and locations can be found on the City website at www.georgetown.org. Farmers Markets Georgetown Farmers Market Thursdays (starting May 3) from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 402 S. Austin Avenue near the downtown Square. Sun City Farmers Market Tuesdays (starting April 3) from 10 a.m. to noon at the Sun City Activity Center parking lot at 2 Texas Drive. For details, check their web site at www.gtfma.com. © City of Georgetown, 2006 The festival finale on Sunday, June 3 features Chorus Austin, the San Gabriel Chorale, outstanding soloists, and the Festival Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Sheppard. Lecturers on Schubert and his music will include Ellsworth Peterson, Susan Youens, Michael Cooper, Julianne Baird, Ellsworth Peterson, and Farley Snell. For ticket information and complete festival details, visit the Georgetown Symphony Society web site at www.georgetowntexassymphony.org. This year’s Festival of the Arts features four days of music by Austrian composer Franz Schubert, performed at venues around Georgetown. As part of the festi- val, “Art in the Park” will include a juried art show and sale, work- shops, and performances in San Gabriel Park on the weekend of June 2-3. The festival is spon- sored by the Georgetown Symphony Society. The classical music portion of the festival, called “Schubert in Georgetown,” includes performances by the Shanghai Quartet (pic- tured at right), as well as cellist Hai Zheng, violin- ist Andrzej Grabiec, soprano Julianne Baird, baritone Bruce Cain, tenor Karl Dent, pianists Todd Crow and Kiyoshi Tamagawa, the First United Methodist Choir, and others. On the evening of Saturday, June 2, every- one is invited to a free concert at San Gabriel Park featuring the Temple Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Fairlie conducting. Bring a blanket and a picnic basket, or purchase drinks and food from vendors at the event. A spectacular fireworks display will follow the concert. Downtown Happening s The Palace Theater Arcadia,weekends April 27 to May 20 1776,weekends June 1 to July 4 Details at www.thegeorgetownpalace.org, or call (512) 869-7469. First Friday, May 4 Downtown shops, galleries, and restaurants open 6 to 8 p.m. Market Days, May 12 Handmade arts and crafts, jewelry, woodcrafts, iron- works, and more. The Georgetown City Reporteris a publication of the City of Georgetown Public Information Office located in City Hall, 113 E. Eighth Street, Georgetown, Texas, 78626. For questions or comments, contact Keith Hutchinson, Public Information Officer for the City of Georgetown at (512) 930-3690, or by email at pio@georgetowntx.org. Festival of the Arts May 31 – J u n e 3 X VOL.5 • NO.5 A Publication of the City of Georgetown May 2007 Memorial Day Monday, May 28 City offices closed Normal trash pickup Discover the latest news about the city at www.georgetown.org Spring rains filled Lake Georgetown after many months of drought and low water levels. The rains led some Central Texas agencies to lift drought restrictions in March. However, the need for wise water use in Georgetown continues. “Though the lake level was down for many months, we were never in danger of running out of water during the drought,” says Glenn Dishong, water services manager for the City of Georgetown. “Our concern is not with the supply of untreated water, but treatment plant capacity during peak water demand usage. This will again be a factor in the hotter and drier months when landscape irrigation increases.” Lawn Watering Drives Peak Daily Demand Dishong says that the utility soon faces a choice between increased water conservation measures or expansions to existing treatment plants. Increasing the time until the next expansion would delay the expense to customers of borrow- ing at least $5 million for construction of a bigger plant. The key factor that drives peak demand for water is seasonal landscape irrigation. The capacity of a treat- ment plant addition to meet peak demand may be needed for only 30 days in the hottest part of the sum- mer, leaving that portion of the facility unused for the remainder of the year. For this reason, conserva- tion is a much cheaper alternative. First,water your lawn no more frequently than the five-day watering schedule, which is pub- lished daily in the summer months in the Austin American- Statesman, and can also be found online at www.georgetown.org > Departments > Georgetown Utility Systems > Watering Schedule. Second,if you are installing new or replacement sod, consider planting more drought-tolerant varieties of grasses like Bermuda, zoysia, or buffalograss. Third,for other plants in your yard, consider native plants and other drought-tolerant varieties of shrubs and trees. Customers should also be aware that, starting with June 1 billings, water conservation rates are in effect for City of Georgetown water customers. Rates increase for monthly usage above 19,000 gallons for residential customers. Details about water conservation rates are available at www.george- town.org. Go to Permits, Bill Paying, & Fees > Utility Bills > Rates. Georgetown Main Street Program 25th Anniversary A Sterling Celebration May is National Preservation Month, and it also happens to be the 25th anniversary of the Georgetown Main Street program. To mark that milestone, a series of community events on May 18 – 19 called A Sterling Celebration will honor how far we’ve come since 1982. Join us as we recognize all those who have played a part in preserving Georgetown’s unique historic and architectural heritage. Friday, May 18 Evening fundraiser with a dinner, dance, and art show at the Public Library Proceeds benefit the Main Street Facade and Sign Grant Fund Saturday, May 19 Speaker at Grace Heritage Center, 10 a.m. Tours of historic downtown buildings, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Ice cream social and video on Main Street Program, City Council Chamber, 2 – 4 p.m. Mural exhibit and speaker at Williamson County Historical Museum, 4 p.m. For details and ticket information for the evening fundraiser dinner and dance, visit Main Street web site at www.georgetownmainstreet.com. To help reduce peak water demand, customers can do several things: The City’s swimming pools will be open for the summer season on May 26. Pool hours and other information can be found on the Aquatics page at www.georgetownparks.org. Treatment capacity is the key issue, not water supply Resources: Georgetown Parks and Recreation forestry page on summer tree care: www.georgetownparks.org/forestry Williamson County Texas A&M Cooperative Extension information on grasses, xeriscaping and more: http://williamson-tx.tamu.edu Xeriscaping utilizing native plants, ground cover and rockwork in place of grass, will reduced need for water at the newly-renovated Community Center in San Gabriel Park.