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HomeMy WebLinkAboutreporter.sep06Each year, the City must determine the roads that will be re-paved or upgraded with avail- able funds. To assist with that process, the City uses a software program for assess- ing the condition of City streets. The basis for the assessment is a street inventory that was completed in February 2005. At that time, the overall score for City streets was 90 on a 100-point scale, which is considered “good.” The City Council has estab- lished an overall score of 85 as the minimum city-wide score for street condition. In assessing street condition, the City’s Transportation Department classifies each City street by type of street (e.g., residential, collector, etc.), age of street, and street condi- tion. The latter includes problems such as cracks, deterioration, or failures such as potholes. The assessment of streets incorporates information from visual inspection, as well as data collected from a device that records vibrations and bumps from the road surface. Once streets are scored for condi- tion, then repair or resurfacing projects over a five-year period are planned and regularly updated. To maintain an overall score of 85 for the City’s streets, the Transportation Department must balance the use of various repair methods on the street network to maximize the effective- ness of street repair funds. Cape sealing involves applying a layer of asphalt emulsion (a tar-like liquid), then a layer of small rock chips, and then a third slurry layer to seal the surface. Cape sealing is generally less expensive than applying © City of Georgetown, 2006 Each year, Georgetown firefighters attend the municipal fire school hosted by the Texas Engineering Extension Service on the Texas A&M campus in College Station, the largest firefighter training school in the world. Six firefighters from Georgetown took classes at the school in July, which included nearly 3,000 emergency responders and instructors. Georgetown Fire Chief Anthony Lincoln has served as an instructor at the annual school for 26 years, and Assistant Fire Chief Clay Shell has been an instructor for 10 years. Firefighters from Georgetown got advanced training in hazardous materials incidents, ropes rescues, gasoline and chemical fires, tank truck emergencies, and other topics. In March, four Georgetown firefighters attended a class at the fire school to increase their knowl- edge in responding to aircraft- related incidents. In addition to classroom instruction, attendees practice fighting live fires Firefighters Attend Annual Fire School at A&M asphalt overlay, which is a second method. Streets with more serious flaws, such as problems with base layers, require total rehabilitation, which is the most expensive repair method and can involve total recon- struction of a street. In scheduling street maintenance projects, the Transportation Department coordinates with the City’s Water Services and Energy Services departments to minimize the need for later utility work that would require street cuts. The City’s goal in the next few years is to transition from having to spend large amounts on road recon- struction projects to doing more preventive maintenance, according to Transportation Manager Mark Miller. He says that while roads with serious flaws need to be fixed, “We need to focus the majority of our efforts toward preventive mainte- nance.” This will prevent additional roadways from dropping into a condition requiring a more costly rehabilitation. Having more money in the road maintenance budget due to the 1/4-cent sales tax revenue means that, “We can maintain a healthy balance of preventive maintenance and rehabilitation,” says Miller. “This will allow us to keep the condition of City streets at or above an overall score of 85.” The City’s street network has grown 75 percent in the last 10 years, which means that street repair needs will increase in the future as newer streets age. The proposed street repair budget for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, includes $1.07 million in general fund revenue, which comes from property tax, and $1.84 mil- lion from 1/4-cent sales tax rev- enue, which is up for reauthoriza- tion by the Georgetown voters in November. Details on proposed and past street repair projects can be found at www.georgetown.org under “Active City Projects.” Stre e t m a i n t e n a n c e ass e s s m e n t a n d f u n d i n g Making the Grade VOL.4 • NO.9 A Publication of the City of Georgetown September 2006 and conducting simulated rescue operations on the 120-acre training site. Full-scale training “props” at the facility include buildings, towers, tanks, aircraft, trains, industrial plant structures, and mock collapsed buildings. Details about the fire school can be found at www.teex.com. Discover the latest news about the city at www.georgetown.org Drawing: Explore, revive, or discover your drawing skills! Learn to create landscape and still-life drawings using pencils and markers, working from still life and photographs. Offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, September 12 to October 17. Cost is $60 for residents, $65 for nonresidents. Oil Pastels:Learn how to create beautiful drawings (that look like paintings) using magical color schemes with oil pastels. You will learn blending techniques while you are creating still life and landscapes. Offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, November 7 to December 12. Cost is $65 for residents, $70 for nonresidents. The Georgetown City Reporter is 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. A donation of parkland to the City has made possible a new city park and expansion of the hike and bike trail along the San Gabriel River in the Country Club area. In May, Van and Deborah Chandler donated 7.5 acres of their land to the City to create Chandler Park, located at the corner of Spring Valley Road and Country Club Road. The value of the land plus a cash donation from the Chandlers for improvements at the park totals $350,000. In its route from San Gabriel Park to Lake Georgetown, the San Gabriel River Trail (the hike and bike trail) currently leaves the river corridor for a short section where it travels along Spring Valley Road. The parkland donation will allow the trail to be moved away from the roadway shoulder when completed. At that time, a botanical area along Spring Valley will be added as well. Chandler Park The new library on Eighth Street (below) and the new Fire Station 1 on FM 1460 (right) are begin- ning to take shape. The steel frame of each building was completed in July, and contractors are working on the roofs, exterior walls, and exterior brick and stone work. Interior walls, heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing, and electrical are underway. The Community Center renovation project (top), reveals expanded stone work and new courtyards. Interior work includes a new heating and air conditioning system, new restrooms, and the modernization and upgrade of the kitchen in this facility located in San Gabriel Park. A December completion date is projected for all three projects according to Terry Jones, the construction manager for the City. The park is a nice shady picnic spot and is frequented by ducks and geese from a near- by lagoon on the river. Chandler Park also provides a nice rest spot on the hike and bike trail. Labor Day • Monday, Sept. 4 City offices CLOSED No trash collection Trash pickup slides one day this week. Georgetown Recreation Center Adult Art Classes Instructor: Carolyn Hendriex These classes are perfect for anyone with an interest in art, from beginners to the most advanced! All materials are included. For details or to register, contact the Georgetown Recreation Center at (512) 930-3596 or visit the Parks and Recreation website at www.georgetownparks.org Construction Update