CITY & COUNTY
News from Georgetown & Williamson County
COMPILED BY GRANT CRAWFORD
Georgetown City Council will meet April 25 and May 9 at 6 p.m. at 510 W. Ninth St., Georgetown. 512-930-3652. https://georgetown.org Williamson County Commissioners Court will meet April 25 and May 2, 9 and 16 at 9:30 a.m. at 710 S. Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER HIGHLIGHTS GEORGETOWN Utility customers have a new tool to report power outages after the city launched a new texting service April 10 allowing residents to receive real-time updates. Text messages can be sent to and from 512-930-8400 to relay power outages and learn of updates. GEORGETOWN The city received a clean audit for scal year 2021-22 while also increasing its net position by $140 million. In Georgetown’s annual nancial report for 2022, the city collected $47.2 million in sales taxes, marking an 18% increase from the year prior. It also gained $77.6 million in developer capital contributions and collected $48.3 million in water impact fees—a 26% increase and 18% increase from the year prior, respectively.
Jack Garey leaves $20 million in will for improvements to namesake park
Organizer looks to extend Two Step Inn Festival
TWO STEP INN IN 2023 This year’s Two Step Inn Festival sold out months in advance. It included:
REGIONAL REACH The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter serves many major Williamson County cities, including Round Rock, Cedar Park, Hutto and Leander, while the city of Georgetown maintains its own shelter. SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT
CITY OF GEORGETOWN ANIMAL SHELTER
GEORGETOWN C3 Presents, which produced the Two Step Inn Festival in Georgetown, is seeking to renew its agreement with the city for 2024, contin- gent on the event’s inaugu- ral year being successful, according to Georgetown Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Garrett. In an update to City Council March 14, Garrett said the response to this year’s event has been
a result, proceeds from the festival, which are estimated to be up to $500,000, will be donated to the Friends to support the parks and recreation department in the form of capital improve- ments, scholarships and programs.” City Manager David Morgan said the city will be looking at sales tax data to help determine the festival’s economic eect.
“overwhelming.” The Two Step Inn Festival was held April 15-16, after press time. C3 Presents, one of the largest concert promoters in the country, also indicated it plans to extend next year’s festival to three days. “This festival does bring a benet to our community,” Garrett said. “Two Step Inn is presented by the Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation, which is a 501(c)3 nonprot. As
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3 festival stages 30,000 ticketholders per day
GEORGETOWN The Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department proposed capital improvement projects to Garey Park during a City Council meeting March 28. The city has until March 2027 to spend $20 million outlined in Jack Garey’s will to benet the park. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide the citizens of Georgetown and our surrounding area something really special,” Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Garrett said. The new funds must go to improve- ments to increase safety and revenue as well as address the current demand. Recommended improvements include a mix of specic projects listed in the will as well as those proposed by the parks department. A preliminary site evaluation will be done between April and June, and design work will follow.
PARK PROPOSALS The city of Georgetown will improve Garey Park using $20 million in funding from Jack Garey’s will, including those outlined by the will and proposed by city sta. Improvements included in the will: • Group camping cabins • Amphitheater • Memorial pavilion • Cleaning up second-growth cedar trees Sta -recommended improvements: • Renovating Garey House • Additional parking • Archery range • RV host site • New mountain bike trail
WILLIAMSON COUNTY REGIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER
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$500,000 in estimated proceeds Headliners Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers
Williamson County, Georgetown move forward on animal shelter partnership
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN¡ COMMUNITY IMPACT
WILLIAMSON COUNTY The Commissioners Court approved an agreement allowing Georgetown to conduct a study of the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. This is the rst step to fold Georgetown into the regional shelter. As part of the agreement, Georgetown will cover the costs— $50,000—in developing the study, concept plan and cost estimates for expanding the shelter. Jackson Daly, Georgetown’s
assistant public works director, said the city needs a new shelter and is already spending close to $800,000 a year on operations. “We would bring our capital dollars to expand your shelter and the incentive for the county being you’re not having to do that capital outlay,” he said. If the study shows it is practical, the city would call a November bond election to acquire the funding.
Eyeing a bond: Commissioners say need for road projects is up from 2019 WILLIAMSON COUNTY The Commissioners Court charged the 2023 Citizens Bond Committee with assessing the county’s need for a road group recommend a value for a bond election and provide a draft list of projects. The committee is to bring its ndings to the court as soon as possible but no later than June 27. will work with cities and other enti- ties within the county as it forms a potential bond proposal. “Because of the cost of every- thing, we’re going to really have to focus and prioritize the projects that are the most regional,” Covey said. and parks bond election April 4. If the committee decides a need exists, the court requested the Precinct 3 County Commissioner Valerie Covey said the committee
• Skate park • Pump track • Disc golf SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN¡ COMMUNITY IMPACT
GEORGETOWN 1013 W University Ave (512) 868-6696
ROUND ROCK 201 University Oaks Blvd (512) 341-9066
CEDAR PARK 13530 Ronald Reagan Blvd (512) 986-7681
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