CITY & COUNTY
News from Georgetown & Williamson County
COMPILED BY HUNTER TERRELL
Georgetown City Council meets Aug. 23 and Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. at 510 W. Ninth St., Georgetown 512-930-3652 www.georgetown.org Williamson County Commissioners Court meets Aug. 16, 23, 30 and Sept. 6 and 13 at 9:30 a.m. at 710 S. Main St., Georgetown 512-943-1100 • www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER WILLIAMSON COUNTY The county will recognize Juneteenth as an official paid holiday in line with the federal government’s list of holidays in 2023. Juneteenth commemorates the day federal troops arrived in Galveston with news of the Emancipation Proclamation. The county plans to take away a holiday set for June 3, 2023, so the total number of paid holidays remains at 10. NUMBER TO KNOW Amount of revenue the city anticipates the street maintenance sales tax will generate in 2022 $6.5M HIGHLIGHTS GEORGETOWN The police department promoted Roland Waits to assistant police chief during a City Council meeting held June 26. Waits has served in different capacities with GPD since 1994. Waits will continue to oversee day- to-day operational management of personnel and resources providing law enforcement services to the city. WILLIAMSON COUNTY Ahead of the approval of the Williamson County budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Commissioners Court approved a 5% cost-of-living raise for FY 2022-23 for elected officials. The raises will cost the county $131,700 in the upcoming fiscal year, according to information from the July 26 meeting.
Georgetown’s sales tax election slated for Nov. 8
Small businesses may see financial support GEORGETOWN City Council discussed the ideation of a small- business loan program June 26. Interim Economic Development Director Kim McAuliffe said the pilot program—a partnership between the Georgetown Economic Development Corporation and the Business Com- munity Lenders of Texas—would set aside $250,000 of lending capital for small businesses to use on qualifying investments. Loans would be for a maximum of $50,000 within a 36-month period. Council asked McAuliffe to bring back additional details about the pilot before it acts on it. GEORGETOWN City Council officially called an election June 26, putting a 0.25% street maintenance sales tax on the Nov. 8 ballot. The 0.25% sales tax is reserved for street resurfacing and repairs. If passed, the proposition would not increase the city’s overall tax rate, but would reauthorize the existing rate. According to the city, the street maintenance sales tax must be reap- proved by voters every four years. Georgetown citizens originally approved the tax in 2002 with a 57% vote. It has been reauthorized every four years since. The city said the tax has gener- ated $46 million in revenue since April 2003. The city also estimates
REAUTHORIZING REPAIR TAX
Georgetown residents approved a 0.25% street maintenance sales tax in 2002 and have reauthorized it every four years since, as is required by state law. No Yes
80%
57%
72%
80%
82%
2002
2014
2010
2018
2006
43% 28%
20%
18%
20%
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
the sales tax will generate $6.5 million in 2022. Sales tax is collected from anyone who makes purchases within city limits, not just residents. Georgetown’s overall sales tax has
City of Georgetown adds FlashVote to its outreach efforts GEORGETOWN Residents can sign up for FlashVote, a survey tool that allows the community to have direct input in city government. FlashVote asks a group of residents representative of the entire community to answer short surveys. The platform is designed to gather feedback within 48 hours, allowing the city to gather statistically valid information from residents faster than other outreach methods, according to a July 18 release from the city. been set at 8.25% since 2005, with the city receiving 2% of that and the state receiving the other 6.25%. Early voting in the election will be held Oct. 24-29 and Oct. 31-Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Georgetown staff proposed the following requirements for its potential small-business loan program. In good standing with the city Make less than $3 million in annual revenue Have less than 25 full-time employees Pay employees a livable wage Be in business for a minimum of five years or three years if woman- or minority-owned Not be a home-based business
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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