Georgetown Edition | November 2022

CITY & COUNTY

News from Georgetown & Williamson County

QUOTE OF NOTE

County justice program receives $1M federal grant

Georgetown City Council will meet Nov. 8 and 22 at 6 p.m. at 510 W. Ninth St., Georgetown. 512-930-3652. www.georgetown.org Williamson County Commissioners Court will meet Nov. 8, 15, 22 and Dec. 6 at 9:30 a.m. at 710 S. Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER HIGHLIGHTS GEORGETOWN Two mosquito trap samples collected in Georgetown tested positive for West Nile virus Oct. 13, according to the city. The samples were collected Oct. 11 in Geneva Park at 1021 Quail Valley Drive and in Berry Creek at Diamond Dove Trail and Airport Road. GEORGETOWN City Council approved $320,000 in purchases for new material for the Georgetown Public Library on Oct. 25. The biggest chunk at $250,000 will go toward new books, while $70,000 will go toward audio and digital supplies. “I WANT OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM TO BE BETTER FOR THIS POPULATION. WE WANT TO HELP THEM GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, PARTICIPATING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.” STACEY MATTHEWS, 277TH DISTRICT JUDGE, ABOUT THE COUNTY’S TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM

BY GRANT CRAWFORD

District Judge Stacey Matthews said. As part of the aversion initiative, case managers work with individuals to address their substance use issues, education challenges and housing concerns and provide help nding work. The program, which can take 10-18 months, aords participants the opportunity to have their charges dismissed and their records expunged. This is the second funding source the county has received for the Transformative Justice Program since April, when it received a $15,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation. The program has had 69 participants so far. By May, the county’s goal is to increase that number to 140.

BOLSTERING JUSTICE PROGRAM Williamson County will use a

Council approves business park with oces, manufacturing WILLIAMSON COUNTY The county was recently awarded a $1 mil- lion grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for its Transformative Justice Program, four years after starting the diversion initiative meant to keep young people charged with nonviolent felonies from reoending. The program, rst funded through a grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission in 2019 with matching funds from Williamson County, pro- vides mental health services, life skills education and training to oenders ages 17-24. The grant from the DOJ will allow the county to continue the program for another three years, 277th

$1 million grant for its Transformative Justice Program, which helps those ages 17-24 charged with nonviolent felonies access resources: • mental health and substance use services • life skills education • job training • help from case workers • opportunity to have charges dismissed and records expunged

SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT

Parks department hires consultant to study expansion

New business park

BY HUNTER TERRELL

130

GEORGETOWN City Council gave nal approval Oct. 25 to a planned unit development, or PUD, for a new business park. Property owner Fidelis asked to rezone 56.73 acres at 2990 N. I-35, Georgetown, from the agriculture and single-family residential uses to a PUD with a base zoning of business park. Georgetown Planning Director Soa Nelson said the property will have two sections: Zone A, totaling 35.7 acres, will be a business park; and Zone B, totaling 20.2 acres,

GEORGETOWN The Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department will conduct a feasibility study on expanding the recreation center and building a new facility follow- ing council approval Oct. 25. Georgetown Parks and Recre- ation Director Kimberly Garrett said ongoing public feedback and conversations identied the need for more space and programs. Garrett said the department will accept submissions for contracts and expects to return to council in February for approval.

will be a restricted zone to develop amenities, such as a pavilion, a trail network, and an area for food trucks and other vendors. Fidelis representative Kevin O’Neil said the property will have three buildings with about 500,000 square feet for ex oce space and light assembly manufacturing. “I think this is the best use for this piece of land,” Council Member Mike Triggs said Oct. 11 when coun- cil rst considered the measure.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION • NOVEMBER 2022