Photo by Beth WadeMeetings
The council meets at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
Georgetown City Council chambers, 101 E. Seventh St. 512-930-3652 www.georgetown.org
Terms and compensation
The mayor and council serve three-year terms with no term limits. The mayors salary is $550 a month, and council members each receive $400 a month.
TV Coverage
Meetings are replayed on Suddenlink Cable Channel 10 at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday following each City Council meeting. Each meeting is also broadcast on the citys website.
City Council 101
Georgetown City Council members are elected from single-member districts, and the mayor is elected at-large. Each council member must live in the district he or she represents.
- George GarverMayor, 201114
- Patty EasonDistrict 1, 201215
- Keith BrainardDistrict 2, 201314
- John HesserDistrict 3, 201316
- Steve FoughtDistrict 4, 201316
- Jerry HammerlunDistrict 5, 201215
- Rachael JonroweDistrict 6, 201114
- Tommy GonzalezDistrict 7, 201316
Big decisions made in 2013
Water
The council approved a contract to merge its water utility with the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District at the councils Sept. 24 meeting. The final agreements between the two organizations must still get approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The council also approved new water conservation measures including making the citys three-day-a-week watering schedule the year-round standard and changed water rates.
Park improvements
City Council approved the purchase of 100 acres of property along Berry Creek near Shell Road for a future west side park.
Former Albertsons sold
The council approved a $3.55 million bid from M.F. Trinity Management for the former Albertsons building at 610 N. Austin Ave. on Aug. 13. The city purchased the building in 2008 to use as a public safety and municipal court facility. According to the bid agreement, potential users must generate a high level of sales tax and offer positive economic impacts or serve a community need.
Lone Star Rail District
After several months of debate and a vote to drop its Lone Star Rail District membership, City Council reversed course at its Sept. 10 meeting and voted to stay in the district. Mayor George Garver made the tie-breaking vote in favor of the citys membership.
Top issues for 2014
Transportation
After two chip-seal repaving projects failed in October, City Manager Paul Brandenburg said the council could begin discussions in January or February on the citys repaving process. The council could discuss how to fund repaving projects and when repaving would be necessary. The city could also begin construction on road projects including the widening of Snead Drive and land acquisitions for the widening of FM 1460. Plans also include beginning design work for the Northwest Boulevard bridge at I-35 and design and possibly construction on northbound I-35 frontage roads north of Williams Drive, Brandenburg said.
Water
City Council could consider purchasing future water supplies as the area continues to develop and the drought persists.
Economic development
As Round Rock continues to develop north of University Boulevard, Brandenburg said the city could focus economic development efforts in the Westinghouse Road area.
Housing
City Council may discuss housing options and finding a balance between single-family and multifamily housing, Brandenburg said. The discussions could also mean a change to the citys zoning ordinances to remove multifamily housing as an allowable use in C-1 or C-3 commercial zoning.
