Big decisions made in 2011

• Budget — The council approved the 2011–12 budget, which included about $400,000 in cuts, and approved a new property tax rate of 38.75 cents per $100 valuation.
• City elections — City Council moved city elections from May to November. This will have to be approved by voters during a city charter election, possibly in November 2012.
• Redistricting — The council went through a redistricting process that shifted some neighborhoods into new council districts.
• Public safety — Council approved moving forward with constructing fire station No. 5 and reconstructing fire station No. 2. The council also approved moving forward with issuing bonds to design the Public Safety Operations and Training Facility.
• City attorney — The council accepted the retirement of City Attorney Mark Sokolow and agreed to a severance package.

Top issues for 2012

• Facilities — The council will consider what to do with facilities in downtown when the police and fire departments move into new buildings.
• Economic development — Council could consider updates to economic development agreements for projects throughout the city that have been stalled due to the economy.
• Water utilities — The city could acquire the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District, which provides water to some residents in the ETJ.
• Residential development — Council may look at ways to incentivize residential development in the city.
• Solid waste and recycling — The council will also consider taking bids for its solid-waste services and a new single-stream recycling service.
• City charter — Council members will decided what changes could be made in the city charter, which would require a public vote.

Source: City Manager Paul Brandenburg

Meetings

• The Council meets at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
• Georgetown City Council Chambers, 101 E. Seventh St., 931-7715, www.georgetown.org

Terms and compensation

• The mayor and council serve three-year terms with no term limits. The mayor's salary is $450 a month, and council members receive $300 a month. Both offices have a maximum $100 expense reimbursement.

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 city's website.

City Council 101

The Georgetown City Council's members are elected from single-member districts, and the mayor is elected at-large. Each council member must live in the member district he or she represents.

Citizens wishing to address council on subjects not on the agenda must submit a request to the city secretary by noon on the Wednesday prior to the Tuesday meeting. To speak on agenda items, individuals may fill out a citizen comment form available at the meeting.

Each council meeting consists of a council workshop and regular meeting. The workshop allows city staff to present updates on various items to the council. Regular meetings include the executive session, consent agenda—which allows the council to vote on noncontroversial items in one vote —and the legislative agenda, which includes public hearings, readings of ordinances and other items forwarded from boards and commissions.