District 2 Council Member Keith Brainard (right) is sworn in as mayor pro tem at the May 20 special City Council meeting. District 2 Council Member Keith Brainard (right) is sworn in as mayor pro tem at the May 20 special City Council meeting.[/caption]

Two new City Council members were sworn into office May 20 after Georgetown City Council canvassed the votes from the May 9 election.

Ty Gipson was elected to the District 5 seat on May 9 after earning 68.67 percent of the votes, or 456 votes, against opponent Paul Nadeau.

“I’m looking forward to working with each one of these council members,” Gipson said. “It’s an honor to sit up with these guys today. … I guess it’s time to get to work.”

Anna Eby ran unopposed for the District 1 seat.

“I am very excited to be taking on this leadership role,” Eby said. “I moved to Georgetown in 2001 to go to Southwestern, and I’ve been here ever since. It just felt like home on the first day, and I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather live. I’m really excited to be part of what Georgetown is doing in the future.”

Before swearing in its new members, the council recognized outgoing members Patty Eason and Jerry Hammerlun.

“I appreciate the good fight that you’ve led on the things that you’ve believed in.  The spirit and dedication is just unbelievable,” Mayor Dale Ross said to Eason.

Eason served four consecutive terms on the council. She said some of her greatest accomplishments included creating the city’s home repair program as well as passing the native plants and landscaping ordinance, recycling improvements and the smoking ban. She also referenced working with zoning ordinances to help home-based businesses.

Hammerlun who had finished a 3-year term said he looked forward to the possibility of working with the council and the city in the future.

“I do want to take just a couple minutes to say thank you to this community and particularly the people in District 5 for giving me this opportunity,” he said. “I sit here tonight more convinced that Georgetown, Texas, is the perfect place to live and the perfect place to have raised my family. It is, in fact, a city of excellence.”

Hammerlun said his proudest moment was helping hire City Manager David Morgan.

After the swearing-in ceremony, council members elected Keith Brainard to serve as mayor pro tem.

“I’m honored by your trust in me, and I will work to demonstrate that your trust in me is well placed,” Brainard said. “You don’t ask to sit up here for the money or the gratitude. You do it because you believe in a cause greater than yourself.”