Georgetown City Council, from left: Tommy Gonzalez, District 7; Ty Gipson, District 5;Anna Eby, District 1; Mayor Dale Ross; Rachael Jonrowe, District 6; John Hesser, District 4; Steve Fought, District 3; Keith Brainard, District 2[/caption]
Meetings
The council meets at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month in the Georgetown City Council chambers at 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. Although the mayor is elected at-large, City Council members are elected to single-member districts. The mayor’s salary is $1,150 a month, and council members each receive $800 a month.
Video Coverage
Council meetings are broadcast live on GTV on Suddenlink Channel 10 and streamed live at www.georgetown.org/gtv.
Big decisions made in 2015
Emergency medical services
In October the city took over emergency medical services within the city limits and the limits of Emergency Services District No. 8, which includes most of the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The council approved the move to a city-operated EMS system at its March 24 meeting.
Bond funding
In November voters approved a $105 million road bond package, of which $20 million will be used to pay for the construction of the Southwest Bypass and Wolf Ranch Parkway extension. (See Page 19 for more information.) At its Oct. 27 meeting City Council approved issuing $10 million of the bond funding for the road projects as well as $1.7 million for Phase 1 construction of the San Gabriel Park improvements.
Green energy initiative
In March the city announced the municipal electric utility will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy by 2017. The city approved two long-term power agreements with SunEdison, which will build a solar farm near Fort Stockton, and with EDF Renewable Energy, whose Spinning Spur 3 wind farm became operational in September.
Top issues for 2016
Williams Drive
City Manager David Morgan said the city could begin a Williams Drive corridor study that will look at transportation and development along the roadway.
Affordability
In November the Georgetown Housing Advisory Board requested $195,000 to complete a strategic plan to address workforce housing needs in the city. City Council denied the request at its Dec. 8 meeting; however, Mayor Dale Ross said the council would continue to discuss workforce housing needs at a future City Council workshop.
Transit
City Council could discuss the implementation of the Transit Development Plan, which was presented at the council’s Oct. 27 workshop. The plan outlines four proposed bus routes as well as a future special events route. The implementation could be part of City Council’s budget discussions, Ross said.
Garey Park
In 2004 Jack and Cammy Garey donated their 525-acre ranch and house to the city to be developed into a city park. In 2016 the city will complete the design of the park and determine how and when to move forward with construction, Morgan said.
