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Mayor's Report on Energy Page 10 FEBRUARY 2019

Information About Your Electric Bill

The City of Georgetown

recently took steps to address changes in the electric power market. Those changes will affect your electric bill if the City of Georgetown provides your electricity. I’d like to provide you some information about changes to your bill, provide some background on those changes, explain the steps we are taking, and address some mischaracterizations you may have

seen in the news media or elsewhere. PCA charge: Effective Feb. 1, the City is increasing the power cost adjustment, or PCA, to recover costs associated with purchasing energy. Customers will incur an increase of $0.0135 per kilowatt hour, resulting in a new PCA of $0.0175 per kilowatt hour through September. The average customer uses 949 kilowatt hours per month and will experience

a $12.82 increase on their monthly bill. The City has increased and decreased the PCA over the years in response to changing energy prices. Please know we take any increases in costs for our customers very seriously. Our hope is that the PCA will be lowered at the end of September. Background: Over the past few years, the energy market in Texas experienced a fundamental change. Forecasts provided by ERCOT, the State’s energy grid operator, have proven to be unreliable. What were perceived as anomalies in 2016 and 2017 due to reduced consumption, unpredictable pricing, and unusually cold weather, masked the true impact of a depressed global energy market. Looking back, it is apparent that a longer-term Continued on Page 10

Gonzalez Campaign "Results-Oriented"

District 7 Councilman

Tommy Gonzalez is campaigning to retain his seat on the Georgetown City Council. He is eager to continue his focus on providing the highest level of public safety, world-class parks and trails systems, and ensuring quality city services while maintaining a low tax rate to ensure affordability for all. Throughout his 11 years of broad service to the city,

Gonzalez has played a big part in bringing quality business to Georgetown to help increase revenues for the city, and his focus will continue to be on projects east of I-35. “Most importantly, I want to maintain or improve the overall quality of life for all the residents of Georgetown.” As an incumbent, Gonzalez says, “I want to finish what I started. I believe longevity in local offices is a positive because I live, work and serve right here every day. Being on City Council is not about me, but about the people I work for so I stay grounded in and accountable to the community of which I am part.” As a financial specialist, Gonzalez has consistently pushed to secure favorable financing rates that help the city’s growth while maintaining the historical

relevance of the downtown area. “I like to think I have played a part in the ‘Top Places’ accolades our city has received lately. We have been more visible in the last decade while still maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in Central Texas.” He believes his votes in committee and on Council also reflect a conservative fiduciary record; “People know what they are getting from me and I like to think that I have been at least 1/7th of the success that Georgetown has enjoyed over the past eight years.” Gonzalez also has plans to engage and include younger voters in local causes, non-profits and identifying the issues and concerns that are current and important to them. “It’s not an easy job but if there’s a problem, I won’t be the one telling people what’s wrong; I want to be part of the solution.” Visit Facebook/VoteTommyGonzalez

Georgetown Red Poppies Come Full Circle with Congressman Carter Congressman John Carter shared the

honor of The Red Poppy Capital of Texas in the very place our source flowers grow. As a guest in Flanders, Belgium at the centennial celebration of the end of The Great War, the Congressman placed three ceramic poppies, donated by Mickie Ross, at the grave of the last American killed in World War I. SGT Walter Lang died 15 minutes before the Armistice was signed. The Judge visited several cemeteries, representing just a fraction of the more than 100,000 American deaths, including 20 pairs of brothers buried side by side. The Congressman and his wife, Erica, were part of a delegation and tour that included many US dignitaries, motorcades through sites in several countries, and a

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speech from President Trump. The Congressman was very pleased to bring the special gift. "I know Georgetown celebrates poppies and I mentioned several times that I would like to place them at the graves of our brave soldiers. The local mayor there helped make the ceremony special and everyone in attendance took a photo at the grave. We were all touched to know that the people of France, the Netherlands and Belgium have adopted American graves and decorate them with flags and flowers on birthdays and important occasions." He added how honored he was to shake hands with surviving World War II veterans in attendance and he was especially pleased to meet the man who was the youngest soldier at radio headquar-

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ters in Europe in 1945. "This man, at the time, had just turned 18. He was terrified when General Eisenhower walked into the room and told them the generals had surrendered. He asked for the youngest man in the outfit to send out the message that the war in Europe is over. He said 'It is something you, and no one else, can say and you will be able to tell the story the longest.' And he has been telling it for 76 years." The Congressman and his wife also shared dinner with NATO Ambassador and former Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. "It was a short trip but I am glad to be a part of the largest military community in the world. It is a pleasure to be able to visit the troops and represent the Army around the nation and the world."

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Candidate filing period for May election open The filing period for candidates who wish to run for a seat on the Georgetown City Council and Georgetown ISD Board of Trustees is open. The places for City Council Districts 3, 4 and 7 will be on the ballot for the election this spring. Steve Fought is the current City Council member for District 3, John Hesser for District 4 and Tommy Gonzalez for District 7. Also on the ballot are GISD Places 1, 2 and 3. Incumbents, respectively, are Scott Stribling, Scott Alarcon and Andy Webb. The filing period ends Feb. 15. Completed applications for candidacy should be submitted at City Hall, 113 E. Eighth Street, through Jan. 22 and at 808 Martin Luther King Jr. St. after Jan. 25.

To see maps of council districts, go to maps. georgetown.org/council-district-maps. Georgetown City Council members serve three-year terms representing one of seven single-member districts. Candidates for council district seats must be a resident of the council district the member would be representing for a period of twelve months as of the last legal date for filing. Trustee positions are not based on geography. Spaces are unrestricted as long as the candidate resides within the GISD boundaries. The last day to register to vote in the May election is April 4. Early, in-person voting is April 22-30. In the early voting period, voters may cast ballots at any early voting location in Williamson County. On Election Day, May 4, voters may cast ballots at any vote center location. Polling places, dates, and times will be listed at wilco. org/elections. Contact Robyn Densmore, city secretary for the City of Georgetown, at Robyn.Densmore@ georgetown.org or (512) 930-3652.

GoGeo passengers pay fares with "Hopthru" GoGeo riders can now

use smart devices to purchase bus passes. Using the Hopthru app, riders are able to purchase passes anytime, anywhere and present them while boarding. Riders may purchase passes with their credit card, debit card or commuter benefits card and store them until they are ready to ride. Riders can download from the app store or receive a link to download the app by texting “hopthru” to 43506. After signing up, riders will be prompted to select the transit agency, rider type and ticket type, then complete the purchase. Once a rider is ready to board, they can activate their pass and then present it to the operator while boarding. Purchased passes can be activated at any time with or without an Internet connection. For more information, visit RideCARTS. com, email info@RideCARTS.com or call at (512) 478-RIDE (7433).

Shelter maintains no-kill status For the fourth year in a row, the Georgetown Animal Shelter has achieved a live outcome rate above 90 percent, which means it is considered a no-kill shelter. The save rate was 94 percent for the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30. The live outcome rate is notable for an open-admis-

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sion public shelter. Factors in the 94 percent live outcome rate include a high rate of animal adoptions, the number of animals returned to owners, and the cleanliness of the shelter which results in healthy animals. Other notable milestones for the 2018 fiscal year include: • A record 29 percent of animals returned to their owners, including 384 dogs and 64 cats • 888 animals, or 57 percent of all impounded animals, adopted or transferred to rescue groups • 648 cats and dogs vaccinated at low-cost vaccine clinics • 113 cats spayed or neutered at the free spay/ neuter clinics for cats and the animal shelter’s public assistance program • 213 volunteers recorded 7,036 volunteer hours The Shelter is located at 110 W.L. Walden Drive. Contact the shelter at (512) 930-3592, animalsvc@ georgetown.org or online at pets.georgetown.org.

the workforce or higher education. “I’m excited to announce that the nomination period for the 3rd Annual CTE awards is underway,” Congressman Carter said. “Texas’ 31st Congressional District is rich in career and technical education opportunities for students and I wholeheartedly believe that these programs open doors for students to explore paths they might not usually consider. I can’t wait to hear the stories of the outstanding students that are participating in CTE programs and how it’s influenced their goals.” Nominations are open for students who currently reside in the 31st Congressional District of Texas only. The nomination deadline is Friday, March 8th and the ceremony will be held on Monday, April 8th (location TBA). Nomination forms, important dates, rules and regulations, and student forms can be found by visiting Rep. Carter’s website at: https://carter.house.gov/ career-technical-education-award/

3rd Annual Career &Technical Valentine Fun Education Awards at Crafting with Congressman John Carter Cocktails (TX-31) announced the opening of the nomination period for the 3rd Annual Congressional Achievement Award for Outstanding Career and Technical Education Students in Texas’ 31st Congressional District. Career and technical education programs allow students to practice important trade skills to prepare them for

Grab your bestie for this fun Galentine/Valentine event at The Williamson Museum on the Chisholm Trail on Saturday, February 9, from 6 - 8 pm. "Crafting with Cocktails" has something for everyone 21 or over! Enjoy refreshing cocktails and snacks while releasing your inner crafter

with a favorite partner. Located at 8 Chisholm Trail in Round Rock, tickets are $20 per person, $15 for museum members. Tickets available at www.williamsonmuseum.org or by calling 512-943-1670. Don't miss this unique way to celebrate the season of love and friendship. For more information, contact Mickie at mross@williamsonmuseum.org.

Round Rock Grad Elected The Honorable Leah Shapiro was sworn in as Judge of the 315th District Court in Harris County. Judge Shapiro Leah is proud to be of the fifth generation of a Galveston, Texas family but she is also a proud member of the Round Rock High School class of 2002. Leah's family moved to Round Rock when she was a young girl. She attended New York University got her law degree at St. Mary’s School of Law in 2006. Her parents, Dr. Ira and Mrs. Diane Shapiro live in Cimarron Hills in Georgetown.

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The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of The Advocate, administration, staff or contributing writers. The views expressed in all letters to the editor and signed opinion articles are those of their authors. All letters to the editor must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Anonymous and unverified letters to the editor will not be printed. The Advocate reserves the right to edit letters for length and journalistic style, and has a recommended length of 300 words. "To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge, to find the will of God is the greatest discovery, and to do the will of God is the greatest achievement." ~Author Unknown

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McFarland Announces Candidacy Celebrating a Lifetime for Board of Trustees Commitment to the Youth of Wilco

Elizabeth McFarland, community leader, attorney, volunteer and Veteran, announced her candidacy in the Georgetown City Elections for Georgetown ISD Board of Trustees. McFarland says, “With Scott Alarcon’s decision to move on and serve our community in other ways, I am eager and excited about the prospect of ensuring our current and future generations of students have every tool and resource available to inspire and empower them to lead, grow and serve our communities.” Her primary platform has, at its core, her enthusiasm for the role public education plays in every society. “It is the great opportunity-maker,” she affirms. “Public education offers students from all back-

grounds and circumstances the opportunity to excel in school and in life.” McFarland is proud to be a product of the public education system, which, for her, even includes a rather prestigious public military academy located at West Point, New York. McFarland brings many years of leadership and readiness to the job and to that end, has already worked three years on the Boards of the GISD Education Foundation and Chase the Chief, and participated in the previous two GISD Citizens Advisory Committees. She has also provided personal support and service to Georgetown at large as a member of the Rotary Club of Georgetown, Samaritan Center, Seeds of Strength, A Gift of Time, and Team Red, White and Blue. “As a Trustee, my vision is strengthening STEM curriculum in schools, finding new ways of measuring student and educator achievement, and supporting UIL and extracurricular activities. I also want to look at expanding programs for innovative learning and incorporating more adult mentoring in the classroom to provide every child with a strong support system at school. “ Ms. McFarland has been a Georgetown resident for 15 years and is the owner of McFarland Legacy Law in Georgetown. She and her husband, Stefan, have four children, all of whom attend school in Georgetown ISD. Citywide early voting begins April 22 and election day is Saturday, May 4th. For more information, please visit Facebook.com/McFarlandForSchoolBoard

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Celebrating his lifetime career with Allan Bijou were County Judge Bill Gravell, Judges Stacey Mathews, Betsy Lambeth, Rick Kennon and Donna King; and Juvenile Executive director Scott Matthew. At right, Allan readies his portrait.

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nile Services held a special ceremony during their January board meeting. Director Scott Matthew recognized retiring Director of Facilities Allan Bijou, who spent the entirety of his 32-year career with the county in service to the Juvenile Center. With family, friends and colleagues in attendance, Matthew said “I never had to worry about this place with Allan because he was on top of everything. He gave it everything and, at one point, even told the Commissioners’ Court that he would work for nothing.”

Former Juvenile Director Charlie Skaggs spoke and reflected on the successes among the “hundreds and probably thousands of kids over [Bijou's] 32-year career here whose lives were made better.” Assistant Director Matt Smith added, “No matter what was going on and when times were tough, there was no one I’d rather see coming down the hall than Allan.” Matthew unveiled Bijou’s official portrait, which was placed in the main hall, unique in that Bijou is the

only non-director to be honored in that way. Mr. Bijou was humble and said while he didn’t have time to thank everyone, he was especially grateful to Skaggs and Matthew. “It was an honor, privilege and pleasure to work here. If i had to do i tall over again, I would. County Judge Bill Gravell also honored Mr. Bijou at Commissioners’ Court for his service to and example for the County.

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Cabaret Night

Angel Fountain is holding its second annual Cabaret Night fundraiser to support the 2019 "On Broadway" program and performance. The Champagne & Dessert is February 12 at 6:30pm at the Georgetown Country Club. Tickets are $50 and funds benefit the Angel Fountain Educational Endowment Fine Arts Scholarship fund. Tickets for the fundraiser and the April concert are available at TheArtsTicketingSolutions.com.

Citizen Police Academy Open

The Citizen Police Academy is an 11-week course taught by police officers and firefighters to educate citizens about the Georgetown Police and fire departments’ protocols and procedures. Classes in the spring 2019 academy include code of criminal procedure, criminal and accident investigations, lethal and less-than-lethal weapons, crime scene investigations, victim services, response to resistance, officer safety, and Fire response. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m.

Chase the Chief

on March 4. Weekly classes are on Thursday evenings starting on March 21 through May 30. Class sessions are 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The first class will be held in the training room of the Public Safety Operations and Training Center, 3500 D.B. Wood Road. There is no charge to attend the academy, but seating is limited and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are available at the Georgetown Police Department reception desk at the Public Safety Operations and Training Center or by emailing a request to randy.mcdon-

ald@georgetown.org. All applicants will be notified of acceptance via email.

Parks and Rec Spring Break Camps

Georgetown Parks and Recreation will offer spring break camps for students March 11-15. Pricing and schedules vary for each program. Participants can select from three camps: Camp Goodwater (ages 5-12; $150 resident/$185 nonresident) includes a variety of activities, such as games, crafts, and weird science projects. The week will end with a field trip to Mt. Playmore.

Tennis Camp (ages 7-12; $150 resident/$185 nonresident) focuses on stroke instruction, footwork drills, court games, and match play. Teen Adventure Camp (ages 12-17; $250 resident/$315 nonresident) will travel to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, Oklahoma, for a week of camping, hiking, rock climbing, and rappelling. Registration is open now. For more information and to register, visit parks. georgetown.org/camp or call (512) 930-3596.

The 7th Annual chase will be Sunday, March 3. This community event takes place at the East View High School’s Athletic Fields for the entire family and serious runners alike. All participants get the chance to “Chase” Georgetown Police Chief Wayne Nero, in the 5k race, and Assistant Police Chief Cory Tchida, in the Hammerlun Family Fun Run. Chase the Chief is a fitness initiative of the Georgetown Police Department. It focuses on raising awareness about the health, social, and economic impact of childhood obesity, encouraging behavior change among children and families to combat obesity, and exposing community members to fun physical activity, including a GPD obstacle course, fitness fair, and healthy snacks. The 5k Race and Fun Run will begin at the start/ finish line located between the stadium and practice fields. A keepsake will be awarded to the participants who complete either race! Benefiting the Children of Georgetown schools!

The Georgetown Get Fit Initiative (GGFI) is a collaborative effort by all the GISD elementary schools to get students excited about exercising and staying fit. The elementary school PE coaches are testing their students’ baseline fitness in the Fall with a fun and challenging exercise test, and then using the same test in the Spring to measure students’ improvement in their fitness levels. The school with the best overall improvement wins the coveted Chief’s Hammer! All money raised through registrations and sponsorships goes directly to the event and to grants for our local schools’ PE departments. The actual cost of the event is very low thanks to generous in-kinds donations from our community and the hard work of our many volunteers, which allows us to maximize the amount of money going to our schools. Last year, we awarded $19,000 to our PE Departments, which was used to purchase recreational and sports equipment, outdoor games, a gymnastics course, scooters, and much more!

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TERRY WILSON: SIT-REP WEEK #1 by attending a four-year university. Over the last few decades we have focused our students so much toward college readiness that we have stigmatized vocational training as less than desirable. However, with Futures Command, BitMain, and other industries coming to Central Texas, we will see abundant opportunities in trades and vocational fields. If we want to take full advantage of the economic engine we need to fund, support, and champion students who choose to pursue vocational fields.

At noon on January 8,

2019, the 86 Texas Legislature took the oath of office. I am honored to have been chosen to represent you. We will only have 140 days to pass bills, so covering everything important to you requires focus and a great deal of communication. I made a promise to keep you informed and to seek out your input directly, and these Sit-Reps in the Advocate are a part of fulfilling that promise. From now until June, I will be writing regularly, and will share information about the legislative session, and direct requests for your input and feedback about specific issues and decisions coming before the legislature. Since the close of the 85th Session a year and a half ago, your HD20 staff and I have been working to assemble a legislative agenda for the 86th session. Take a look at the top ten items that are on our list so far, along with my position on those issues—in 100 words or less. I would appreciate your feedback and input on these issues, and any others you believe should be brought to the forefront. th

10. Improving the Process and Leadership in the House With a new Speaker of the House, there is an opportunity to shake up some of the old rules of the House that don’t serve us anymore. If we provide a way for the members of a committee to put a bill up for consideration even if the chair doesn’t want it heard, and for putting a bill with more than 76 sponsors on the floor for consideration by the full house, we can make sure that one representative can’t hold up legislation important to the

entire state.

9. Criminal Justice Reform

We are the most imprisoned nation on Earth, with more than 1,000,000 people incarcerated. While imprisonment is a powerful tool to punish criminals and protect society, it doesn’t do us any good when we release people back into society with their links to the outside damaged; and their access to legal forms of income limited or completely eliminated. Doing so sets them up for a lifetime of resorting to crime. By looking at all the tools we have at our disposal, including rehabilitation, special veterans and drug courts, and counseling, we can reduce crime and imprisonment at the same time.

8. Public School Safety & Counseling Following the tragic shooting in Santa Fe, Governor Abbott convened a panel of teachers, school administrators, legislators, as well as community and faith leaders to address not only how to make our students safer from physical violence, but to examine the core of what has made violence in our schools, from bullying to shootings, a more common occurrence in the last few decades. I commend Governor Abbott on this approach, and I look forward to finding a way to address these weighty issues in manner that respects the fundamental rights of parents, teachers, administrators, and students alike.

7. Vocational Education

All children deserve a chance to make something of themselves, but not everyone is best served

6. Ending the Driver’s Responsibility Program for Small Violations The Driver’s Responsibility Program was designed to punish DWI offenses, adding a surcharge of $3000 - $6000 to each offense to help pay for trauma care costs. Over time, though, this penalty—purposefully designed to be overly harsh—was extended to any series of three minor violations, from a broken tail light to light speeding, within three years. It carries a minimum of $1,800 in surcharges, at least $600 more if you get another ticket, and a suspended license if you can’t pay. These punishments don’t fit the crime. We should limit this program to DWI level offenses and higher.

5.Infrastructure Improvements and Toll Road Reform Texas has the most road miles of any state— 313,656. The next closest is California with 180,000. As Texas’s growing population places increased strain on our transportation infrastructure, it also places pressure on us to rise to the challenge it presents. That starts with looking past the two-year budget cycle and structuring our roadways, not only for the needs we have now, but also facilitating growth for the future. With companies such as BitMain moving into smaller communities like Rockdale, improving our rural roads to support commercial levels of traffic is essential to maintaining growth.

4. Public Education Funding Formula Reform

The method we use to calculate funding for our schools is broken. It is the result of decades of bad compromises and political games, using testing scores, attendance, local tax rates, and the special needs of students to calculate how much the school gets for each individual student. Every time the legislature patches the system up just enough to get through the next two-year cycle we make it a little more complicated, and a little bit worse. Justice Willett of the Texas Supreme Court said it best; "Our students deserve a funding system designed for the 21st Century."

3. Public School Finance Reform Education finance reform is property tax reform. Constitutionally, funding education is supposed to be the responsibility of the state government, not local school districts. However, over the last 60+ years, the state has used one workaround after another to slowly shift that burden to local property taxes, which now make up more than half of the average property tax bill. The Texas Supreme Court made it clear, while all those workarounds are not technically unconstitutional, they have created such a mess that the only workable solution is to start over from scratch. Real property tax relief requires school finance reform.

2. Aggregate & Stone Mining Reform Texas’ explosive growth requires raw materials to build roads, houses, stores, and offices. That concrete comes from quarries. The lax regulations and permitting that allowed industry to expand exponentially while operating far from inhabited areas doesn’t work when a quarry is next to a housing development. New rules are required if we want residential and industrial economic development to grow together, and I’ll have a full breakdown of my proposed plan for those rules in an upcoming newsletter. If you would like a sneak peek, you can look at a breakdown of my proposed legislation at Capitol.Texas. Gov and look up HB509.

1. Long Term Prosperity for All Texans As Texas continues to burst at the seams with new growth, we have an opportunity take a long-term view of Texas’s future to continue that growth. If we expand our focus beyond our major metropolitan areas and build up our rural regions as well, we can begin to lay the foundations that will support the next steps in our continued growth. From infrastructure spending to vocational education, when we invest in our rural communities, we invest in all of Texas. I am

committed to expanding our record growth into all areas of the state, and far into the future. As important as all of these issues are, nothing is more important to me as your representative than hearing your voice. No matter who you supported in November, in January we come together as one district and work to better not only our district but our state and nation as well. I want to hear what is important to you and why it is important. I read every communication, and do my best to respond in kind, so please email me at terry. wilson@house.texas.gov to let me know your thoughts on upcoming bills and issues coming before the House.

Is your top priority on the list? If not, let me know! I want to make sure that every voice is heard going into this legislative session. I took an oath to go to work for you with everything I have, and I will answer every email and respond to every call, on every issue, for each and every Texan. I believe in keeping the people in control, even when it comes to communication. If you would like to subscribe to my e-mail newsletter, please visit my website TerryWilsonForTexas.com and submit your email address in the page footer or email me at Terry. Wilson@house.texas.gov

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Weighing in as a Gen-X

I find the continued and increasing lack of knowledge and information in social media circles completely infuriating. Happily, the universe has tapped its own great tendency for irony for Nick Sandmann, the kid from Covington who received death threats and vilification for the out-of-context video of him at the Lincoln Memorial. While I'm certain the only reason it went viral was because he was wearing a MAGA hat (Liberals' new Confederate flag), I am glad the same Internet that wanted to string him up has $18K in a GoFundMe for his college tuition to make up for it. And I can't wait for it to rain retractions when his libel lawsuit gets started. I read that a majority of American Millennials identify as Socialist, but just 32 percent of them can define it. Help me out here; I know their teachers and parents aren't likely also Millennials. Many of them should be about my age... the lost Gen-Xers. What's with the silence from those who were alive in the 197080s, when the Doomsday Clock was always at four minutes to midnight, we all had nightmares about Soviet A-bombs and feared what regular people were doing to each other in actual socialist cultures? Have these teachers gone awry of actual history? Related: the New York nitwit (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) says there is no place in our world for billionaires because it's not fair for so much wealth to be concentrated at the top. Um... welcome to late 20th century Socialist/Communist USSR. She's too young to remember footage of hundreds of freezing Russian citizens waiting in line for bread while the Minister of IGotMine and his wife drove by in their 80-degree limousine. Socialism is a great idea as long as everyone agrees to go all in. The problem

is that humans will never unanimously agree to share the work and reward equally. And, if the government is forcing it, there will always be some who fight back. Welcome to Siberia. Seriously... does everyone even in your own household share the chores and ice cream equally? How can we expect the entire globe to sign up for that? Perhaps I'm cynical but students of history (more irony?) can tell you that since the ancient days when we discovered fire, there has always been always one guy with the muscle, talent or skill to manage things and keep the others safe and/or fed. Humans will always be comforted by that assurance and will do what is necessary to guarantee that safety. So when people start following the guy with the muscle and food, he gets used to people doing work for him and he may want more. Enter the power and corruption of the fortunate. Pharoahs did it. Emperors did it. Kings did it. Did you know Catholic clergy don't marry because Popes in the middle ages were giving their property to their children rather than the Church. No one is immune to enjoying the benefits of other people's labor and the past 600 generations have done nothing to discredit that. Maybe AOC could agree to a salary equal to the median income of her district to set the example. Yes, Millennials are correct; no one is denying from each according to his ability, to each according to his need is a great idea. (that's the actual premise of Socialism by the way...) Some people even live that way; they're called parents and they choose to do it. My father explained to me in 1976 that Communism meant working hard enough to buy two pairs of shoes, then the government comes by and tells me to give one pair to my neighbor then go back to work to buy another pair for the government, or go to prison, my first thought was "Why doesn't our neighbor buy his own shoes?" I am not a professor of political thought and I realize all of this might seem like an oversimplification but, really, is it? I will admit, there are

many liberal ideas that no one should be against; saving the environment, protecting people from gun violence, welcoming (legal) immigrants, upholding justice, destroying prejudice; these are all great and noble pursuits. But the people in this club can also be quite hypocritical. Conservatives did not hold a women's march that prohibited prolife women from marching. Liberals who yell about income equality are far behind conservatives who actually donate to the poor. Maybe if this generation really does come up with something new—that doesn't cost $70 trillion— that can slowly take hold over the next 600 generations, humans will eventually be satisfied. By the year 6019 we might have evolved and be a little more ready to play nice across the board. But by then we will likely have wiped out all the dangerous animals and will be getting our nourishment through photosynthesis so there's no need for strong leaders, perks or anything to fight about. I also, sadly, read today that when the national pendulum swings fully back from our reaction to Barack Obama and subsequent election of Donald Trump, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be President. Not because she will someday figure out where her office is, but because she thinks she is the voice of regular people. I must point out that the article was written and published by Al Jazeera so consider the source. One problem, as I see it, is her near-total insulation among what *she* considers regular people. She is surrounded by slobbering media and a lot of peers who constantly tell her how great her ideas are. Good for them. But they are not me or any of the people I know so it is erroneous to think she will appeal outside her little demographic bubble. Did she miss the point of why Hillary lost? A lot of us are too busy working, donating and sharing by choice and saving money for retirement, to hear about free everything for everyone with NO plan to pay for it. So, don't start picking out your inaugural gown just yet.

PUBLISHER'S CORNER

5 Facts You Need To Know About Green Energy by Mike Payne

“Enough research will

tend to support your conclusions.” This thought from the author of The Complete Murphy’s Law, Arthur Bloch, could be applied current controversy concerning Georgetown Utility System’s green energy program. After reviewing the recent coverage by local media, there is certainly no shortage of “information” available. As with any fact-set, in order to be truly informed, it is imperative to confirm that the information presented is both accurate and complete. Whether you are a supporter of green energy ideals and methodology or not, please consider the following: 1. If the clamoring around this issue is your only information source, it would be natural to assume that those who entered into this agreement in 2012 on behalf of the city did so without due diligence. In reality, they did so with the assistance of top-notch energy consultants. Using the best information at the time, the city was advised that this long-term contract would be beneficial and

profitable over the course of the agreement. However, just like with your 401K, there is volatility in the energy market, and in the immediate, wind and solar energy are in the lower part of the cycle. 2. The city can implement a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) surcharge to mitigate increases or decreases in the cost of energy which would be reflected on customers’ monthly bills. Initially, instead of placing the Power Cost Adjustment fee on residents, as is common among every other energy company in the state, the City of Georgetown funded these energy costs with money from the City’s excess fund balance; for nearly two years the city covered the volatility in the cost of energy without affecting the electric rate—a move virtually unheard of elsewhere. Recently, Georgetown has added a $12.82 per month PCA charge. In the past, Georgetown’s PCA has, at times, been significantly higher than this one. Personally, my own PCA varied from $12 to $42 in 2018 using another electric provider. 3. Excess energy will not always be excess energy. By the year 2022, at a growth rate of four to six percent, this excess energy will not have to be put on the market, but will be utilized by new Georgetown residents and businesses. 4. To those who are calling for the release of the contract and specific cost numbers of the original agreement, the opinion from the State Attorney General is that this simply cannot be done. To do

so would put the city in breach, causing the possibility of damages in the millions of dollars. Additionally, the city’s credibility and stellar bond rating would be put in jeopardy. 5. Although Mayor Dale Ross is currently “the face” of green energy, remember that he was not Mayor in 2012 when the original agreement was implemented. He has, however, taken our city around the world, where over one billion people have heard the story of Georgetown and green energy. It has been estimated that this marketing value to the city is $40 to $60 million. It is true that there is currently an additional $12.82 per month on the bill of residents of Georgetown. It is also true that, like all Power Cost Adjustments, it will rise and fall as energy costs fluctuate. When the hyperbole, accusations, and innuendo are separated from fact, isn't it comforting to know that if you add up your electric, water, wastewater, trash, and real estate taxes, Georgetown is still the third least expensive city in Central Texas. Finally, if $12.82 a month is still keeping you up at night, comfort yourself with these thoughts: Georgetown will continue to grow, alleviating this short-term hiccup in a long-term contract; and the cost of fossil fuels will rise—enjoy the $1.80/gallon gas while it lasts—making green energy profitable. You may agree or disagree with the principles of green energy; you cannot, however, disagree with the facts.

Welcome Baby New Year

Congratulations to Ashley Evetts of Round Rock who earned the distinction of having the first baby of 2019 at St. David's Georgetown Hospital. Her son Kayson was born at 8:04am January 2 and was a healthy 7lbs-14oz. Photos courtesy St. David's HealthCare.

FEBRUARY 2019  AdvocateNewsTX.com

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TOWN & COUNTRY

Great Moviemaking Underfoot

Georgetown Film Maker Achieving a Lifelong Dream (by giving us nightmares!) by Ann Marie Ludlow

JJ Perez has been watching scary

movies since he was a little boy and just recently released his very own horror film; written, filmed and premiered right here in Georgetown. He is completely self-taught and, while he started the day as a gifted writer, he is happy to be learning the skills and the craft as he moves forward in his career. Perez has been making short films since high school and for a time was frustrated with the complexities of making detail, technology and creativity all come together. "It's harder than people think. A five-minute clip can take days of filming and editing. I lost the passion for a while because experiencing failure was so emotional and draining. But last October I went to see a new film by my favorite indie director and I got to talk to him. It was super inspirational to have a mentor tell me to never give up. A week later I just sat down and wrote the story. We filmed for 23 nights last March and we are hoping to get a screening at the Georgetown Film Festival (April 5-7) so everyone in Georgetown can enjoy a story created in our own backyard."

One of Perez' favorite shots of the cast during filming. Not surprising there was a bumped head or two. about 72 degrees all the time but there is 98% humidity. We came out at midnight pretty sweaty and smelly." The final product includes a full score by a friend who performs with the Spazmatics, for whom Perez works as a band tech. Perez also helped create and modify sound effects himself; e.g., cutting wet, sliced bread sounds a lot like a knife cutting a finger.

The Premier

The Movie

The story of "Beneath" begins with a group of cultists who performed rituals in an underground cavern in the 1960s to summon a demonic force. Years after the cult events, tour guides found out about the curse and decided to have a look for themselves. True to the genre, bloody frights ensued. But to give full credit, the movie includes plenty of terror; i.e., the fear of what is about to happen, horror; the squirmy reaction you have after it happens, and plenty of comic relief throughout. "We have some deep scenes but I didn't want it to be dark from start to finish so there is a great balance of horror and humor." Art and Photography by Diving Starlings & Lauren Smith He does emphasize that the movie is really for 17-plus audiences (bloody scary, although the cast and crew occasionPerez says the cast and crew all enjoyed scenes and language) but is just for fun. ally thought they heard something, but peo- filming, although it wasn't without chal"There is just one demon that stays in the ple love to be scared and that was kind of lenges and they all learned the hard way. cave and awakens for 21 days every ten the point. "Working and filming here was a "There was a lot of running and hitting years unless summoned. But there is no great marriage. The caverns' owner is very heads, scrapes and falls. But considering back story at all; it is not a real name or protective of the cave and although a few we had cast members running in near dark. based on any mythical characters or historbig production companies have asked, there And then there's me, a camera, light and ical events. I even made up the language aren't any films like ours. The employees sound all running backwards in tandem used during the ritual scene. I just like already have great respect for the caves so with a 50-pound battery, to capture the acscary movies." the management has a lot of trust with us." tion. It is also very humid in the caves. It's Perez is the writer, director and producer and, after getting great feedback and reviews from his preview audiences, he is JJ Perez... future Hitchcock? already thinking about a sequel. getting the shot during

In Production

It is not a coincidence that the movie setting is our very own Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown. Perez is a popular employee and tour guide there and if you have visited the caverns lately, you will recognize most of his cast are also employees and tour guides. "Being a tour guide is like being a performer in a way. We all follow a script and add jokes and asides to entertain on our tours. My cast really nailed it, even the dramatic scenes, because they are natural performers." Perez says filming in the caves wasn't 9

filming.

Perez says the reaction of his first screening was a "high" and he can't wait to do it again. "I was so excited and relieved to hear the audience laughing at my jokes and enjoying the scares. I am hoping we will be able to do a special screening on the scene at Inner Space at some point." He is thrilled that the hard work has paid off and can't wait to show it to bigger audiences. "I want to talk about it and discuss the reactions with fans. We are even getting attention from tourists because our movie poster is hanging at Inner Space at the top of the tour." Fans and potential fans can see the official trailer on their Facebook and Instagram pages (BeneathCaveFilm). Updates will be coming soon about festival screenings, awards and release dates for the full feature on blue-ray or iTunes. (The official DVD will be a great addition to JJ's current collection of more than 4500 movies.)

GTXFF: Georgetown Film Festival April 5

The first annual Georgetown Film Festival is a great opportunity for local film makers to see their projects on the big screen for audiences of 100 or more. There will be celebrity guests as well. Perez says he is very happy with the final result and is submitting the film to a lot of other festivals across the state. "This is how indie films get noticed and get attention. Film makers enter their projects and judges screen them to decide on their festival lineups. The great thing is that celebrities, directors and producers often attend and give advice. People like me can hope that someone important will see my movie and want to share it with a bigger audience." FilmFreeway.com says the mission of GTXFF is to inform and educate professional and aspiring artists on various aspects of and how to navigate the moving image industry to further their creative pursuits. CityInsiderTX.com9

CITY INSIDER

FEBRUARY 2019

MAYOR'S UPDATE

Information About Your Electric Bill, cont'd.

trend of lower energy prices is the driving factor of the electric fund’s current finances. The effect of depressed energy prices became abundantly obvious in 2018.

Changing our strategy The City’s original strategy to contain costs by contracting for fixed-priced, renewable energy was intended to mitigate the risk of spiking energy prices. Securing long-term energy contracts that provide more energy than customers currently need is a standard practice among city-owned utilities. As a fast-growth community, these contracts allow us to grow into our energy demand. The contracts also reduce the number of times the City has to buy energy in a potentially volatile marketplace. However, when the price of energy decreases, the City is still obligated to pay

the price for energy we secured in our contracts. Any energy that is not used by our customers is cleared to a statewide marketplace. Looking back, this is an obvious shortfall in our strategy, and one that we are dedicated to fixing. Additional relief will come as our customers’ demand for energy grows. The less energy the City needs to clear to the market, the better the financial outlook. What we’re doing: This year, the priority for the City is to change the on-going financial obligations tied to our energy contracts. This could involve reducing the energy Georgetown is obligated to purchase, selling a portion of the energy to another electric company, adjusting the terms of some of our financial obligations, or a combination of all these efforts. The City is also taking steps to better manage the energy contracts day-to-day. Learn more about the electric cost

issue and the steps we are taking at gus.georgetown. org/electric.

Mischaracterizations There have been several inaccurate or misleading statements made by news media or posted on social media that I would like to correct. • It’s been reported that the City lost $26 million, which is not accurate. The $26 million figure represents the difference between projected and actual power costs in budgets from 2016 through 2018. However, the City compensated for these missed projections with one-time solutions, including adjusting how the City financed electric infrastructure projects (i.e., cash v. debt financ-

ing), adjusting the timing of projects, increasing the PCA on electric bills, and completing a rate study. While the current situation is serious, a more accurate assessment is to report that the 2018 fiscal year electric fund balance was $1.97 million, which is $6.84 million below the projected target for that fund. • Another mischaracterization is that the City is not being open about electric contracts. It is important for customers to know that wholesale power contacts include non-disclosure agreements that preclude the release of wholesale power costs. Such agreements are included in contracts across the power industry. Releasing wholesale costs would expose the City to

legal action from energy suppliers. • Some have reported that the electric fund shortfall is due to renewable energy. However, the current changes in the electric fund are due to the amount of energy that the City has under contract, not the type energy. The outcome would have been the same if we had used the strategy with other sources of energy. You can read more background on this issue or rumors you may have read and learn what we are doing to fix the issue at gus. georgetown.org/electric. Please know the City is working hard to continue to provide energy to our customers at competitive prices. Georgetown is fortunate to have a highly-re-

liable, community-owned and operated electric utility. Going forward, we remain committed to ensuring this valuable community asset benefits Georgetown for years to come. Send your questions to Mayor@Georgetown.org or your city council representative at District[#]@ georgetown.org

Energy Adjustments The City of Georgetown increased the power cost adjustment, or PCA, on customers’ electric bills Feb. 1. The PCA allows the City to recover costs associated with purchasing energy. More about these changes at Georgetown. org/2019/01/22

CityInsiderTX.com

CITY INSIDER

FEBRUARY 2019

CITY INSIDER

FEBRUARY 2019

WHAT JARRELL'S GOT

Brookshire Brothers opened their newest

store along the busy I-35 corridor in Jarrell in November. Company CEO John Alston said, “We are continually looking for opportunities that make sense strategically for our company. The phenomenal growth in the Williamson County area and the visionary leadership in the region made acquiring a Jarrell location a great fit.” Sally Alvis, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications added; "Our employee-owned company is so appreciative of the support the good folks of Williamson and Bell counties provide both our Jarrell and Salado locations. We are continuing to reinvest in the Jarrell store to support the growth in the region. When we complete the enhancements, we will hold a grand opening and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting and invite the community to help us celebrate." Brookshire Brothers took over the SunFresh Market from builder-owner Troy Bradshaw, who knew having a grocery store and an ample water supply would be integral to the success of their long range plans for Jarrell. After Bradshaw got SunFresh up and running, he began looking for a buyer with grocery experience. Brookshire Brothers was interested. The company already operates several stores along I-35 including one in nearby Salado and further north in Lorena. Jarrell’s Mayor Larry Bush was equally excited about Brookshire Brothers coming to town, “The City is experiencing explosive growth. We have plans for nearly 7000 homes/apartments on file, have recently begun an expansion on our Wastewater Treatment Facility to quadruple its capacity and are working on bringing another 10.5 million gallons of water/day to the city to support the growth. "We know Brookshire Brothers can provide the citizens of the area with choices and options that support the growth and diversity of our population. We’re delighted this employee-owned company wants to grow with us.” Residents throughout the area receive the store’s weekly ad making them aware

of the new in store offerings which will include a full service deli, bakery and meat market. Brookshire Brothers is employee-owned and community driven. Its assets include 115 retail outlets incorporating grocery stores, convenience stores, as well as free standing tobacco, pharmacy and petrol locations. Its footprint stretches east to Lake Charles, Louisiana, west to Dublin, Texas, north to Whitesboro, Texas and south to Ganado, Texas. For more information about Brookshire Brothers and its family of brands please visit www.brookshirebrothers.com. Alvis says, "We know our famous fried chicken, fresh and convenient ‘easy eats’, deli offerings and our certified meat cutters have expanded the offerings available locally. We plan to continue responding to the needs of our loyal customers. If they can’t find what they are looking for, we encourage folks to reach out to our Store Director Tammy Tabor." As a community grocer, Brookshire is committed to giving back. Since they took ownership of the former SunFresh Foods, we have had the privilege of being a partner with a number of community organizations to help further our mission of being ‘Good people, serving good food and doing good deeds in the communities where we live and work.” They were able to assist the FUMC of Jarrell during the holidays provide a $75 gift card to dozens of families in need. The Salvation Army also set up their red kettle campaign at the Jarrell location and was able to raise nearly $2000. In addition, they h ave supported the Jarrell High School Band Boosters and other education related organizations. Brookshire Brothers donations process starts online at brookshirebrothers.com. They also have a Charitable Foundation that issues grants once a year. They hope next year, nonprofits in the Jarrell area will apply for grants to help further the company's philanthropic missions. Alvis adds, "We are grateful to the folks in the area for believing in Brookshire Brothers."

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Georgetown CityInsiderTX.com

FEBRUARY 2019

CITY INSIDER

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CITY INSIDER

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CITY INSIDER

FEBRUARY 2019

Historical Ties at 4th Annual State of the District

On February 5, GISD Su-

perintendent Dr. Fred Brent (above) and the Georgetown Education Foundation hosted the 4th Annual State of the District and officially cut the ribbon on the newly-renovated Hammerlun Center for Leadership & Learning. For the first time, all GISD administrative staff and leadership are co-located onsite. Human Resources Director Jessica Neyman says, "As the city's largest employer, this is a dream environment that will lead to greater collaboration and benefits for the

East View HS culinary students, Catherine and Maira, served up well-received treats from school services

district." The luncheon was beautifully catered by the Culinary Arts students at East View HS, decorated by artwork from several schools, and punctuated by demonstrations from the Sea Perch Club, East View's "Newsies" cast, NJROTC, and stunning launches by the Morgan (10th), Alyssa (11th) Serena (12th) Georgetown HS and instructor Tina McKay discuss starting rocketry club. their day with Yoga, Meditation and MindGISD Trustee fulness as an elective or physical education Scott Stribling credit at Richarte HS. called the event workflow. Dr. Brent called "An incredible opportunity it a "mental model of how to showcase what the ISD public education changes has been able to do with over time." taxpayer dollars. The whole The building was conpoint of this building is the structed in 1917 and has impact this training center been home to several GISD and space will have, for schools in the past 100 hundreds of teachers and years. students at a time. It will Dr. Brent explained; mean significant outcomes "This is our fourth annual in our classrooms." event and also the year we The energy in the new cap off 2015 bond project building and among the with this ribbon cutting. staff and supporters was We all knew and loved palpable, due largely to Jerry Hammerlun; he left the impressive work space, a legacy and a focus on intentionally left untouched growing people—that's why in many areas to show this building is so rightful100-year-old foundations ly named after him. What and wall tiles. Also present better place to talk about are stand-up desks, quiet the future of our district rooms and "genius centhan in the very place we ter" work spaces to foster were born." better communication and

Photo courtesy American Legion.org

Veteran Flag Retirement Program

Honoring our Country, our Flag, and our Veterans The Gabriels Funeral Chapel and Crematory is proud to announce our new program that will honor our Country, our Flag, and our Veterans. We are the first funeral home in South Central Texas to offer such a program that allows you to retire your old, worn out, United States Flags by allowing us to drape them over a deceased veteran that is to be cremated. The process is simple: • Bring in to us your old U.S. Flag that is no longer suitable for display • Fill out an optional sympathy card to be presented to the family of the veteran (may be done anonymously)

• The flag will be draped on a deceased veteran and cremated with the veteran honoring the flag and the veteran The Gabriels was founded in 1993 by Georgetown-area families dedicated to preserving the funeral customs and traditions that have comforted generations of Central Texans. When a large corporate group came to Georgetown in the early 90’s, residents were pressed to abandon cherished traditions when costs rose and choices declined. The forming of The Gabriels, ensured that families would always have the choices they want, reasonably priced. Visit them at GabrielsFuneral.com.

JARRELL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Monthly Networking Luncheon

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Schwertner Ranch Event Center 1200 Lindemann Rd. | Schwertner, TX Guest Speaker: Gene Richards - Jarrell EDC www.JarrellCOC.com • info@JarrellCOC.com • 512-677-5501 www.JarrellCOC.com

512-677-5501

CITY INSIDER

FEBRUARY 2019