TOWN & COUNTRY
GEORGETOWN DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
How Great Neighborhoods Happen
by Ann Marie Kennon
When it comes to leadership,
we often overlook the things that have the greatest impact on our lives because there are no pundits talking about them on CNN or posting memes to Facebook. The positive side of that is, often, if we don't notice our leadership, it means the people in charge are doing a good job and things are running smoothly or seamlessly. One of those groups that has an impact on our city is the Georgetown Development Alliance (GDA). This is a group of individuals who meet as a subcommittee of our Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, and they help navigate the waters between real estate development professionals and city planners to ensure our city engages in appropriate growth while respecting property rights. Chaired by attorney Josh Schroeder (rhymes with "later"), this group looks at the impact of
development and construction on everything from traffic to endangered animal species. Schroeder explains, "Everyone agrees Williams Drive has problems. Part of GDA process is asking what’s wrong with that and what we can do to fix that. As well, we consider how is that method fair to the public and the property owner? Figuring that out is not political or an easy answer." To find those answers, GDA is an unbiased mediator between developers and the city. They filter out what the city and developers want and get everyone on the same page. They don't make decisions, bur rather hold regular meetings, essentially, to create the space and the opportunity to make that happen.
parking areas, distance from the road, where and how much sidewalk must be included, maximum footprint of the building, where the landscaping could be, and much more. The same is true for residential neighborhoods.
Where You Live...
Schroeder says, "Imagine your perfect neighborhood: How far apart the homes should be? How far do you want to walk to a playground or a retail establishment? Where are your sidewalks? Do you want tree-lined roads? Everything on that list is dictated by the development code." He also says while there are no city architecture standards by code, there are several programs
to ensure that our neighborhoods maintain design standards; e.g., rustic farm houses are very desirable right now, but is the hardy plank siding of good quality or will it deteriorate within ten years and lower the home values on that street? "People don’t realize how all of that stuff we all love and want is codified. It's hard to put your finger on it when things are wrong, but you know." As GDA Chair, he believes the role of leadership is to facilitate discussion and engage two opposing groups to discussion and decision. "GDA influence extends to redevelopment of existing neighborhoods. We look at solid neighbor-
hoods in Georgetown that were built in the 1970s or 80s and ask ourselves what they will look like in the next 30 years. What needs to be done now, or in ten years, to facilitate smart growth or change." Of the City's overall growth, he says, "We are at the adolescent growth stage of our city and we need to figure out what Georgetown is going to be. It is not a conflict to say real estate is not the most important thing our city has to do because public safety and other things are critical as well, because we want people to come here. The GDA is just here to lead sound discussion and accept the idea that 'no growth' is not an option."
It's About Relationships
The GDA has nurtured a great relationship with city staff and land developers to review and provide feedback on changes to the City's development code. "The design and development code is a little like the tax code," Schroeder says. "It's extensive and is always being amended. But the rules are important because they govern how every home and commercial property is built, as well as the process. The City wants our feedback and we are pleased to provide input early on in new development." As an example, he explained the construction of the new Academy sports building required being compliant with
9
MAYOR'S UPDATE • BY DALE ROSS
Our Award-Winning City Texas law enforcement professionals to assist agencies in the efficient and effective delivery of service and the protection of individual’s rights. These best practices cover all aspects of law enforcement operations including use of force, protection of citizen rights, vehicle pursuits, property and evidence management, and patrol and investigative operations.
It’s no secret that there are trials and tribulations associated with running a fast-growing city like Georgetown. But it's important to put these challenges in context. One thing that is often overlooked is your overall cost for city services. When you consider city taxes, electric, water, sewer, trash, and other expenses, Georgetown is one of the more affordable cities in Central Texas. Another misconception is that Georgetown is just a small, country town. The City is already a nearly $440 million organization with more than 750 employees. While City Council and I work hard each day to help the City maintain its world-class small-town charm, I am also focused on expanding employment opportunities and preparing for growth we know will come. Finally, no doubt, you have read about or been affected by the unique challenges facing Georgetown, most notably our increased costs in electricity. Thankfully, because we can recruit and retain top talent, the City has been able to assemble a new team, which is working each day to make improvements, not only in our electric utility, but across all city departments. However, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would be remiss to dwell only on the negative and not share some of the great things that happened this year. The City of Georgetown has been honored to receive a number of awards recently. These recognitions have been for a variety of departments and programs across the City. You may have missed some of these, so I’d like to take a minute to recount some of the great work done in Georgetown this year.
No. 3 safest city in Texas
Georgetown was ranked the No. 3 safest city in Texas according to a scoring of cities above 50,000 population in 2019. The ranking by SafeHome.org gave Georgetown an overall safety score of 86.49 on a 100-point scale. The ranking also placed Georgetown at 62 among the safest cities in the U.S., which means Georgetown is in the top 25th percentile in the U.S. among safe cities. Georgetown is one of only four cities in Texas to make it to the top 100 safest cities on the national level. The safest cities rankings are based on FBI crime statistics, the police officer-to-population ratio in a city, crime trends, and demographic factors.
Police Accreditation
The Georgetown Police Department earned the Texas Police Chiefs Association’s Recognized Law Enforcement Agency award in May, after more than twoyears of reviews, which included a critical review of the agency’s policies, procedures, facilities, and operations. Georgetown is only the 154th agency out of more than 2,700 agencies in the state to receive the recognition. The TPCA’s recognition program evaluates a police department’s compliance with nearly 170 best practices for law enforcement agencies developed by
10
Reliable Public Power Provider, Diamond Level
The City of Georgetown electric utility attained diamond level status under the American Public Power Association’s Reliable Public Power Provider program in 2019. This is the program’s highest level of recognition and is only awarded after a rigorous application process and outside review. The RP3 designation recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Georgetown is one of six public power providers in Texas to receive the diamond designation. In total, only 254 of the more than 2,000 public power utilities nationwide hold the RP3 designation. Georgetown Utility Systems had been a platinum designee since 2016.
2019 National Main Street accreditation
The City of Georgetown’s Main Street Program has been designated an accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its coordinating program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs, in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach. In the past 15 years, the Main Street Façade & Sign Grant Program has awarded more than $469,000 to 80 downtown businesses and property owners. Most recently, in May, the Georgetown Main Street Program presented Lark and Owl Booksellers with a $20,500 Main Street Façade & Sign Grant.
Teen Court state champion team A team of three student attorneys from Georgetown won the teen court state competition in April 2019. Linsey Jensen, Taylor Price, and Matthew McCarthy took first place in the final round in which they competed against a team from Allen. The annual state competition—three-person teams of teen attorneys are scored for their lawyering skills in mock trials—is sponsored by the Teen Court Association of Texas. A Georgetown Teen Court team also won the state competition in 2016. This is the eighth year Georgetown sent a team to participate in the state competition.
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 September 30. The live outcome rate is notable for an open-admission 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.
Family Place Library Designation
The Georgetown Public Library was designated a member of the Family Place Libraries national network in August. The designation is given to libraries that provide a welcoming community environment with resources to help families nurture their children’s development and early learning during the first years of life. The library’s new Family Place offers residents a specially designed space in the children’s area for young children to play, share books, and meet other families. It also hosts a collection of books, toys, music, and multimedia materials for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, parents, and caregivers, as well as librarians specially trained in child development and family support.
Georgetown announced as Texas Slam host
The United States Tennis Association announced Georgetown won the three-year bid to host the Texas Slam, one of the largest junior tennis tournaments in the country. Approximately 1,000 participants, ages 11 to 18, compete in the annual tournament. Georgetown submitted a proposal to host the 2020-22 Texas Slam tournament. A special selection committee was formed to review all the proposals. Because of the unique nature of the Texas Slam, the selection committee focused on the strength of the proposals as they relate to the commitment and involvement of the host
community. The committee highlighted the more than 150 tennis courts in Georgetown, as well as the more than 3,500 hotel rooms in the area.
Library Director named Texas Librarian of the Year
At the annual meeting of the Texas Library Association, Georgetown Public Library Director Eric Lashley was named Librarian of the Year. The annual award is given to a librarian in Texas who has shown extraordinary leadership and service within the library community over the past 12 to 18 months. The Librarian of the Year award recognizes that Lashley has implemented “innovative approaches to the technological and existential challenges libraries face and developed a dynamic, beloved public library that is a model for others across the state and the country.” As you can see, this year Georgetown has gotten recognition for many of our departments, programs, and places by statewide and national organizations. We can all feel proud about those honors for our city.
WINTER COMING IS
EVEN TO TEXAS
REPAIR |SERVICE | INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE
SPECIALIZING IN DUCT CLEANING & FILTRATION SERVICES
COMMERCIAL | RESIDENTIAL | NEW CONSTRUCTION Locally Owned & Operated | 24-Hour Emergency Service 100-A Don Currie Dr. | Jarrell, TX | StarAirHVAC.com
512-746-6099
TACLA12427E
DECEMBER 2019
CITY INSIDER
The Rev. Dr. Bill Pederson, Pastor
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of Jarrell WEEKLY SCHEDULE Sundays
9:45 am Bible Study • 11 am Morning Worship 5 pm Choir Practice • 6 pm Evening Worship
New Hope
BAPTIST CHURCH P A S T O R
K E V I N
R O S S
Wednesdays 7- 8 pm
NEED A RIDE? Call (512) 966-0971 Dr. Max Johnson, Pastor
110 W. Avenue G, Jarrell, TX
Children’s chapel & nursery offered during worship Saturday, Dec. 14 • 4:00 PM WINTER ROSE CANTATA
Youth - Grades 7 through 12 God’s Kids - Age 5 - 6th grade • Adult Bible Study
Even if you are not ready to be a member, you are encouraged to worship with us! We will be honored to be of service to you. We will provide a place in our church fellowship for temporary residents (and others) and a transitional step for those who need more time to review Baptist beliefs.
9:15 am Sunday School | 10:30 am Sunday Worship
“ THE BARN CHURCH ”
Christmas Eve • 6:00 PM CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION SERVICE
5404 Williams Drive | Georgetown | 512-868-0902 | www.sgpcgeorgetown.org
SERVICES: Sunday: 11 am & 6 pm
Sunday School: 9:45 am Wednesday: 7 pm
(512) 746-2828 1700 CR 305 | JARRELL
NEWS FOR PAWS & CLAWS AND SNOUTS & HOOVES New Tricks Can Help Old Dogs
by Dr. Nathan Carlton, D.V.M.
Every morning I try to get some exercise by going to my local gym. I have made a few friends there, and sometimes we talk about our work. The conversation usually ends up with someone asking a question about a dog, or horse, or cow. A friend of mine has a 9-year-old mixed breed dog that recently started to become clingier toward him; he explained that his dog used to be a bit nervous during thunderstorms, “but never like this.” He said nothing had changed in the home, but the dog won’t leave his side. The dog went
to a vet where a full exam was done with blood work that came back normal. The dog was prescribed Prozac and sent home. My buddy asked me what I thought. I have seen many old dogs suddenly do strange things—stand in a corner for a long time; become more anxious for no reason; soil the house when they hadn’t done that previously; or even become snippy and bite owners or other dogs. Older dogs can develop something called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, or CCD. CCD is a lot like Alzheimer’s or dementia in people. In both people and dogs, the pathophysiology is complex, and includes atrophy of neurons in the brain and buildup of proteins, just to name a couple problems. There are a
few ways to treat the disease. One way is changing the diet and keeping your pet active. Special diets that are rich in antioxidants can help slow the onset. Another option for treatment is prescription medications that can help slow the onset of this problem by increasing blood flow to the brain and reducing damage to organs that help keep the dog healthy. Many of us know a family member that has suffered from dementia and it can be hard on familial relationships. That same insidious process occurs in man’s best friend and can likewise destroy that special bond. When you start to notice sudden changes in your aging dog, call the vet to get some help. Also, be sure to adopt a healthy life-
style along with your furry friend. Diet and exercise are a great
way to keep away many older age problems.
JarrellAnimalHospital.com
11
CITY INSIDER
DECEMBER 2019
Loyce J. Graham MD, PLLC 181 Town Center Blvd. Suite 400 � Jarrell � 512.746.2690 Office Hours: Mon., Wed., Thurs., Fri. 8 am - 5 pm | Tues. 8 am - Noon
COUGAR LUBE & WASH F U L L S ERV I C E O I L & LU B E
512-746-4274 AUTO MAINTENANCE
• STATE INSPECTIONS • CAR WASH
MON-FRI: 8am-6pm SAT: 8am - 5pm SUN: 10am - 4pm
www.CougarLubeandWash.com
171 Town Center Blvd | Jarrell Northbound IH-35 EXIT 275 | Southbound IH-35 EXIT 274
12
F R EE
CAR WASH with Full Service Oil Change Cougar Lube and Wash
DECEMBER 2019
CITY INSIDER
IN MEMORIAM
Diane Lee Schumacher June 19, 1947 - October 30, 2019
Diane Lee Schumacher, 72, of Georgetown, TX; cher-
ished wife, loving mother and best Mimi in the world, left her Earthly body Wednesday, October 30th at 7:23 PM after a complicated surgery, surrounded by her family, to wait for us in Heaven. Diane was born to Luther and Helen on June 19, 1947 in Madison, Wisconsin, but was adopted by Harold and Edith Gottschall when she was three years old and became Diane Lee Gottschall. Diane was blessed to grow up in rural Highland Wisconsin on a dairy farm with her adopted siblings. She had a pet cow named Sadie that she rode every day to round up all of the heifers for milking. Diane attended Strawberry grade school, which was a one room school, and graduated from Highland High School. She loved her simple country life. Diane met the love of her life when she was 18 years old in 1966 when David Schumacher saw a beautiful girl across the room and said, “That is the girl I’m going to marry,” and marry they did on June 3, 1967 on his birthday. Eventually, they had three children; Stan, Jason and Rachel. In the winter of ’81,’82, after 6 weekends in a row of blizzards in Minnesota, the family decided to pick up and move South, ending up in Georgetown, TX. Diane’s professional life was that of a business owner; Round Rock
Video, Georgetown Video and Pflugerville Video brought some entertainment to thousands of families. When she was finished with being a successful business owner, Diane turned her focus to what comes most natural to her, caring for others. She devoted the rest of her working life to home nursing care and Hospice services. Diane loved the beauty of the world and the people in it. Diane was full of love and compassion. If someone had a need, she was there meeting that need. Diane gave all of herself selflessly and with all of her heart. She is greatly missed and her memories will continue to warm hearts and spread love until we meet again. Diane is survived by her loving husband of 52 years David Schumacher of Georgetown, TX, Children; Stanly Schumacher and wife Laura, Jason Schumacher and Daughter Rachel Brunson all of Georgetown, Grandchildren; Dakota, Kassidy, Taylor, Baylee, Hannah and Caleb, Great Grandchildren; Kayleigh of CO and Collin of CA, her biological sisters; Claudette of OH, Gail of WI, Patricia of MN, and Debbie of WI, adopted sisters; Joyce and Linda of WI, and nieces, nephews, cousins and so many more.
She is preceded in death by her parents, granddaughter Ashley and biological brother Tom. Donations in Diane’s name can go to Mac Packs or BiG.
M•A•R•K•E•T•P•L•A•C•E IT’S TIME FOR
UNIQUE LADIES’ BOUTIQUE FULL SERVICE SALON BARBER SHOP
Holiday Shopping!
8 STYLISTS WALK-INS WELCOME ANY SERVICE
NEW ARRIVALS! FLASH SALES! SPECIAL EVENTS! Follow us on Facebook for all the details!
EXPANDED COVERAGE AREA! Highspeed Internet Services Available In:
CALL TODAY! 512.897.1860
SOSComm.com
180 TOWN CENTER BLVD | JARRELL (beside Brookshire Brothers)
Georgetown • Serenada Walburg • Weir • Jarrell Salado• Holland •Bartlett Granger • Taylor • Thrall Liberty Hill • Bertram
Visit us online for rate plans & to see our full coverage map!
254-291-4790 | Follow Us on Facebook for Sales & New Arrivals!
COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE CARE
512-864-9794 E LY ! G ET LIV
STATE INSPEC TIONS
Breakfast ● Sandwiches ● Salads Smoothies ● Gourmet Coffee Espresso ● Homemade White & Wheat Bread & Bagels
2228 N. AUSTIN AVENUE • GEORGETOWN Located across from GISD stadium
GeorgetownMufflerandAutomotive.com
Lively Coffeehouse & Bistro
21 N. Main Street Salado, TX
(in the Salado Square)
254-947-3688
Residential • Commercial TACLA 006424C
ALLPURPOSE HEATING & AIR
Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
(512) 746-5641 (512) 869-1032
LLC
R E F R I G E R AT I O N
Repair • Installation • Service Sheet Metal Fabrication
512-930-3750
CavLaw,
PLLC
WAYNE E. CAVALIER Attorney at Law
ELDER LAW • WILLS • TRUSTS • ESTATES SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
St License # TACLA4518C
allpurposeair@ecpi.com
512.775-7676 • cavlawtx@gmail.com 181 Town Center Blvd • Suite 500 Jarrell, TX 76537
A-1 Automotive Complete Auto Service
700 S. AUSTIN AVENUE • GEORGETOWN 512.869.7659 www.quenansjewelers.com
607 Leander Rd. • Georgetown 512-869-6993 Over 20 years of Quality Service Monday - Friday 7:30am - 6pm
254-721-6282 · bcsports.us bcsports-sales@usa.net
512.863.7633
OFF ROAD RECOVERY
✯
LOCAL & LONG DISTANCE
DEPENDABLE SERVICE
RV TOWING ✯ FLATBED AVAILABLE ✯ LOCKOUTS
MOTORCYCLE TOWING
Equipping Leaders in
MINISTRY • BUSINESS • POLITICS Leadership Instruction & Professional Development
512-948-5750 wbendaniel@gmail.com
Mon., Wed.-Fri 9-4 Sat. 9-4 Sunday 10-4
DECEMBER 2019
CITY INSIDER
1¢
Virginia, your little
friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared
with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as
dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can
conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Laura Virginia O'Hanlon Virginia was born July 20, 1889, in New York City. At age 8, she asked her father, Dr. Philip O'Hanlon, if Santa Claus existed. He told her to write and ask the newspaper, saying; "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." She received her Bachelor's degree in 1910, a master's degree in education in 1912, and a doctorate in 1930. She was a school teacher in the New York City Independent School District. She began her career as
an educator in 1912, became a junior principal in 1935, and retired in 1959. She received a steady stream of mail about her letter throughout her life and often included a copy of the editorial in her replies. In an interview later in life, she credited it with shaping the direction of her life quite positively. Virginia passed away in 1971 at age 81, having met Santa Claus several times throughout her life.
CITY INSIDER
DECEMBER 2019