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Home My WebLink About2020 Annual Reportcr:- EST 1848 GEORGETOWN TEXAS r �`a n, yr ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2020 As COVID-19 cases began to increase in Texas in mid -March 2020, City operations and facilities were quickly modified to reduce risk to the public and City employees. The Georgetown Public Library offered home deliveries and created a curbside pickup service. The Georgetown Recreation Center shifted to online Rec@Home programming until it reopened with occupancy limits on June 1. Recreation Center staff also adjusted to provide childcare services to City employees. Some depart- ments, while wearing masks and observing social distancing, didn't slow down -- like Inspections Services, which completed 75,520 inspec- tions for new homes and businesses in 2020. City Council continued to meet as well, shifting to video conference platforms for meetings. And while the downtown Red Poppy Festival on the Square had to be can- celled, an online version was held with performances by Chet Garner and Dysfunkshun Junkshun. During the summer, employees with the City, Williamson County and Cities Health District, and the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as community volunteers, wore masks and placed door - hangers on hundreds of homes to increase the 2020 Census response. r 14865 011,11,1111 0111111111,1111 1111,1111 011111 ft NEW *O�ft SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES W., z c3m, WAR16, MWAZI Firefighters and paramedics from Georgetown Fire/Medical went to nursing facilities to conduct COVD-ig testing on residents, and, in partnership with WCCHD, we opened the Community Center to free, walk-in COVID-19 testing. The City partnered with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce to provide $200,000 in grants to provide immediate financial relief to 67 Georgetown's small businesses. Each grant amounted to up to $5,00o and assisted with business expenses, such as rent and employee payroll. The City also allowed for expanded outdoor seating and retail service areas within the City rights of way and parking spaces downtown to help businesses safely accommodate more patrons. The City set aside $i million for a COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program. The program offered up to $1,500 to residential utility customers who had past due balances in 202o and could show their income or employment was affected by the pandemic or any resulting restrictions. Through Sept. 30, the City helped 43 customers, and will continue providing assistance until funds run out. To help connect people to one another and critical COVID-19 information, the Communications and Public Engagement Department developed the #GTXCares initiative, which included banners, window decals, and social media posts. CALLS ....... 0 ....... EMAILS TO CUSTOMER CARE Alt "AMA vie on Alm_' In December 2019, the City announced Costco Wholesale would build a 158,000-square-foot warehouse at the northwest corner of 1-35 and Lakeway Drive within five years. The business is expected to create 235 new jobs and a have a net benefit to the City of more than $ii million over 10 years. The City's return on investment is expected to exceed the cost of incentives within three years. Construction continued on the mixed -use Riverplace development on Austin Avenue. The Palace Theater also finished work on the Doug Smith Performance Center at Second and Rock streets. The 14,000-square-foot education center features three floors, including a Zoo -seat performance space, classrooms, a dance studio, offices, and storage space. The Watkins Building, 815 S. Main St., was completed in early 2020 and includes offices, a wine bar, and a public plaza by Grace Heritage Center. The 85,000-square-foot sales, rental, parts, and service dealer, Holt Caterpillar, opened December 2oig. The facility is projected to create 13o new jobs and net benefit of $16 million over the next 10 years. Por- tions of a new 250,000-square-foot retail center Wolf Crossing Shop- ping Center also opened at the end of 2019. Another development that opened its doors in 2019 was the 64,00o-square-foot Academy Sports and Outdoors on University Avenue. The 170,000 square -foot professional medical and office develop- ment Sedro Crossing Office Development opened its first offices on Williams Drive. The development represents the largest office project in Georgetown to date. 15 PERCENT INCREASE IN SALES TAX REVENUE City staff, crews, and contractors were hard at work throughout FY2020, completing several major projects to improve how people get around our city. The final section of Southwest Bypass from Leander Road/FM 2243 to I-35 opened May 26, 2020. The City also completed the parking lot on Eighth and Martin Luther King Jr. streets. The City opened an extension of Rivery Boulevard and broke ground on the extension of the Northwest Boulevard, including a new bridge spanning I-35. When both projects are finished, drivers in Georgetown will have an alternate route to Williams Drive and a new connection from I-35 to the Rivery retail, hotel, and convention center develop- ment. Additionally, the City was on track in July 2020 to finish io years' worth of projects from the 2o15 bond in seven years. M 48 LANE MILES OF STREETS RESURFACED Pedestrian crossings with signs, button -activated flashing lights, and crosswalk striping were installed downtown and in Sun City. The cross- ings and beacons improve pedestrian accessibility and safety at key intersections. City Council adopted the Georgetown Bicycle Master Plan Dec.10, 2019. The plan is a blueprint for future transportation projects and educational efforts for a safe and well-connected bicycle network. Finally, the City launched an effort to identify transportation projects for a bond election in May 2021 and sought public comment on proposed improvements to Austin Avenue, including rehabilitating the existing bridges. After two rounds of public engagement, the Mobility Georgetown 2021 Citizen Advisory Committee reviewed and selected projects to be considered. The council is expected to call the election in early 2021. The City made significant structural changes and upgraded infrastructure to the community -owned water and electric utilities in 2019-202o. As part of a restructuring of the utilities, separate water and electric utility boards were established to replace the Georgetown Utility Systems Board. A new general manager for the electric utility, Daniel Bethapudi, was selected in September 2oi9 after a nationwide search for the new position. In FY 2020, multiple initiatives were undertaken to improve the overall financial health of the electric utility. These include en- hanced risk management and energy portfolio management practices, identifying opportunities to improve revenues and cost reduction. These changes helped contribute to an improved financial position at the electric utility, including ending FY2020 with a reserve of $28.4 million, which compares to an ending reserve of $5.9 million in FY 2019. For the water utility, Glenn Dishong became the director of the utility in 2019. Capital improvement projects to address the city's grow- ing customers and demand included completion of the 3-million gallon Braun elevated storage tank on west SH 29, improvements to the water intake structure at Lake Georgetown, and the design of a plant expansion project at the Lake Water Treatment Plant. Design and permitting work started for a second water treatment plant on the south shore of Lake Georgetown to address the demands of growth. � A A A NEW WATER UTILITY ACCOUNTS & 4 . WWII; fCITY OF GEORG . v 4 I yj I ikli li 4?4Lc 709441 POPULATION (SOURCE: PLANNING DEPT) 700+5 NEW JOBS CREATED BY BUSINESSES ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2020 S739552 MEDIAN H�OUSE102 INCOME � ! EQ 701C (SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU) 42 CENTS: CITY OF GEORGETOWN PROPERTY TAX RATE ,,. 26 "S284765 : f NEW COMMERCIAL AVERAGE HOME VALUEBUILDINGS WATER CONSERVATION REBATESISSUED SZ PERCENT PARTICIPATION RATE IN RECYCLING V 35090 10745,0 POLICE CALLS FIRE/EMS CALLS 1,501,E ACRES OF PARKLAND 9402 •�• PERCENT SAVE RATE AT ANIMAL SHELTER 6,445 +,. INCREASE IN SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS 10 GE0RGi WN TEXAS WWW. GEORGETOWN.ORG ANNUAL REPORT: FISCAL YEAR 2020