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THE BIG PICTURE
(City of Buda Weekly Newsletter)
Week of May 4, 2020
In this Issue:
  • Governor Abbott Issues New Executive Order, Expands Business Openings - Issued on May 5
  • Mayor Haehn Amended Order - Issued on May 1
  • Railroad Street Construction - Starting May 11
  • Hays County Hosting Two Free COVID-19 Testing Sites - Sunday, May 10
  • Alliance Water Pipeline Project Update - Starting May 11
  • City of Buda Continues to Operate Virtually
  • Buda Public Library Curbside Service
  • Buda Public Library Online Resources
  • Still Budaful Stimulus Plan Still Accepting Applications
  • Boards and Commissions Application Deadline Extended - May 31
  • COVID-19 Hays County Resources
  • COVID-19 Hotline
  • COVID-19 Dashboard
  • COVID-19 Updates on City of Buda Website
  • Public Service Appreciation Week
  • Teacher Appreciation Week
  • National Nurses Week
  • Buda Counts: 2020 Census
  • City of Buda Water Smart Portal
  • City of Buda Job Opportunities
  • Upcoming Meetings


Governor Greg Abbott issued a new Executive Order to expand openings of certain businesses and activities. The Governor also announced new guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on graduation ceremonies and the creation of Surge Response Teams to combat any COVID-19 flare ups in Texas. 

Per the Governor’s announcement, wedding venues and services required to conduct weddings may immediately open. Weddings held indoors other than at a church, congregation, or house of worship must limit occupancy to 25%. Wedding reception services may also resume, but facilities must limit their occupancy to 25% of the total listed occupancy. These occupancy limits do not apply to the outdoor areas of a wedding reception or to outdoor wedding receptions.
Beginning May 8, cosmetology salons, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons and shops, and other establishments where licensed cosmetologists or barbers practice their trade, may open, but all such salons, shops, and establishments must ensure at least six feet of social distancing between operating work stations. Tanning salons may also reopen under the same limitation. Also starting May 8, swimming pools may open subject to certain limitations, including on their occupancy or operating levels.
Beginning May 18, office buildings may open with the greater of five or less individuals or 25% of the total office workforce. These individuals must maintain appropriate social distancing. Gyms, exercise facilities, and exercise classes may also open on May 18, but must operate at 25% occupancy. Locker rooms and shower facilities will remain closed, but restrooms may open. Non-essential manufacturing services may also open on May 18 but facilities must limit their occupancy to 25%.
These newly opened services are subject to recommended minimum standard health protocols outlined by DSHS. These protocols will be available on the Open Texas webpage
Governor Abbott also provided details on the newly formed Surge Response Teams. These teams are led by TDEM and HHSC and include representatives from the the Texas Military Department, DSHS, the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, and BCFS Health and Human Services. Surge Response Teams will serve nursing homes, prisons, packing pants, and other facilities that experience flare ups of COVID-19 by providing personal protective equipment, testing supplies, onsite staffing, and assessment assistance. These teams will also work with local officials to establish health and social distancing standards to contain these flare ups. Several Surge Response Teams have already been deployed to locations across the state. Chief Kidd and Commissioner Wilson's presentation is available here
TEA officials also provided new guidance on class of 2020 graduation ceremonies for Texas school districts. The TEA is providing four different pathways for schools to celebrate their graduating seniors, and each district is at liberty to determine if any of these options best serve the needs and desires of their community:
  • Completely virtual ceremonies that take place entirely online, with the use of videoconference or other technologies.
  • Hybrid ceremonies, which consist of a compilation of videos of students being recognized in person as they celebrate graduation in small groups.
  • Vehicle ceremonies, in which students and their families wait in their cars while other graduates are recognized one at time with their families alongside them.
  • Outdoor in-person ceremonies, which are currently permitted for counties as follows: 
  • Between May 15 and May 31, an outdoor ceremony may take place in a rural county that has an attestation as described in the Governor’s Report to Open Texas that remains in effect 7 days prior to the ceremony. 
  • An outdoor ceremony may take place in any Texas county on or after June 1. 
Full details of the TEA's graduation ceremony guidance can be found on the TEA website .  
Mayor George Haehn has amended his April 21, 2020 order to be in step with Governor Abbott's recent Executive Orders to Open Texas.


Here are the key points of Mayor Haehn’s May 1, 2020 Amended Order.

City of Buda Parks and HOA Managed Parks

  • All park restrooms are open to the public. Parks staff will clean restrooms daily. Water fountains, including at the Buda Dog Park, will remain closed. Please bring your own water.
  • Jackson Tyler Norris Skatepark is open to the public. Please follow social distancing guidelines.
  • Soccer and softball fields are open to the public, but citizens may not congregate in groups larger than 4. This also applies to HOA-managed fields.
  • All other sports fields, playscapes, basketball courts, and other facilities remain closed to the public until further notice. This also applies to HOA-managed parks.
  • Reservations of any parks facility, open or closed, are not allowed. Any existing reservations of these facilities are cancelled. Members of the public will need to cancel or postpone any events at City parks or HOA-managed parks.
  • Trails, green spaces, and tables in both City parks and HOA-managed parks remain open. Please observe social distancing guidelines while using park trails, green spaces, and tables.
  • The opening of Green Meadows Splash Pad is delayed until further notice. Splash pads at HOA-managed parks will also remain closed.

Retail Businesses and Social Distancing Procedures

  • Retailers must mark the floor at six-foot (6”) intervals at registers or other areas where lines are formed to ensure that customers maintain a safe distance from one another.
  • Retailers must post notice of a “stand-off” rule, which requires customers to maintain a distance of six feet (6”) from one another as much as is practicable.
Railroad Street Construction
Starting Monday, May 11, 2020 construction will begin along Railroad Street. The South Buda Water control and Improvement District No. 1 will be constructing a Force Main that will serve the wastewater needs of residents in and around the District. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and it is expected to last approximately 4 weeks. Throughout construction, certain sections of Railroad Street will be closed. In the areas of construction, the road will be reduced to one lane and a flagger will be directing traffic. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this project.
Hays County Hosting Two Free
COVID-19 Testing Sites on May 10
Through a partnership with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, along with the Texas Army National Guard, two free COVID-19 testing locations will be available in Hays County on May 10. One location will be in Wimberley, the other in Dripping Springs. Testing at both sites will take place that day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and an appointment is required.

Starting Monday, May 11, 2020 construction will begin on the segment of Alliance Water’s pipeline that is just north of Old Black Colony Road. Smith Contracting will commence near the corner of FM 1626 and Old Black Colony and work to the east over the next eight weeks.Below is a map of this segment of the project. 

The construction will impact Summer Pointe Drive for up to 5 days. Smith Contracting will keep access open at all times with flaggers on-site to aid traffic and to minimize disruption. 

The construction will also require closing of sidewalks in the area as well as the Whispering Hollow parking lot and Summer Pointe parking lot. The durations of the closures will be minimized to the extent possible with parking lots expected to be closed for a maximum of 2 days each. 

For more information about Alliance Water visit  www.alliancewater.org

The pipeline will be used as part of Alliance Water’s established water sharing agreement and will eventually be utilized to deliver treated Carrizo-Wilcox groundwater to the City of Buda.
City of Buda Continues to Operate Virtually
Until Further Notice
(This is an evolving situation and we will continue to post updated information on www.ci.buda.tx.us/coronavirusinformation )

The City of Buda will continue conducting business virtually until further notice. This means there will be no walk-ins, with all business being done via telephone and computer .  

You can contact City Departments directly at the numbers below:

Public Works (512-312-2876)
Buda Police Department - Non-Emergency - (512-393-7896)
Parks and Recreation (512-523-1081)
Utility Billing - (512-295-8845)
Municipal Court - (512-295-2562)
Library - (512-295-5899)
Planning, Permitting, and Engineering - (512-312-5745)

Utility billing and municipal court payments may be paid online here:  https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/budatx . Additional ways to make utility payments include online through your bank, over the phone at 512-295-8845, and by mail to 405 E. Loop St., Building 100, Buda, Texas. Customers can also utilize the utility payment drop boxes at the front entrance of the building and near the library book drop. The Utility Billing e-mail that residents should use to communicate with Utilities is utilitybilling@ci.buda.tx.us .  

Municipal Court: Buda Municipal Court is closed. Although operations are closed to the public, individuals may still contact the Court by phone and email to get information and handle their cases; many options are available that do not require a personal appearance.

All court dockets are cancelled. Cases that are set on dockets will be rescheduled to a date after May 8th; individuals will be notified by mail of their new court date.

All individuals are encouraged to call 512-295-2562 or email the Court budamunicipalcourt@ci.buda.tx.us in lieu of making personal appearances to take care of their court business.
 
Park rentals, library programs and all City-sponsored events are suspended until further notice. 

Additional online resources:

Permitting and Inspections: https://www.mygovernmentonline.org/

Licenses, Permits and Fees:


You can view City Council meetings online here:  

For more information on Buda Library Services:
Buda Public Library Electronic Resources:  https://buda.biblionix.com/catalog/
Buda Public Library: www.budalibrary.org
Buda Public Library Curbside Service
Get books and other library materials delivered straight to your vehicle! Place books on reserve on our online catalog. After you're notified that they are ready, park in the parking lot during designated hours and call us at 512-295-5899. Learn more about how to put items on hold here:   https://www.budalibrary.org/281/Buda-Library-at-Home
Buda Public Library Online Resources
While you are at home, the Buda Public Library is here for you! Library members can access our digital services, including checking out eBooks, downloading audio books, participating in a free online class, reading digital newspapers or magazines, or learning a new language!

Anyone can join us online for something fun to do, like watch a storytime with your children, learn to watercolor, plant a seed, and more!
We are here to take your calls at 512-295-5899 and can answer questions, set you up with a new library card, and update your existing account so you can access all our digital resources.

Find out everything you can do with “Buda Library at Home here: 
Still Budaful Stimulus Plan
REMINDER: Applications are still being accepted for the Still Budaful Stimulus Program. In response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the Buda City Council authorized the "Still Budaful Stimulus Program" to assist businesses negatively affected by the pandemic.The total contributions between the City of Buda and Buda EDC amount to $380,000, allowing eligible businesses to apply for the following assistance programs:

  • Still Budaful Stimulus Grant
  • Hotel Occupancy Tax Payment Emergency Deferral + Forgiveness Program
  • Buda Emergency Co-Marketing Grant


Applications are available at   www.stillbudaful.org .

The people behind the Still Budaful Stimulus Plan have a few words to share with our small business community. Take advantage of the Still Budaful Stimulus Plan, because without you Buda isn't budaful.
The deadline has been extended to May 31, 2020 for citizens interested in applying for the City’s boards and commissions. City Council is currently accepting completed application forms. Several of our boards and commissions accept residents living in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).

The link below contains a complete listing of our Boards and Commissions and their related duties:

You can also download a copy of the application:

Submit application by mail: City of Buda, c/o City Clerk, 405 E. Loop St., Building 100, Buda, TX 78610

Submit application by email to City Clerk: aramirez@ci.buda.tx.us

Again, the deadline to submit a completed application is May 31, 2020. For additional information, contact the City Clerk at 512-312-0084.
Hays County has provided a list of resources for residents who have lost their jobs or need food, mental health support, or other assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic .

Hays County has a COVID-19 hotline. The number is 512-393-5525 and it is operational Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM .
(The information coming from Hays County will continue to change. Please follow Hays County at www.haysinformed.com )

An online dashboard created by City of San Marcos provides the public with a current count and other statistics related to COVID-19 cases in Hays County in near real-time.

The data on the dashboard shows a snapshot of COVID-19 related information for the County, as well as the number of active and recovered cases per City.
 
For example, the public can see the current number of confirmed cases as of that day. The data includes the cases considered active or in recovery, along with the number of tests administered. The data is also available in map format.
 
“This dashboard provides our local residents with an updated and accurate picture of the spread of the virus in Hays County,” Ingle said. “It’s also important to note the number of individuals who have recovered from the virus in each city.”
 
The dashboard was created by City of San Marcos GIS staff in cooperation with emergency operations and the communications team. It will be updated daily by officials with the Hays County Local Health Department.

County residents may visit

You can also find the dashboard on the City of Buda's website at www.ci.buda.tx.us/coronavirusinformation .
As a reminder, you can visit the City's website at www.ci.buda.tx.us/coronavirusinformation for the latest on COVID-19. This page includes the Governor's Order, Hays County Order, and Mayor George Haehn order. We have also embedded the COVID-19 Dashboard from Hays County with the latest number of cases.
Public Service Appreciation Week - May 3-9
This week is Public Service Recognition Week! It's a week to honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. If you see one of our City workers out and about, give them a quick wave hello...from an appropriate distance of course! We appreciate the hard work of our employees during this challenging time.
Teacher Appreciation Week
To all of our teachers with Hays CISD and around the state, thank you for all that you do! You are much appreciated!
National Nurses Week
Thank you to all of our nurses who are truly superheroes! We appreciate your hard work and sacrifice.
Buda Counts: Census Questionnaire Online
You can now take the census questionnaire online by visiting the Census 2020 website at https://2020census.gov/ . From March 12 to March 20 homes will receive official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond. You can respond online, by phone, or by mail. Computers are available at the Buda Public Library and staff will help you get started! Census results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year.
City of Buda WaterSmart Customer Portal Open
Minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of wasted water each year . Sign up for leak alerts.

City of Buda
Job Opportunities
Interested in joining our team? Check out our latest employment opportunities.

Upcoming Meetings
Main Street Advisory Board
May 13, 2020
6:00 PM
Virtual Meeting

Thank you for subscribing to "The Big Picture" weekly newsletter! It's a "Budaful" way to keep up with the latest City news.

Sincerely,

City of Buda