This morning (Friday, March 13, 2020), Austin and Travis County officials announced two individuals tested positive for COVID-19 in Austin. It was indicated that this was NOT community spread (spread from person to person within the area) and both cases have been identified and are being monitored. The City of Lakeway continues to be in contact with Austin and Travis County health officials, LTISD and other area agencies in regards to the latest information about the Coronavirus. At this time, scheduled city meetings and events are still planning to proceed as normal. We will continue to evaluate on a day-to-day basis keeping the health and safety of our residents and community as the primary focus. Additionally, the City will be implementing extra cleaning measures at City facilities, posting educational materials and putting a plan in place to sustain operations if a decision is made for staff to work from home. These are all just precautionary methods. News will continue to develop, and while some of that news can be scary to hear, it's important to make sure to focus on the facts. Austin-Travis County officials have a phased approach to the illness and we are putting plans in place as a City to help limit the spread of this virus. The best line of defense in preventing getting sick are simple methods you can do on your own. Wash your hands regularly, cough or sneeze into your sleeve and stay at home if you're feeling ill. We are posting updates on our website as they happen. Please click here for additional information.

As a friendly reminder to our residents and guests, feeding the deer is prohibited in the City of Lakeway. It's an important measure to follow as safety is a primary concern. Deer that congregate in neighborhoods can pose a risk, including increased chances of a deer-vehicle collision. Additionally, much of the deer feed distributed is like candy to the animals, and can be an unhealthy substitute for the normal food they eat. Lakeway police will be enforcing the measure and will be placing door hangars on residents' homes who violate the ordinance as a warning. Violation of the ordinance is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. Please respect our wonderful wildlife and avoid feeding the deer.

At a seminar last week, Chief Robert Abbott with Lake Travis Fire Rescue presented Mayor Sandy Cox and the City of Lakeway with an award plaque from the Texas Fire Marshal's Office indicating the City received an ISO Rating of Class 2. ISO is an insurance-related rating system that classifies cities based on their fire risk and availability of resources to protect property in the event of a fire. The lower the ISO rating, the safer, and lower the insurance premiums. An ISO Rating of 1 or 2 are difficult levels to achieve in Texas, so we're proud to receive this designation thanks to our great partnership with Lake Travis Fire Rescue. We appreciate our awesome firefighters!