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THE BIG PICTURE
(City of Buda Weekly Newsletter)
Week of Dec. 7, 2020
In this Issue:
  • City Offices Close Early, Library Closed on Friday, Dec. 11
  • Buda City Park Now Open to the Public
  • Buda City Park Video
  • Buda Parks, Recreation & Open Master Plan Public Survey
  • Curative COVID-19 Testing Site in Buda Now by Appointment Only
  • City of Buda Annual Sewer Averaging
  • Main Street Improvement Project Update
  • Hays County COVID-19 Relief Funds
  • Budafest Holiday Tour - Dec. 4 - Dec. 12
  • Budafest House Lights Tour
  • Buda Drive-Thru Trail of Lights - Dec. 10-13,17-20
  • Buda Drive-Thru Trail of Lights Video
  • Trail of Lights Frequently Asked Questions
  • Downtown Buda Festival of Trees NOW OPEN
  • Downtown Buda Tree Lighting Ceremony - Video
  • Holiday Lights Recycling
  • REMINDER: Four-Way Stop Installed at Intersection of Old San Antonio Road and Cabelas Drive
  • New Online/Phone Options for Court Defendants
  • City of Buda In-Person and Online Services
  • Water Smart Customer Portal
  • Stage 1 Water Restrictions - Effective Monday, Aug. 24
  • COVID-19 Hays County Resources
  • COVID-19 Hotline
  • COVID-19 Dashboard
  • COVID-19 Updates on City of Buda Website
  • Pay By Phone Automated System
  • City of Buda E-Billing
  • City of Buda Job Opportunities
  • Upcoming Meetings
City of Buda Offices Close Early/Library Closed
On Friday, Dec. 11
All City of Buda offices will close at noon on Friday, Dec. 11 for the City's Employee Holiday Luncheon. The Buda Public Library will be closed all day on Friday, Dec. 11.
Buda City Park Now Open to the Public
The wait is finally over! Buda City Park is now open to the public. Thank you for your patience during construction.

Upgrades include two new playground areas for younger and older children with ADA compliant playground equipment, a splash pad, new restrooms, and a games and grilling area. The splash pad is closed during the winter months and will open in the Spring.

With the addition of an amphitheater, the City of Buda is poised to become a premiere festival and event location. The amphitheater design provides a festival feel for the audience. The City looks forward to attracting festivals, concerts, and other events in the future when it is safe to do so.

Buda City Park is the City's only regional park. Regional parks are intended to serve the entire city and very often are considered the premier park in a community. Historically, City Park has hosted several popular events, including the City's annual "Red, White & Buda" Independence Day celebration.

City Park is also a place to enjoy nature. As part of the improvements, over five-hundred trees were planted. They range in species from Pecan, Texas Red Oak, Cedar Elm, Bigtooth Maple, and more!  

"There are a lot of exciting things in store for City Park," said Parks and Recreation Director Greg Olmer. "The amphitheater is our main focal point of the new and improved park. This gives us an opportunity to draw in additional festivals and regional festivals, when it is safe to do, that can bring in tourism. But the new playground area, splashpad, and other amenities will provide a great outdoor experience to residents and visitors alike.   
Parks and Recreation Director Greg Olmer talks about the new and improved City Park in the video below.
Buda Parks, Recreation & Open Space
Master Plan Public Survey
The City of Buda needs your help and input! The City is updating its Park, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan. This document helps Buda set priorities for parks, recreation facilities, trails, and greenspaces for the next 10 years.

Please take some time to answer this survey about parks and recreation in Buda in the link below. The survey will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Encourage neighbors and other Buda area friends to participate in this important survey as well!

Instructions: Please answer the questionnaire with YOUR opinions. If your spouse or others in your family would like to complete a questionnaire, the same survey can be taken online. For each question, check the one box that is closest to your opinion unless instructions say, “Check all that apply.”

The survey will be open until December 31, 2020.

All survey answers will remain confidential and your information will not be sold or used for solicitation.

Curative COVID-19 Testing in Buda
Now By Appointment Only
COVID-19 testing is available in Buda through Curative! The testing kiosk is set up in the parking lot at Main Street and China Street near the public restrooms across from Main Street Dental. 

There are some changes we wanted to share at the Curative testing sites in Buda and around Hays County:

1. They are offering testing by appointment only until further notice (this applies to the "permanent" locations; a few upcoming events will offer one-day walk-up testing)
2. Curative is now billing insurance but there is no out-of-pocket cost to the individual being tested.
3. Testing continues to be free to anyone without insurance.
4. Curative testing locations are closed Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1.
5. A second location at San Marcos High opens Dec. 19.

Curative Testing Site Holiday Closure
Buda COVID-19 Curative testing site will be closed on:
Dec. 24 and 25 for Christmas Holiday
Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 for New Years Day


𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚 
*𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 (𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬) 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 
𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚 
𝟗 𝐚.𝐦. - 𝟓 𝐩.𝐦. - 𝟕 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤!

Other Testing Sites in Hays County below.
City of Buda Annual Sewer Averaging
The City of Buda conducts its annual wastewater rate averaging every year from November through February. By reducing your water consumption and fixing leaks during this period, you can reduce the amount charged over the proceeding 12 months for the wastewater portion of your bill. Because there is no meter on your wastewater line, the City utilizes wastewater averaging during the winter months when outdoor water usage is at its lowest. We take
the average of the 3 lowest usage months during this 4 month period to determine your wastewater charges for the next year. The less water that is used during this period, the more you will save on the wastewater portion of your bill.

𝙂𝙤𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨 will need to supply the City of Buda Utilities Department with water usage for November & December 2020 and January & February 2021. The new sewer average billing will go out in March and is due on April 10. The sewer charge will stay the same until next year when the City averages again.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝟓𝟏𝟐-𝟐𝟗𝟓-𝟖𝟖𝟒𝟓.
Main Street Improvement Project Update
Work on the Main Street Improvement Project is moving along. Please expect delays on Main Street this week as the paving work continues. It is estimated to be finished in January 2021.

Below is the paving schedule for this week.
Hays County COVID-19 Relief Funds
The Hays County COVID-19 Relief Fund is taking applications for grants to assist with rent, mortgage and utility payments for Hays County residents impacted by COVID-19. The deadline is Dec. 22. More info about the program and how to apply are on this BR3T website: https://br3t.org/
A 2020 Spin-Off of Budafest:
The Budafest Holiday Tour
Budafest is back and everything kicks off on Friday, Dec. 4! While this year’s festivities will look a little different in light of COVID-19, we are honoring the long-time holiday tradition in 2020 form with “The Budafest Holiday Tour”. We have holiday activities scheduled all over town for 9 days straight! From holiday movies at Doc’s Drive In, video chats with Santa, to Budafest Restaurant Week at your favorite restaurants, we have something for everyone to join in on the holiday fun!

Check out all the fun at www.budafest.org.
Budafest House Lights Tour
Do you go all out when it comes to decorating your home for the holidays? If so, then register your home today to be added to the official Budafest House Lights Tour map and we'll bring you an official 2020 Budafest Wonder Yard Sign!

Buda Trail of Lights Drive-Thru
Buda Trail of Lights kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 5. As with all City events in 2020, things will look a little different this year. In an effort to limit the gathering of large crowds and to keep our staff safe, we are hosting a drive-thru experience for this year’s Trail of Lights! You will get to experience all of the fun displays and lights from the safety of your vehicle. THIS IS A FREE EVENT.

𝟏𝟐𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎-𝟏𝟑, 𝟏𝟕-𝟐𝟎
𝟔:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 - 𝟏𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌
𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤
We have included a map of this year’s route below. The route begins on Hawk Lane at the entrance to Stagecoach Park & Visitor’s Center and winds its way around to Loop Street where motorists will exit back on to Main Street. Keep in mind that this is the traffic flow map and not the display map. Displays may not line the entire route. To ensure safe entry into the park, traffic will only be allowed to enter from the westbound lanes of Main. Eastbound traffic will not have a turning lane into the park. Buda PD will be on hand to direct traffic.     
Trail of Lights Drive-Thru Video
We know not everyone is getting out during this time, so we put together a Trail of Lights Drive-Thru video for those not attending this year. Enjoy!
For more detailed information on Trail of Lights please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section on our website at www.ci.buda.tx.us/trailoflightsFAQ.

You can also visit www.ci.buda.tx.us/trailoflights.
Downtown Buda Festival of Trees
NOW OPEN
The Buda Festival of Trees is NOW OPEN! Come enjoy the trees donated by you, the community, in support of keeping the doors open for Downtown Buda businesses. The Festival of Trees is located in Greenbelt Park, surrounding the Downtown Christmas Tree. Each tree was donated by an individual, family, group, or business and has a central theme behind the décor. The trees were decorated with love for all families to enjoy and are a sparkling example of the beautiful community that builds Buda. 

In addition to the donated trees, volunteers from the Buda Main Street Advisory Board built a lighted tunnel to enjoy after you take pictures around the Downtown Christmas Tree. Please remember to social distance when visiting the Festival of Trees, refrain from disturbing the decorations, and always wear a mask when you cannot be 6 feet apart from others not in your household. 

The Festival of Trees is open for the community to explore until January 10. Greenbelt Park is open daily between 6 am – 10 pm. To learn more about the Festival of Trees or to donate to the Downtown Buda Merchants Group, visit www.budafestivaloftrees.com 
Downtown Buda Tree Lighting Ceremony
Downtown Buda is looking festive for the Holidays. You can watch our Downtown Tree Lighting video below.
In your preparation for the holiday season, Buda is here to help you recycle any of your old, broken, or unused holiday lights! From November 30th to January 10th, stop by the Buda Public Library to drop off your holiday lights. Please remove all clips, cardboard or any other material so that you are only turning in the string of lights. No compact fluorescent or other light bulbs can be accepted through this program.

You may drop the lights at a bin located near the outdoor book drop on the side of City Hall. The lights will be recycled through a vendor for proper disposal.
The Buda Main Street Program has launched a temporary Curbside Pilot Program to help businesses in Historic Downtown Buda connect with their customers more conveniently.

Under the pilot program, signs will be placed in six key areas to assist customers with their curbside, pickup, or to-go orders from restaurants and retailers. Each sign will have an assigned number so customers can text or phone in their easily identifiable location. There will be 1-2 temporary curbside parking spaces per block with parking limits set to 10 minutes.

REMINDER: Permanent Four-Way Stop Installed
At Intersection of Old San Antonio Road & Cabelas Drive
A permanent four-way stop is now up at the intersection of Old San Antonio Road and Cabelas Drive. Please keep this in mind when driving through the intersection.
New Online/Phone Options for Court Defendants
The City has several new options for court defendants:


  • Online Case Resolution (InSite) – The City of Buda currently uses some of the options offered through Online Case Resolution, but this upgrade will allow the City to enable additional features like Court Dismissals and Court Scheduling. Basically, any service the City offers on-site will now also be offered online. 
  • Interactive Voice Response (IVR) – Municipal Court defendants will be able to call 1-866-311-9322 to pay on citations over the phone. This is a new option being offered by the City.
  • Tyler Notify – The City has been using notifications by phone call for a while, and now we have the ability to use text messaging at no cost to the City.
On Monday, Sept. 28, the City of Buda reopened most public facilities. Although the number of COVID-19 cases are declining in Hays County, it is still important to wear a face covering and maintain social distancing to keep the community safe. Phone and online methods of communication are still encouraged.

City of Buda Employees are following strict social distancing practices and will be wearing masks or face coverings to provide protection for co-workers and the public.

𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

Per Governor Abbott’s Executive Order, face coverings are required wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.

  • City-sponsored public meetings may resume with strict social distancing practices in place and room capacity is limited to 25%. City Council and Boards and Commissions meetings may resume in-person meetings or virtual meetings.
  • No rental of indoor public spaces.
  • Daily disinfection cleaning.
  • Stay home if you are sick.

𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐚 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲

  • The Library will reopen with limited hours at 25% capacity with a maximum of 30 patrons at a time for “grab and go” service. Library hours are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
  • Library will continue to offer curbside pickup service. Buda Public Library Curbside Service will be Mondays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. People who can’t pick up during those times can email librarian@budalibrary.org to arrange another pick-up time.
  • No in-person library programming.
  • No study rooms.
  • Use of Library public computers is by appointment only for one hour blocks for card holders. Computer pods will be disinfected after each use.
  • Daily disinfection cleaning
  • Stay home if you are sick.

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞)


𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧


𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬

  • Notary Public Services are provided at the front reception desk. For additional questions, please call 512-312-0084.

𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰:

City of Buda Main Number (Reception) - 512-312-0084
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)
Visitor’s Center (512-295-7170)

𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 payments may be paid online at https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/budatx or through the automated phone system at 1-866-279-0787. Additional ways to make utility payments include online through your bank, by mail to 405 E. Loop St., Building 100, Buda, Texas, or by utilizing the utility payment drop boxes at the front entrance of the building and near the library book drop. Customers can contact utility billing staff directly by email at utilitybilling@ci.buda.tx.us or over the phone at 512-295-8845.

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬:

Permitting and Inspections: https://www.mygovernmentonline.org/
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
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡?

You can register your account (for free) on the Water Smart Customer Portal. All you need is your account ID and your zip code. By signing up on the portal, you can set water usage alerts, leak alerts, keep up with your monthly usage and more!

Water Smart Customer Portal Instructional Video

Register Your Account on the Water Smart Customer Portal
Stage 1 Water Restrictions
Effective Monday, Aug. 24, 2020
Effective Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, Stage 1 Water Restrictions will go into effect for City of Buda water customers in accordance with the City’s adopted Water Resource Management and Drought Response Ordinance. This is due to the lack of consistent precipitation, and higher than normal demands on our water production system.

Under Stage 1, irrigation with hose-end (sprinkler attached to a hose) and automatic sprinkler systems is restricted to twice per week. Irrigation with handheld bucket, handheld hose, soaker hose, or drip irrigation system is allowed any day and at any time. Violation of the ordinance could result in a fine of up to $2,000 per offense and a surcharge on the customer’s utility bill.

𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞-𝐞𝐧𝐝 (𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬
Twice per week on designated day; prohibited between the hours of 10:00am and 7:00 pm
  • Odd-numbered residential: Wednesday and Saturday
  • Even-numbered residential: Thursday and Sunday
  • Commercial, mixed use and multi-family: Tuesday and Friday
  • It is recommended that outdoor watering be limited to one of the permitted watering days each week to promote conservation

𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭, 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐬𝐨𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦
  • Allowed any day and at any time

For more information on Stage 1 restrictions and water conservation tips please our website.👇

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.
 
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.
Pay By Phone Automated System
The City of Buda has launched a new way for customers to pay bills by phone. You will be able to call 1-866-279-0787 and pay through an automated system over the phone.

  • Save postage by paying your bill by phone.
  • Access your updated account instantly.
  • Hear real-time balances, payment amounts, and due dates
  • Enter your information securely through an automated system
City of Buda E-Billing
The City of Buda is giving you the option to go paperless with e-billing. You can sign up online at https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/budatx Check out the video above for instructions on how to sign up!
City of Buda
Job Opportunities
Interested in joining our team? Check out our latest employment opportunities.

Upcoming Meetings
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