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Williamson County Closing Offices to the Public Starting Thursday, March 19

Media Release from the Williamson County Public Information Office

  • 19 March 2020
  • Author: Doris Sanchez
  • Number of views: 3170
  • 0 Comments

Williamson County Closing Offices to the Public Starting Thursday, March 19

March 19, 2020 (Williamson County, TX) -- Williamson County is taking extra preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 with the goal of continuing essential county operations. Starting at noon on Thursday, March 19, 2020, Williamson County will close non-essential county offices to the public through Monday, May 11, 2020. Please note, these offices will serve the public and continue county operations by using technology, phones, email, mail, and drop-boxes as needed. 

The first round of closures starting at noon, Thursday, March 19, includes: 

Georgetown Tax Office, 904 S. Main St., Georgetown

Georgetown Annex, 100 Wilco Way, Georgetown

Cedar Park Annex, 350 Discovery Blvd, Cedar Park

J.B. and Hallie Jester Annex, 1825 Old Settlers Blvd., Round Rock

Taylor Annex, 412 Vance St., Taylor

Williamson County Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 Office, 211 W. 6th St., Taylor

Historic Courthouse, 710 S. Main St., Georgetown

Internal Audit Offices, 901 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown

Commissioner Pct. 4 Office, 321 Ed Schmidt Blvd, Hutto 

Expo Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail, Taylor

North Campus buildings, 3189 S.E. Inner Loop, Georgetown

Central Maintenance Facility, 3151 S. E. Inner Loop, Georgetown

Parks and Recreation Admin., 219 Perry Mayfield, Leander

Road and Bridge Facility, 3151 S.E. Inner Loop, Georgetown

Inner Loop Annex, 301 S.E. Inner Loop, Georgetown

Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown

Beginning Friday, March 20, 2020, through Monday, May 11, 2020, the Williamson County Justice Center, 405 MLK, Georgetown, will remain open only for required judicial activities with some changes to building procedures. Any person entering the building will have their temperature taken by a bailiff, as well as the normal screening. If a person is found to have a temperature of 100.4 degrees or more, that person will not be allowed in the building. Please prepare to fill out an information sheet as part of these new procedures. Jury trials have been cancelled until Monday, May 11, 2020. 

Williamson County’s priority is to provide continuity of operations of essential county services while maintaining social distancing practices. We appreciate the public’s support and patience as we modify procedures and reallocate resources in order to better adjust to this fluid situation. 

For more information on closures and updates on our COVID-19 response, please visit www.wilco.org/COVID-19. A call center is available for questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 512-943-1660.

Frequent 911 Calls Reduced While Patient Care Improves

Oped by Commissioner Cook

  • 19 March 2020
  • Author: Doris Sanchez
  • Number of views: 3284
  • 0 Comments

Note: The CHP does not take referrals from the public.

To address the frequent 911 calls by people who did not require emergency care, Williamson County created Community Health Paramedicine.

CHP’s mission was to reduce non-emergency ambulance usage and hospital admissions by working with those who were calling 911 too often, and sometimes daily.

Paramedics with CHP are trained to evaluate the situation before directing frequent EMS callers to more appropriate resources.

They also periodically check on patients to ensure they are using their medicines properly.

Many CHP clients have mental health needs in addition to physical problems and long prescription lists.  It is a team effort with CHP, the Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team and various community partners. 

For example, an elderly man was calling EMS frequently and began calling daily after being discharged from an emergency room last year. He was experiencing memory problems and mental health issues.

He lived alone in a rural part of Williamson County, with little family support. His memory loss was contributing to his anxiety about living alone. He was unable to recall he recently had visited the emergency room and been declared medically stable.

CHP coordinated with the elderly patient, his family, neighbors, caregivers, Meals on Wheels, and the Williamson County and Cities Health District to connect him to services.

Based on a patient’s needs, CHP staff provide medication education, evaluate the home environment for fall risks and prevention, offer nutrition education for specific health conditions, and advocate for the patient with mental health and health care providers.

 “We have three employees in the program who together have many years of experience which contributes to the success of the program. They are able to connect with patients and put them at ease to get to the root cause of their issues,” said Williamson County EMS Director Mike Knipstein.

You count, so be counted

Oped by Commissioner Cook

  • 20 February 2020
  • Author: Doris Sanchez
  • Number of views: 3668
  • 0 Comments

Atatending the Williamson County Complete Count Committee Kick-off on Feb. 5, 2020, were (from left) Commissioner Cook, Hutto Mayor Doug Gaul, Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell, Cedar Park Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale, Bartlett Mayor Landry Pack, Jarrell Mayor Larry Bush, Granger Mayor Trevor Cheatheam, Round Rock City Council Member Will Peckham, Florence Mayor Mary Condon, and County Judge Bill Gravell.

This is the first time ever that we can respond to the census online.

The U.S. Constitution requires the U.S. Census Bureau to count every resident living in the country every 10 years. Between March 12 and July 31, 95% of U.S. households will receive an invitation in the mail to complete the 2020 Census.

Depending on how likely your area is to respond electronically, you’ll receive either an invitation to respond online or by phone, or an invitation with a paper questionnaire.

Households not responding will be mailed reminders. Then between May and August, census takers will visit households that have not yet self-responded.

A sample questionnaire can be found at http://tinyurl.com/yxlmq2dh .

Commissioner Cook Encourages Families Who Have Adult Family Members With Mental Health Conditions To Take Free Course

Course Presented by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Central Texas

  • 24 January 2020
  • Author: Doris Sanchez
  • Number of views: 3537
  • 0 Comments

Family To Family

A free 8-week course designed to help family members understand and support their adult loved one living with a mental health condition and maintain their own well-being. You will learn about treatment options, crisis management, communication methods, and more.

Starts Monday, February 20, 2020

6:30pm—9:00pm

Bluebonnet Trails Community Services

1009 N. Georgetown St., Round Rock

More details and register at:

https://namicentraltx.org/families/

Commissioner Cook's Message To Everyone Who Sent Letters On Pollution Cleanup Efforts In Texas

  • 16 January 2020
  • Author: Doris Sanchez
  • Number of views: 3618
  • 0 Comments

Your requests to pass a Resolution to raise the benchmarks on our current standards to at least those of Mississippi and Louisiana are appreciated.

However, with your collective voices, you should contact your local state legislators and members of Congress. These are your leaders who have the power to pass bills that would raise our current standards for reducing pollution and cleaning the environment.

Some of your concerns regarding discharges into the San Gabriel River and Brushy Creek should also be addressed at the city level, because they are the owners of these water treatment plants.

In addition, Texas counties have limited authority to pass ordinances and have nearly no land use authority.

This past legislative session, laws were passed to further limit the ability of counties, and to some extent cities, to enact programs that benefit the citizenry.

I thank all Wilco residents who took the time to write with their concerns and encourage you to keep urging our Texas delegations at the state and national levels to increase our pollution prevention standards and fund more cleanup programs.

Click on Read More for contact information for your national, state and local leaders.

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