Join the Wells Branch email discussion group for a community conversation on any and everything! Find out what’s going on with Wells Branch as it’s happening – everything from ducks, composting and crime watch to history and gardening.  All residents, homeowners and renters alike are welcome.  New topics are always popping up.  Don’t miss out!  Join the group by going to Google Groups on your Web Browser, search for Wells Branch Neighbors, and fill out the request sheet (or use the link below). The Group Administrator can then add you.

Once you’re subscribed to the group, you should add “wells-branch-neighbors@googlegroups.com” to your contact list.  Whenever you wish to communicate with your neighbors, simply send an email to this address and your email will be broadcast to all members.  When responding to an email: “reply” goes to the sender of the email and “reply to all” goes out to everyone. Consider using software for better inbox control and to enhance your email metrics.

The site is: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/wells-branch-neighbors, but remember, you need to belong in order to read it, so send your request today!

So we don’t have fireworks this year, so what? We still live in an amazing community.  We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for.  I say we make this the best FourthFest yet, with or without fireworks!

Let’s get in the spirit early.  Hang your flags out NOW.  Let everybody know that you’re ready to celebrate!  Meet in front of the community center at 9:30am.  The parade takes off at 10am.  If you’ve never been to one of our parades before, then you should probably know we have decorated bikes, wagons, trailers, DOGS, KIDS, hats, motorcycles and floats.  Contact Matt Fuller at 251-9814 for float approval and parade questions and also if you’re interested in volunteering at this event.   WB events are huge and the MUD always needs volunteers!

When the parade returns to the Community Center, we kick off a FULL day of events.

There’ll be children’s activities throughout the park from 11-2pm.  Come win prizes at games like beanbag toss, balloon darts, milk bottle throw, soccer sick, and washer toss.   Free admission to KF Pool and games there from 12-3pm.  The Kiddy Train will be all revved up for the Fourth and giving rides and Miss Jellybean Balloon Clown will be on hand from 11-3pm to entertain.  Caricature artists provided by Wells Branch Community Church will be in the courtyard from 11-3pm and there’ll be inflatables for the kids to play on in the park.  ALL FOR FREE!!!

Live entertainment starts at 11am and goes through 5pm under the big tent.  There’ll be music, a ventriloquist, a magician and more music!  Throughout the day, concessions will be available offering a variety of items to enjoy.  For a complete list of entertainment and food, please see below.

The Silent Auction is back this year and benefits the WBNA.  Money raised from this event helps fund the Easter Egg Hunt, National Night Out, Friday night at Luminary Fest and all of the educational and safety seminars we put on throughout the year.  Come peruse all of our goodies and start placing your bids at soon as the parade returns. Contact Debbie Brown at 422-2372 or SilentAuction@wbna.us if you have an item or service you’d like to donate.

Although we may not have fireworks, there’s still so much to do in the neighborhood to celebrate Independence Day!  Come show your spirit and remember YOU make Wells Branch GREAT!

Live Entertainment Under the Big Tent

11:00-12:30  Off the Record
1:00 – 1:45    Ian Varella, Ventriloquist
2:15 – 3:00    Gusto the Great, Magician
3:30 – 5:00   Pride and Joy

Concessions

WB MUD –roasted corn, watermelon, and funnel cakes
Wells Branch Garden Guild – Hot dogs and sausage wraps
Boy Scouts – Soft drinks, water
Cub Scouts – Ice Cream
Armada Swim Team – Popcorn
Branch BBQ – BBQ Sandwiches, chips, cookies
Chon Som – Asian cuisine
El Faro Taco – fajita tacos, horchata

Travis County to hold public hearings on redistricting

Travis County will hold a series of public hearings to allow the community to give input on the redistricting plan to be adopted by the Commissioners Court on or about August 23, 2011.  The new plan must reflect changes in Travis County demographics as reported in the latest Census data to ensure an accurate representation of the voting public.

Click HERE to download the public hearing notice, which includes the dates, times and locations of all the public hearings. The public hearing in Precinct 2 takes place on Wednesday, June 29  from  5  pm  to  8  pm  at  the  Precinct  #2  Justice  of  the Peace Office, 10409 Burnet Rd., 2nd Floor, Austin, TX 78758.

Public Hearing Set for Travis County 2011 Bond Program

The Travis County Commissioners Court will be holding a Public Outreach Meeting on the Travis County 2011 Bond Program on June 27 at 7pm at the Wells Branch Community Center at 2106 Klattenhoff.  Click HERE for more information on the Bond Hearings.

Continue reading Travis County Pct. 2 News →

“Bill Todd was a valued friend to all in our community.  Everyone growing up in Wells Branch had children that were entertained and amazed with tales of life in 1850s at Homestead tours and events.  We will remember and miss him dearly.” – Chuck Walters, President, WB MUD

To read more about Mr. Todd and all that he contributed to our community, please visit www.wbna.us -> community -> history-> Bill Todd

Please take a moment to share your thoughts and stories about Mr. Todd under “Comments” so that we may share them with the rest of the community.

Public Sale & Use of Fireworks Prohibited AND Public Fireworks Displays on HOLD in Travis County

Travis County Commissioners Court was presented information June 14, 2011 regarding the imminent threat of wildfire in Travis County.  A local disaster declaration is required to prohibit the sale and use of fireworks.  Governor Perry has extended the Proclamation Declaring Local State of Disaster and Prohibiting Sale and Use of Fireworks through 7 a.m. on July 5, 2011.

The continued lack of rain has created conditions that could allow a fire to quickly devastate large areas.  The dry vegetation and frequent windy days could spread wildfires quickly and make them extremely difficult to extinguish.

Celebrating Independence Day with fireworks is a long-standing tradition in the United States.  We as a nation are very proud to be free and independent from foreign control.  However, the uncontrolled use of fireworks, in our current and forecast conditions, poses a hazard to the citizens and property of Travis County that is too great a risk to bear.

We would like to thank the public for their understanding during these extreme conditions, and their continued support to protect life and property in Travis County.

For these same reasons, local Fire Authorities throughout Travis County have restricted public fireworks shows due to extreme wildfire risk around July 4^th holiday. Permits for public fireworks shows during the current extreme wildfire danger will not be approved.

When the weather conditions improve, Authorities will reevaluate any pending request for permits and grant approvals accordingly.

Check www.wellsbranchmud.com or www.wbna.us for updates regarding the status of July 4^th fireworks and watch for signs throughout the neighborhood should the MUD receive last minute approval.

These restrictions remain in effect at ALL times even if the County is not enforcing a fireworks or burn ban.

USE OF FIREWORKS ON MUD PROPERTY is prohibited at all times. This includes all MUD facilities, parks, trails, greenbelts, the Pond, drainage detention areas, the veloway, and the grassy area located at Robert I. Walker and Charla Circle.  For any questions concerning firework use on district property, please contact the MUD office at 251-9814.

In addition, Texas law prohibits the discharge of fireworks on school district property. The Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 2154, Subchapter F, Section 2154.251 (a) (1), states that a person may not explode or ignite fireworks within 600 feet of any church, a hospital other than a veterinary hospital, an asylum, a licensed child care center, or a public or private primary or secondary school or institution of higher education unless the person receives authorization in writing from that organization.

Submitted by Kate Raidt

Renee Sendelbach, 33, of Wells Branch has recently won the title “Mom of the Month” by the national parenting website SWparents.com. Sendelbach is fighting stage 4 breast cancer for the second time in her young life but has managed to keep her family, especially her 4-year old son Ian, her top priority during her fight with cancer.

“My boys, as I like to call my husband and my son, keep me grounded and remind me what I have to live for” says Sendelbach. It’s no surprise why she won the votes of over 50,000 subscribers from SWparents.com.

Sendelbach also adds, “Even on days I don’t feel good it is easy to keep going by seeing Ian’s love for me, for life, for everything – it reminds me of my number one priority – to see him grow up into a caring, respectful man.”

SWparents.com is owned by The Southwestern Company – an 150-year old publishing company based in Nashville, Tennessee. Their sister company is FatNoggin.com – one of the world’s largest online bookstores for discounted books. Winners of “Mom of the Month” receive a free book of their choice from FatNoggin.com.

Single Stream Recycling begins the first FULL week in June (6-10) for Wells Branch residents who pay their water bill to the MUD.

While we’ve all received our shiny new recylcing carts, we can’t actually put them out before June 6.  Watch this site and the Wells Branch MUD site for upcoming notices.   Check out the links below for a “print & save” sheet detailing what can and can not be recycled along with exciting news about an oil recycling drop and a calendar so that you’ll always know whether to put your recycling cart out.

Wells Branch Single Stream Recycling Guidelines

2011-2012 Wells Branch Single Stream Recycling Schedule

Questions? Email IESI directly at Ask-IESI@wbna.us

Remember:  Recycling as much as we possibly can will directly benefit our park system.  All proceeds from the recycling program will go to plant trees!!!

If you’ve ever felt this way, this article is for you.  Most of us in Wells Branch (except Brattonwood & Bratton Glen) are a part of the Wells Branch MUD (also referred to as being In-District).  If you live in Wells Branch, and pay your water bill to Wells Branch Municipal Utility District (MUD), you’re in a MUD.  You may also be in an HOA or POA.  And, in addition to these, we’d really like to have you in the WBNA.

Are you confused yet? Continue reading MUD, HOA, POA, WBNA – WTH? →