Important
update regarding winter ice storm brush removal: *Updated 2/17/23 at 8:45 am, please see the bottom of the page*
** Update 2/23/23 at 9:05 pm**
The District is aware that yesterday morning, the team onsite for Good Guys Tree Service misinterpreted the parameters for brush removal. We reported the problem to the owners of Good Guys Tree Service. They corrected the problem quickly and assured us that missed bundles will be picked up.
The District is also aware that quite a few brush bundles exceed the height, limb, or both specifications identified on the District's website. We will take note where possible to identify these addresses should it not be possible for Good Guys Tree Service to remove the brush.
Last weekend, at the direction of the District, Good Guys Tree Service focused brush removal efforts on public right of ways and other areas we identified as safety concerns. This past Tuesday, they started on the residential streets within the District.
Good Guys Tree Service originally advised the District that the residential portion for brush removal would take approximately 5 days to complete, reiterating this schedule early this week. However, given the density of the homes in Brushy Creek and the volume of the brush piles, their movement through the District residential areas has been much slower than they expected. As of Wednesday, February 22, 2023, the estimates is that about 3% of the residential streets and 13% of District streets have been completed. Progress is being made but not within the original timeframe provided to the District.
The Brushy Creek MUD Board of Directors will discuss the project's status with Good Guys Tree Service and consider the next steps and possible options. We are not alone in responding to these challenges, as all communities and municipalities impacted by the winter storm event have experienced problems due to the work volume and pace.
Thank you for your patience and your support. We are posting updates to the District's website at www.bcmud.org as quickly as possible when important information needs to be shared.
Please continue to check the website and contact customer service at 512-255-7871 should you have any questions or need additional information. As always, I am available for you as well.
Sincerely,
Shean Dalton,
General Manager
** Update 2/22/23 at 9:41 am**
The District is committed to picking up limbs. Placing piles at the curb with limbs no longer than 6 ft and piles no taller than 4 ft high is critical to Good Guys Tree Service being able to collect limbs efficiently.
**Update 2/21/23 at 1:00 pm**
Good Guys Tree Services continues services along Great Oaks Drive and in front of District properties, then begin residential curb pickup starting from the Eastern portion of the District at Liberty Walk and Valona Loop.
**Update 2/20/23 at 12:00 pm**
Good Guys Tree Services will continue curbside brush pickup services along Great Oaks Drive and in front of District properties, then begin residential curb pickup starting from the Eastern portion of the District at Liberty Walk and Valona Loop.
**Update 2/18/23 at 2:51 pm**
Good Guys Tree Services will provide curbside brush pickup services in the District starting February 18, picking up along Great Oaks Drive and in front of District properties, and potentially additional non-residential streets. Residential curb pickup will begin on Monday February 20. Originally the intention was to provide a street schedule. However, due to the increasing volume of tree debris and the need for Good Guys Tree Service to learn and adapt to the District streets, a schedule is not available. The priority is safety and efficiency.
If you have any brush that needs to be removed, piles of brush need to be placed in the right-of-way (within five feet from the curb) on Sunday, February 19. Curbside 4 foot high piles with branches less than 6 feet in length and containing no metal will be mulched and hauled away. When possible, please try to get the limbs cut to no more than 12 inches in diameter to help the process go faster. For safety reasons, piles that exceed these requirements cannot be serviced. The service being provided does not include street sweeping. Please note that Good Guys Tree Services will make a single sweep of the district and will not return to service piles placed after a street has been recorded as serviced. The intent is to provide updates on what streets have been recorded as serviced; this is a new process for the District and Good Guys.
Again, due to the increasing amount of debris, there is no set schedule for which streets will be serviced on certain days.
Please visit our website for more information regarding the curbside cleanup process. We appreciate your cooperation in this service, and we thank you in advance for ensuring that your brush piles comply with the guidelines.
Saturday February 11, 2023 9:36pm
Dear Brushy Creek Community,
During the recent winter ice storm, the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District (the District) began working with our trash removal vendor, Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) to formulate a plan on behalf of the Brushy Creek community for storm-related removal. District residents may recall, two years ago, during Winter Storm Uri, TDS was able to provide brush removal services at no additional cost to the District’s residents through their exclusive contract for solid waste removal.
Given the incredible volume of debris from the brush and tree limbs associated with this recent winter ice storm, this situation presented a much more difficult problem to resolve as multiple communities were also requesting additional services from TDS at the same time. Unfortunately, TDS was not able to respond to the District’s request for options as quickly as we would have liked, thus there was a delay in getting additional actionable information out to the Brushy Creek community.
Last Thursday night at the District’s board of directors meeting, TDS issued and presented a proposal for brush removal services. However, after much discussion, the options presented were not determined to be quantifiable, or viable options for the District. During the meeting, TDS confirmed they would not consider the District to be in breach of contract if alternate vendors provided brush removal services for the District. Consequently, the board directed and authorized me to pursue other options outside of the contract with TDS.
Today a contract was negotiated with Good Guys Tree Service to provide brush removal services. The service level provided will be removal of brush and debris at the curbside for homes within the Brushy Creek MUD. This service will begin next Saturday, February 18, 2023, and is anticipated to take approximately a week.
What will Good Guys Tree Service provide:
Good Guys Tree Service will drive a truck loaded with a wood chipper throughout the District. They will chip up the tree limbs and brush that are piled at the curb. The curb piles should be no taller than 4 feet, and branches should be no longer than 6 feet. Good Guys will mulch branches, discharging the mulch into the back of box truck (hauling the mulch away). Neither Good Guys nor the District will provide curbside cleaning services residual to the mulching. This is a resident responsibility.
What is the cost?
Good Guys Tree Service will charge the District $5,000 per day with an anticipated 5 days needed to drive through the entire Brushy Creek MUD to remove and chip the remaining brush. The mulch will be unloaded at a designated in-District area. From there, the District will experience a consequential hauling and disposal cost.
Can we repurpose the chipped wood?
The chipped debris will not be made available to the public given concerns with potential oak wilt contaminants that could be present from infected trees. Removal will occur in a way to minimize risk to other oak trees within the Brushy Creek community.
Street Schedule:
This week, an anticipated chipping timeline by street within the District will be issued as well as additional details for residents on how to best prepare for the efficiency of this service. While we anticipate that there may be changes as the work commences, we also believe that Good Guys Tree Service should be able to start and complete their work within the prescribed timelines.
Future storm damage issues:
Brushy Creek MUD was created in October 1977 and recently celebrated its 45th birthday. The community footprint is now fully built out and the trees within the community were either existing trees preserved during development, or new trees planted by homeowners. Given the maturity and growth of the trees within our community, the amount of damage caused by ice storms and drought related events contributes to the excessive volume of storm related debris. In light of these circumstances and the fact that we have experienced two major storm events within the past two years, the District is proactively working on plans to address future damage remediation and vendor relationships to put us in a much better position going forward. We appreciate your patience as the District and other entities throughout Central Texas have all had to work through the challenges of addressing an unforeseen disaster. The District is also appreciative of our vendor partners, Good Guys Tree Service, and TDS for working diligently and cooperatively to find solutions for the residents of Brushy Creek.
Shean Dalton
General Manager