Stories by Charles Boisseau
Economists say jobless report positive, but no end to recession just yet
Despite the better-than-expected U.S. unemployment report on Friday, two Austin economists predicted the local economy will remain sluggish for several months before true signs of recovery emerge. On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said the national unemployment rate…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Dec 8, 2009
Board of Adjustment wrestles with new home/remodel question
Say you purchase an older Austin home and you want to make some extensive improvements. At what point does your redo cross the line from a simple remodel to being a new construction project? That was one of the…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Dec 3, 2009
Watson to step down as chair of CAMPO
State Sen. Kirk Watson has told a Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) committee that he would not run for re-election as chair of the regional planning organization, a leadership position he has held since 2007. Watson made his…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Dec 2, 2009
Attorney says LCRA Board may have violated state open-meetings law
An Austin attorney who specializes in freedom of the press issues said Thursday that the Lower Colorado River Authority may have violated state law when its board discussed in executive session changing a staff proposal for how the river authority…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Nov 20, 2009
Closed-door session results in LCRA water contract policy change
Earlier this week, Lower Colorado River Authority board members discussed a staff recommendation that would suspend all new water contracts until the depleted Highland Lakes return to more normal elevations. That was Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday morning, the…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Nov 19, 2009
LCRA Board OKs revised water plan
The board of directors of the Lower Colorado River Authority this morning approved a less stringent plan than the one they had been considering to deal with a shortage of water in the Highland Lakes. The plan includes for the…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Nov 18, 2009
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Electric Utility Commission OKs energy generation plan
The city’s Electric Utility Commission recommended last night that the Austin City Council adopt a plan that would push the city to use more renewable energy sources and step up conservation programs by 2020. Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass)…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Nov 17, 2009
Competing LCRA water users argue for maintaining their supplies
At a special public meeting on Tuesday, competing water users gathered before the board members of the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to argue their cases at a time when the river authority is considering unprecedented suspensions of water supplies…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Nov 11, 2009
Environmental Board recommends new rules for underground structures
Most people know if you start digging you might hit water. The City of Austin is now finding that it may need to adopt new rules and procedures as dense developments disturb groundwater in its urban core. On…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Aug 17, 2009
Ott defends his pay package and proposed budget cuts
City Manager Marc Ott defended himself last week shortly after city employees criticized his six-figure pay package while he proposes furloughs and cuts in incentive pay for the rest of the city’s work force to balance the city’s budget. …
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Aug 10, 2009
City union brings out employees to protest proposed pay cuts
Braving record temperatures of 105 degrees, about 100 city employees gathered outside City Hall Thursday afternoon to protest proposed cuts in next year’s city budget that could eliminate incentive pay for the most senior employees and require furloughs of employees…
Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Aug 7, 2009
Council Committee OKs BOA rule changes
With the blessing of the city’s Audit and Finance Committee, the Board of Adjustment can update the old adage “if at first you don’t succeed try, try again.” The Board of Adjustment, which decides on property owners’ requests for…
