A proposal involving an alternative to petrochemical-powered transportation lurched into a temporary ditch at Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday. County Judge Sarah Eckhardt postponed the vote on whether to install an electric-vehicle charging station at a county-owned parking lot after two commissioners voiced their opposition. The proposal’s controversy was somewhat belied by its relatively […]
Caleb Pritchard
Posted inTransportation
Ethics complaints filed against CTRMA board members
Three top officials at the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority are facing formal complaints that they failed to properly disclose pertinent business interests. The director of the nonprofit watchdog group Texans for Public Justice filed three complaints with the Texas Ethics Commission against CTRMA Chair Ray Wilkerson, Vice Chair James Mills and Board Member Charles […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 3.08.16
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The County Clerk’s office hosts a copy at its website. 4. Approve setting a public hearing on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, to receive comments regarding the issuance of a Mass Gathering […]
Posted inElections
Hernandez narrowly avoids runoff to become new sheriff nominee in town
Constable Sally Hernandez did the unexpected on election night by winning a clear majority of the vote for the Democratic nomination for Travis County sheriff in a crowded field of four candidates. At her packed campaign headquarters inside a downtown Austin duplex on Tuesday night, Hernandez reflected on her relief at narrowly avoiding an extended […]
Posted inWhispers
New details, hiccups in sobriety center plan
A few new details about a proposed sobriety center stumbled out of Tuesday’s Travis County Commissioners Court meeting. While briefing the court on the progress of their work, members of a group tasked with exploring options for the center revealed that it would likely cost upward of $840,000 to convert the soon-to-be-vacated Medical Examiner’s Office […]
Posted inWhispers
County’s North Campus project inches forward
Travis County planners have selected three finalists to pitch their proposals for a mixed-use project on county-owned property along Airport Boulevard. The North Campus project at 53½ Street is expected to combine new office space for Health and Human Services and Veteran Services with housing that will include some number of affordable units. The team […]
Posted inWhispers
Wrenn resigns
The chairman of the Housing Authority of Travis County told the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday that he would resign in the wake of a report that found he owed thousands in HATC-related travel expenses. A report from the county auditor revealed last week that Melvin Wrenn had $4,601 in unreconciled debt from trips […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 3.01.16
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The County Clerk’s office hosts a copy at its website. 7. Receive update on the proposed sobriety center for Travis County. (Commissioner Daugherty & Commissioner Gómez) Monitor’s Take: The committee exploring […]
Posted inWhispers
Negative Nortey makes for truculent Travillion
The Koch fight in the Travis County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 race escalated on Thursday when Jeff Travillion’s campaign manager, Mykle Tomlinson, sent out an email blast – with the subject line, “Don’t be a Negative Nortey” – that accused his fellow Democrat James Nortey of carrying out “deceitful attacks.” On Wednesday, Nortey’s campaign sent […]
Posted inElections
Daugherty faces a challenger for his western Travis County seat
The old saw holds that liberal Travis County is the blueberry in conservative Texas’ tomato soup, but look closer and you’ll see the gradient gains an increasing ruddiness the farther west one travels from MoPac Boulevard. Western Travis County could be called the conservative capital of county civics, insofar as the handful of elected officials […]
Posted inWhispers
County commissioners race gets Koch-ed up
The five-man race for Travis County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 has taken a turn for the negative in the final days of early voting. This week, James Nortey’s campaign sent out mailers warning voters that one of his opponents, Jeff Travillion, had taken a large contribution from a lobbyist linked to Charles and David Koch, […]
Posted inWhispers
County’s budget season begins
Pitchers and catchers reporting, the various presidential primary races and the Oscars. No matter what stripe of geek you are, February has a lot to offer. But the second month of the year also contains a cherished bright spot for cool kids, too: It’s the month, at least in 2016, when Travis County Commissioners Court […]