Animal intake at the Austin Animal Center continues to surpass the number of adoptions, according to a presentation at an Animal Advisory Commission meeting Monday. In July, the center took in 932 animals while 769 animals were adopted, according to the presentation from the Animal Services Office. Animal intake dropped from June, which saw […]
Dylan Ebs
Posted inBudget
Resource Recovery proposes slight uptick in trash fees
Austin residents may see a small increase in their trash bill next fiscal year if City Council approves the Austin Resource Recovery budget proposal. The Clean Community Fee for residents would increase by 45 cents from $5 to $5.45 a month, with no change for commercial customers. The base customer fee for residential users would […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit finds gender disparities in city hiring
A report released earlier this month by the Office of the City Auditor found that women are still underrepresented in the city workforce as city agencies work to improve their gender gap in hiring. A 2021 audit said that Austin “needs to be more deliberate in its pursuit of a diverse workforce,” but since the […]
Posted inCity Hall
Officials update Animal Advisory Commission on strategic plan process
City officials updated the Animal Advisory Commission last week on the strategic plan for the Animal Services Office as the city works to improve the relationship between the Austin Animal Center and key stakeholders, including the commission. Assistant City Manager Stephanie Hayden-Howard said officials held a planning meeting on June 25 that was attended by […]
Posted inRoads
Mobility councils support extensive lane conversions despite concerns
A proposal to convert a lane on every city-owned main road into a bus or bike lane within five years has received support from mobility advocates, who passed a recommendation calling on City Council to consider the plan. Backed by Safe Streets Austin, the CityLeap plan looks to decrease the number of cars on the […]
Posted inAustin
Animal Advisory Commission wants pets allowed in cooling centers
The Animal Advisory Commission is urging the city to allow pets inside designated cooling centers as summer heats up. The commission unanimously passed a recommendation that urges the city to identify “a number of cooling centers throughout the City of Austin that persons with companion animals may go to for relief during times of intense […]
Posted inPolice
Electric vehicles for APD will arrive by the end of the year
City fleet officials updated the Public Safety Commission on Monday about their plan to add a fleet of electric vehicles for the Austin Police Department as part of an effort to meet the city’s net-zero emission target by 2040. The city is adding two electric Chevrolet Blazers specifically designed for police departments as part of […]
Posted inEnvironment
Joint Sustainability Committee voices support for climate fee proposal
Members of the city’s Joint Sustainability Committee expressed support Wednesday for a proposal to establish a climate fee to fund green initiatives. A resolution calling on City Council to pursue a climate fee to help fill funding gaps in the Austin Climate Equity Plan received support from members at the committee’s meeting, but was not […]
Posted inBicycles
Bike Advisory Council urges city to protect ghost bikes
The Bicycle Advisory Council is calling on the city to protect ghost bike installations after a cycling safety group reported four bikes they put up in the last few months were removed. Volunteers with the Austin Ghost Bike Project have placed at least 10 ghost bikes – painted white and attached to a nearby sign […]