The Austin Police Department “deserves at least a B+,” according to Austin Police Monitor Margo Frasier. The good news is that not only did the total number of complaints about APD decline in 2014, but the most common complaint was for officer rudeness, Frasier told the Public Safety Commission on Monday. During her presentation, she […]
Jack Craver
Posted inCity Council
Council debates social service spending
Divisions within City Council over spending on social services were put into sharp relief Thursday as the Health and Human Services Department asked city leaders to approve a 6 percent boost in funding for nonprofit agencies with which the city contracts for a variety of services. The immediate effect of the funding boost, which Council […]
Posted inEnergy
Federal grant offers Austin chance to be leader in solar energy storage
Staff at Austin’s city-run utility is using millions of dollars of federal funds to explore new energy storage methods that will allow utility customers to receive more of their energy from renewable sources, particularly solar power. Austin Energy is one of six public and private entities to have received grants as part of the federal […]
Posted inEnergy
Expert outlines AE cost-of-service recovery options
As City Council deliberates over changing electricity rates, it is tasked not only with deciding how much to change rates for residential and commercial customers of the city-owned utility but with deciding whether the city should change the way it charges for power. On Monday, the Council Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee – which comprises […]
Posted inCity Council
Council votes to retain vacant positions, for now
How big of a problem is an unfilled position in city government? Is it even a problem at all? A brief City Council debate on Thursday illustrated some strong differences of opinion among city leaders on the issue. Prompting the discussion was a proposed ordinance that would have reappropriated funds allocated for seven city positions […]
Posted inTransportation
Austin competes for $50 million Smart City grant
A broad coalition of Austin’s political and business leaders is excited about the prospect of the city being awarded $50 million to put in place a variety of groundbreaking “smart” transit technologies. In a presentation to City Council on Thursday, Director of Transportation Robert Spillar explained that city staff is preparing a proposal that will […]
Posted inEnergy
23 groups get involved in Austin Energy rate review
Austin Energy is assuring the public that new electricity rates will be determined with plenty of input from stakeholders. Twenty-three individuals and groups representing the interests of various segments of the utility’s customer base have signed on as “intervenors” in the process, according to Mark Dreyfus, vice president of regulatory affairs and corporate communications for […]
Posted inCity Council
Ethics complaint filed against Council Member Renteria
The owner of a short-term rental business has filed an ethics complaint against City Council Member Pio Renteria, alleging that he violated city conflict-of-interest rules by pushing for an ordinance approved last month that will eventually phase out short-term rental units in Austin that are not owner-occupied, otherwise known as Type 2 STRs. Thomas J. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Public Safety Commission wished for input in TNC talks
Although the issue long ago passed them up, members of the Public Safety Commission on Monday discussed the implications of City Council’s controversial vote in December imposing new regulations on ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft – also known as transportation network companies, or TNCs. Members failed to come to a consensus on what […]
Posted inFire
Fire Department says it needs more fire stations
The Public Safety Commission unanimously recommended a resolution Monday that would require the city manager to submit an annual report to City Council identifying areas of the city most in need of fire stations. If approved by Council, staff will develop a comprehensive plan to be presented to Council in the next budget cycle for […]
Posted inTransportation
How should Austin fund its transportation needs?
The City Council Mobility Committee largely steered clear of discussing a potential bond election during a meeting Wednesday focused on how the city can finance its looming transportation needs. A bond election, said Council Member Ann Kitchen, who chairs the committee, “is not an inevitability.” “It’s one piece that’s part of our discussion when we […]
Posted inElections
Travillion moves to runoff with major lead
A five-man race for the vacant Travis County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 chair narrowed to two on Tuesday night, after results showed Jeff Travillion finishing well ahead of the pack with 41.67 percent of the vote and Arthur Sampson finishing in a distant second, with 18.5 percent, just ahead of third-place finisher James Nortey, who […]