Budget season is well underway at Travis County. However, since the Travis County Commissioners Court approved budget guidelines in February, the coronavirus crisis has upended the initial projections from the county’s Planning and Budget Office. Three months ago, the budget forecast anticipated a $22.7 million increase in revenue for 2021. Now, revised projections show the […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 5.19.20
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. This week’s meeting will be broadcast to ensure everyone is able to follow social distancing regulations. The public can access the meeting by watching the livestream or tuning into public access Channel 17. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County plans for 75% of eligible county employees to telework permanently
Currently, 2,300 employees of Travis County telecommute to their jobs. Most of these newly minted teleworkers started working from home following the Stay Home-Work Safe orders issued by the city and county on March 24. Now the county is exploring ways to extend this policy permanently. On May 12, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously […]
Posted inWhispers
County helps city’s watershed remapping efforts
When the National Weather Service updated its rainfall maps from 1994 to 2017, it redefined the flood maps for Central Texas. Before the study, there was a 1 percent chance of 10.2 inches of rain falling in 24 hours in Austin – this was the accepted definition of what people call a 100-year storm. The […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County approves nursing home emergency staffing
People who live or work in nursing homes and senior living centers are some of the hardest hit by Covid-19. Austin Public Health has said both staff and residents are particularly vulnerable to the virus with 17 percent of the total cases in Travis County reported in these facilities as of May 12. To help […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy expects only small revenue reduction from Covid-19 bill relief
Although Austin Energy expects to provide both residential and commercial customers with $35 million in bill relief between now and Sept. 30, the utility does not expect the rate reduction to greatly affect its balance sheet. Austin Energy’s Chief Financial Officer Mark Dombroski told the Electric Utility Commission at its May 11 meeting that lowering […]
Posted inWhispers
Eckhardt officially steps down as county judge
Yesterday’s meeting of the Travis County Commissioners Court marked the last time County Judge Sarah Eckhardt will preside over the body and the conclusion of her two decades working for the county. Although Eckhardt resigned from her position in March, she stayed on as county judge during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, there has been some […]
Posted inHousing
Travis County approves $10M for direct rental and mortgage assistance
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the allocation of $10 million for direct rent, mortgage and utility assistance. The rental assistance will be available to Travis County residents. This one-time cash assistance was complemented by a $2.4 million budget transfer to the county’s emergency assistance program to make up for the pre-Covid […]
Posted inWhispers
Electric Utility Commission elects new leaders
It’s that time of the year when commissions vote on new leadership for the next 12 months. On May 11, the Electric Utility Commission unanimously voted on its new leadership. Chair Cary Ferchill will be stepping down and will be replaced by former Vice Chair Marty Hopkins, who was elected unanimously by the commission. “I […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP commissioners recommend zoning change for affordable senior living
The developer DMA Companies hopes to rezone a 4.5-acre site at 6306 McNeil Drive to Medium-Density Multifamily Residence (MF-3) from the existing Interim Rural Residence (I-RR) zoning. The change will allow for the construction of 147 affordable senior living units on what was once a single-family lot. With support from Planning and Zoning staff and […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 5.12.20
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The entire agenda is available at the Travis County website. This week’s meeting will be broadcast to ensure everyone is able to follow social […]
Posted inPreservation
Scarbrough Building narrowly avoids losing tax relief status
The historic Scarbrough Building had a close call with its tax abatement status when the Historic Landmark Commission voted unanimously at its April 27 meeting to remove its eligibility status. When the Velvet Taco restaurant opened a new outdoor seating area, workers removed three panes of glass from the bottom floor of the historic Scarbrough […]