Travis County has nearly finished its second year of partnership with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide transit operations into unincorporated parts of Travis County. In the process, transportation staff has uncovered a few unanticipated costs that will affect the rollout of the overall long-range plan. “We are looking at increased costs to the county […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inPlanning
Environmental Commission recommends increased impervious cover in waterfront overlay
Historically, it is rare for the Environmental Commission to recommend a variance to increase impervious cover in a waterfront overlay. Lately, however, the redevelopment of old, heavily covered lots has the commissioners opting for the lesser of two evils and making compromises for improved water quality in exchange for higher levels of impervious cover than […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 9.15.20
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. The public can access the meeting by watching the livestream or tuning in to […]
Posted inPreservation
Travis County now has an African American Cultural Heritage Commission
As of Sept. 8, Travis County officially has a commission dedicated to the preservation and celebration of African American cultural heritage. “We see a lot of the African American communities, artifacts and heirlooms being destroyed as we grow in size as a city,” said Commissioner Jeff Travillion, who sponsored the establishment of the commission at […]
Posted inPreservation
Mary Baylor House receives recommendation for historic zoning
The house of civil rights activist Mary Freeman Baylor had been run-down for years until new owners bought the Clarksville property in 2014 and began fixing it up, on the heels of a thwarted attempt to demolish the house. The property owners then petitioned the city for a historic zoning designation for the home at 1607 W. […]
Posted inPolice
Public Safety Commission considers a new vision for APD headquarters
A conversation on the future of the Austin Police Department headquarters is following on the heels of City Council’s reformulation of Austin’s police budget last month. On Sept. 9, the Public Safety Commission articulated a new vision for the current headquarters on Eighth Street and Interstate 35. “APD headquarters would be moved somewhere else and […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County selects 225 businesses for grant funding, approves waitlist
Nearly five months ago, Travis County approved a $10 million grant allocation from its federal Covid-19 relief dollars to fund small businesses in need. Now, thanks to a unanimous vote from the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, 225 businesses in the county will begin receiving up to $40,000 apiece to help them weather pandemic-fueled financial difficulties. […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 9.8.20
After a long Labor Day weekend, the Travis County Commissioners Court is returning to the dais with an agenda chock-full of contracts and budget items. While many of these items are routine, there are a few that we thought it pertinent to pay attention to. Also noteworthy is that the Commissioners Court will meet Thursday, […]
Posted inWhispers
Covid-19 delays county bond projects
Like so many other things these days, the projects funded by Travis County’s 2017-2022 bond program have experienced delays. The $301 million bond package was divvied out between 59 different projects that were slated for completion by the end of 2022. Now only 49 of those projects will be completed on schedule. According to Jessy Milner, the […]
Posted inBudget
Travis County elects not to pursue federal tax deferment for employees
The idea for a federal payroll tax holiday for employees was rolled out in early August, but it was only last Friday that the federal government issued guidance on how employers were expected to execute this economic relief measure. On Aug. 28, the U.S. Department of the Treasury specified that payroll tax relief efforts were […]
Posted inElections
Travis County anticipates spending additional $3M for November elections
From social distancing restrictions to post office controversy, this year’s presidential election is facing unprecedented challenges. Despite the hurdles, Travis County has worked out a plan to ensure that the county’s 833,000 registered voters have access to safe and smoothly functioning voting options, both in person and through the mail. According to budget figures from […]
Posted inWhispers
County extends disaster declaration for Hurricane Laura
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously yesterday to extend the disaster declaration issued Aug. 23 for Hurricane Laura by another week. “We would like to keep it in place out of an abundance of caution,” said Chuck Brotherton, county executive for emergency services. He explained that with this extension, his department will be able […]