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 […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inWhispers
Commissioners authorize $1M transfer for Covid-19
While budget amendments and transfers are routine at the Travis County Commissioners Court, it is only recently that Covid-19 has necessitated large sums of money to be funneled into county operations in order to ensure that services, procedures and processes remain functioning in a “business as usual” manner. Travis Gatlin, budget director with the county’s […]
Posted inPublic Health
Commissioners Court considers allocating relief dollars to Baylor Scott & White
Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest not-for-profit hospital system in the state of Texas, and like many other businesses, it has been footing the bill for unanticipated Covid-19 related expenses since March. Jay Fox, the president of Baylor Scott & White Health of the Austin/Round Rock region, estimates that by December the regional […]
Posted inWhispers
County prohibits large gatherings, requires face coverings
Starting Saturday, Travis County residents will be required to wear a face covering inside a commercial space or outdoors if 6 feet of social distance is not possible. The order, issued by County Judge Sam Biscoe, also prohibits public gatherings in excess of 10 people except for certain operations outlined in the governor’s order earlier […]
Posted inWhispers
County to take action on Tesla incentive agreement next week
After recessing Tuesday’s voting session to continue the discussion about the Tesla development incentives on Wednesday, the Commissioners Court once again took no action on the matter. After hearing from two community members who supported the incentive deal, the commissioners went into executive session where they heard from the county’s legal department. When the public […]
Posted inPlanning
Goodnight Ranch working on PUD amendment, adds extra parkland
Goodnight Ranch, a planned unit development off Slaughter Lane in Southeast Austin, was originally approved in 2006. Fourteen years later, the neighborhood’s developers are looking to amend the PUD in order to create a municipal management district, add additional permitted land uses and increase the development entitlements. The city of Austin originally granted the 695-acre property […]
Posted inTravis County
Discussion about Tesla tax break drags into second day of discussion
The debate surrounding the proposed incentive package designed to coax Tesla to make its new home in Travis County will continue at the Commissioners Court on Wednesday. After taking public testimony for the item on July 7, the commissioners unanimously recessed until 1 p.m. on Wednesday when they will reconvene the discussion. This is the […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 7.7.20
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 inTravis County
Travis County continues moving forward with its phased reopening plan
Unlike the city of Austin, Travis County will not need to revise its return-to-work strategy. The county approached its return-to-work plan with an eye toward flexibility and no date certain for reopening. As a result, county facilities are plowing ahead with the original plan to reopen incrementally, with a focus on essential positions and considerations for […]
Posted inTravis County
County development incentive for Tesla sees more support
This Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court once again opened the floor to public testimony regarding the development incentive package for Tesla’s proposed “Gigafactory” in southeastern Travis County. The court took no action on the matter. Over a dozen speakers expressed their opinions via the phone on the county’s plan to offer an 80 percent […]
Posted inWhispers
County transfers crossing guards to school districts
The Commissioners Court voted unanimously June 30 to have Del Valle, Lake Travis, Leander, Manor, and Round Rock ISDs assume the responsibilities of the county’s school crossing guard program beginning in the 2020-21 school year. The county currently provides supplementary funding for school crossing guard programs in these districts if their students must cross a […]
Posted inPreservation
HLC wants further scrutiny of home in the ‘Air-Conditioned Village’
Seventy years ago, 22 homes in Northwest Austin served as the test case for bringing central air conditioning to the middle classes. Today only 15 of those homes remain standing, with one more proposed for demolition. The midcentury modern home at 2502 Park View Drive was originally known as the “Air Temp” house, as it […]