IndyAustin, the specific purpose political action committee led by Linda Curtis that is gathering petitions to force a public vote on CodeNEXT, has a complaint about its treatment at city libraries. It seems the library’s managers believe that petitioners like Bill Bunch, Jeff Jack, Debbie Russell and other, lesser-known Austinites are violating a previously unknown […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inCity Hall
Cronk says he just wants to get to know us
In a brief meeting with reporters on Tuesday, Austin’s new city manager, Spencer Cronk, showed himself to be affable and articulate, but he resisted all efforts to pin him down on questions about several topics, including the contract with the Austin Police Association and the many interim executives he must choose to keep or replace. […]
Posted inPlanning
Entrepreneur has a new plan for Champion tract
Lake Austin Collective, the neighborhood group that has fought, threatened and sued over the fate of the Champion tract on RM 2222, may have finally found a hero in entrepreneur Jonathan Coon, the founder of 1-800 Contacts. Coon has taken an option on the tract and promised far less development, far less traffic and considerably […]
Posted inPolice
Council reinstates some extra police pay
With only City Council Member Greg Casar dissenting, Council voted Thursday to reinstate some incentive pay for Austin police officers to the level that they received under their old contract. That contract expired at the end of December, after Council rejected a new contract worked out by its negotiating team and negotiators for the Austin […]
Posted inWhispers
They can’t tell us what they can’t tell us
The city’s Law Department notified the Austin Monitor on Wednesday that it would not provide a copy of a nondisclosure agreement signed by any city official or employee regarding the location of Amazon’s HQ2 offices. Austin is one of 20 cities competing to become Amazon’s second headquarters, where the company is expected to invest more […]
Posted inCity Council
Sick leave arguments heat up
An ordinance that would force all private Austin businesses to provide paid sick leave for their employees may prove to be the most divisive issue to come before Council since 2015 when the Council district system started. Sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo and Council members Greg Casar, Ann Kitchen and Delia Garza, the […]
Posted inWhispers
Council to vote on funds for rape kit testing
Council is set to add more than $220,000 to a contract for Sorenson Forensics to help the city finally eliminate the backlog of sexual assault kits waiting for testing. Acting Police Chief Brian Manley said that the city currently has a backlog of 497 kits. Of those, 215 will go to Sorenson, with the rest […]
Posted inWhispers
Siegel running for Congress in District 10
Mike Siegel, an assistant city attorney for Austin, has a new hobby. He is one of five Democrats competing in the March 6 primary to run against incumbent U.S. Congress member Michael McCaul in District 10. The district’s pretty safely Republican, but Siegel is doing well and reports that he has gotten an endorsement from […]
Posted inZoning
East side developer just needs a driveway
Developer John Klitz isn’t asking for much from his zoning case. As attorney Jeff Howard told City Council last week, Klitz and his company, SL Shady Lane, are only seeking to remove a conditional overlay on his property at 1105 Airport Blvd. that prevents access to Shady Lane. Council approved removing that overlay on first […]
Posted inWhispers
Chief Kerr announces return to Fort Lauderdale
Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr, who has served as the leader of Austin’s Fire Department since 2009, is returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she began her career as a firefighter 18 35 years ago. Interim City Manager Elaine Hart announced Wednesday that Kerr had accepted the position of fire chief at the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue […]
Posted inResources
Council rejects appeal of gas conservation fees
City Council on Thursday rejected an appeal from environmental and consumer activist Paul Robbins to overturn a staff decision to accept Texas Gas Service’s 2018 conservation adjustment clause rate. The conservation adjustment clause rate is the extra money consumers pay for the utility to fund its conservation programs, such as rebates for appliances and attic […]
Posted inWhispers
Tovo re-election kickoff Thursday
Kathie Tovo, who represents District 9 on the Council and also serves as mayor pro tem, will officially launch her re-election campaign at El Mercado on Thursday. Volunteers have already been collecting signatures in the various neighborhoods of District 9, but Tovo is hoping to get more signatures and more volunteers at Thursday’s party. Tovo […]