As its first land use case, City Council heard an appeal of a conditional use permit for an affordable housing project Thursday. One thing Council members learned immediately is how difficult fulfilling all of their campaign promises might be, especially when they stand in direct opposition to each other. On one hand, there is a […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inWhispers
Mayor shows off Robert’s Rules books
Mayor Steve Adler carried to Thursday’s meeting a recent copy of Robert’s Rules of Order, the go-to book on how to conduct meetings. In addition, he had a copy of the same book that was new 25 years ago, a gift from his father. Adler said his father gave him the book when he was […]
Posted inWhispers
Leffingwell’s security officer retires
Austin Police Cpl. Mike Bowen, known to many as the man most likely to be providing security for former Mayor Lee Leffingwell for the last several years, called it quits Thursday. Bowen said he was retiring after 26 years with APD and four prior years in the Army. His new job is security director for […]
Posted inWhispers
Shoal Creek bridge to get historic plaque
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo will be among those celebrating the induction of the West Sixth Street Bridge over Shoal Creek into the National Register of Historic Places at 10 a.m. Friday. The bridge, built by hand in 1887 with local limestone, is older than the Texas Capitol Building. Historically known as the Pecan Street […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Zoning
Council to postpone all this week’s zoning cases
After a lengthy discussion at Tuesday’s work session, City Council members decided — without voting — that they would postpone all zoning items on Thursday’s agenda in the expectation that they will have a better understanding of what they are voting on after their briefing on land use issues. Most of the conversation centered around the […]
Posted inWhispers
SOS, Council members meet on SH45 SW
City Council Members Kathie Tovo and Leslie Pool along with their aides were among those meeting Monday with Bill Bunch of the Save Our Springs Alliance to talk about the future of the State Highway 45 Southwest project. Bobby Levinski, who is currently a law student, came along to help Bunch. Levinski has served as […]
Posted inWhispers
Yvonne Davis gets new gig at Capitol
Yvonne Davis retired from the LCRA in 2013 after 20 years as a public affairs manager. Part of her job was monitoring the Austin City Council and Travis County Commissioners to help her agency figure out what would happen next. Upon retirement, she went into politics pretty much full time but at her own pace, volunteering […]
Posted inWhispers
Double your pleasure with ATXN 1 and 2
With the possibility of 13 City Council committees on the horizon, ATXN, the city’s TV station, is set to broadcast two meetings at once, instead of just one as it has in the past. Keith Reeves, manager of the station that many at City Hall still refer to as Channel 6, said he is ready […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Fire, Public Safety
Union reps address Council on employment issues
City Council listened to representatives of the firefighters, police and EMS unions Thursday. Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, and his attorney took the lion’s share of the time to complain about the city’s failure to listen to his group’s input in designing a process to hire new firefighters. The city issued a […]
Posted inAustin, Fire, Public Safety
Austin firefighters to again seek input on hiring
The Austin Firefighters Association will have an opportunity at this morning’s City Council meeting to voice concerns to the new Council about its lack of input on a new process for hiring fire cadets. The firefighters’ hope is that this Council will be more receptive than the previous one to their complaints about U.S. Justice Department […]
Posted inWhispers
Zimmerman votes against ‘annexation’
District 6 City Council Member Don Zimmerman got to fulfill what we can only assume was one of his fondest wishes Tuesday by voting against annexation of a property, albeit imaginary. It was part of the new Council’s mock meeting. In the script, Council Member Leslie Pool was assigned the task of moving in favor […]
Posted inWhispers
New job at Land Use for Bojo
Leah Bojo, who served as an aide to former City Council Member Chris Riley, has joined Land Use Solutions, the firm founded by lobbyist Michele Haussmann. The firm does work in Austin, San Antonio and other Central Texas cities. Bojo, a graduate of the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the UT graduate program in […]