A debate at the Jan. 26 meeting of the Planning Commission centered around the merits of historic preservation versus the potentially regressive effects of a historic landmark designation on cash-strapped property owners. The owners and developer of the Ellen Wyse house favored demolition, while the Historic Preservation Office enumerated the reasons for the house’s historical […]
Seth Smalley
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 2.9.21
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 meeting will be streamed live on the Travis County website and the Travis County YouTube channel. Items […]
Posted inPublic Health
City, county partner up to launch Covid vaccine call center
Travis County is teaming up with the city of Austin to support a bilingual Covid-19 call center aimed at helping registered residents make appointments to get vaccinated. Stephanie Hayden-Howard, the director of Austin Public Health, told Tuesday’s special joint session of the Commissioners Court and City Council that the phone bank is expected to begin […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 2.2.21
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 meeting will be streamed live on the Travis County website. Special Joint Meeting Monitor’s Take: […]
Posted inDevelopment
Project Silicon Silver proceeds at a gallop
On Tuesday the Travis County Commissioners Court held a discussion on “Project Silicon Silver,” widely speculated to be the alias for chipmaking giant Samsung’s development contract. The discussion centered around acceptance of the preliminary application, along with a corresponding $150,000 fee paid out to the county by the developer. The commissioners were careful to note […]
Posted inTransit
Cap Metro reviews details of first interlocal agreement with Austin Transit Partnership
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors voted Monday to approve a resolution authorizing Randy Clarke, the president and CEO of Capital Metro, to finalize a three-year interlocal agreement with Austin Transit Partnership. In addition to discussing some of the chief details of Capital Metro’s role in the agreement, the board focused its attention […]
Posted inTransit
An officer, a gentleman, Cap Metro postpones board elections
A variety of issues were discussed at the Jan. 25 Capital Metro board meeting, which ranged from fielding calls from disgruntled constituents to discourse surrounding the election of new officers to the board of directors and the somewhat contentious prospect of removing current ones. Ultimately, the board postponed the election of 2021 officers for another […]
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TipSheet: Travis County, 1.26.21
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 meeting will be streamed live on the Travis County website and the Travis County YouTube channel. Special […]
Posted inPublic Health
Top doc Escott defends decision to vaccinate state legislators
Interim Austin-Travis Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott doubled down yesterday on his conviction that state legislators should receive priority vaccinations, even if it means young and healthy lawmakers receive the vaccine ahead of more at-risk people. Citing both the in-person legislative session and the risk of a superspreader event potentially impeding the lawmaking process, Escott […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy touts its weatherization program for limited-income customers
Sarah Chatterjee, the new director of energy efficiency services for Austin Energy, presented the utility’s new weatherization programs for low-income customers before the Electric Utility Commission on Jan. 11. The program is aimed at providing weatherproofing modifications, optimizing energy efficiencies and reducing energy use at little to no cost to customers. The program is available both to […]
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TipSheet: Travis County, 1.19.21
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 public access channel […]
Posted inHousing
County endorses Decker Lake affordable housing project
The Travis County Commissioners Court held a public hearing Tuesday regarding a developer’s application for a Resolution of No Objection for the Decker Lake Apartments, which, if approved, will be located on Decker Lake Road, adjacent to the Travis County Expo Center. Though the commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution, recently elected Commissioner Ann […]