Employee vacancy rates in key areas of Travis County are declining as a result of measures taken by county commissioners last year, such as increasing the minimum county wage from $15 per hour to $20 per hour, as well as increasing shift differentials, according to the county’s Compensation Office. The news comes in the wake […]
Seth Smalley
Posted inPublic Safety
Scrambling to fill unwanted correctional jobs, the county approves advertising contract
Travis County just granted the Sheriff’s Office a substantial chunk of money to help remedy its vacancy problem. On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court approved the transfer to the Sheriff’s Office to pay for a $483,000 contract with Palladium Media – a San Antonio-based advertising agency – to attempt to fill the substantial number of vacant […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Travis County honors Sheriff’s Office, in light of substantial correctional staffing shortages
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a proclamation Tuesday that recognized the week of May 7 as National Correctional Officers and Employees Week in Travis County. Commissioners announced the proclamation before a group of several county correctional officers, including Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez. The recognition came in the wake of staffing deficits at the […]
Posted inPublic Health
Fentanyl-related overdoses doubled in a year in Travis County, per medical examiner
Despite significant work across Travis County over the last year, the number of overdose deaths increased 35 percent and the number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths climbed 108 percent. That number has increased tenfold since 2019 and has doubled since last year’s report, when the county declared a public health crisis. Representatives from the county, the […]
Posted inTravis County
County to create new legal division, but advocates call for more autonomy
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a proposal on Tuesday to create a new community legal division along with a county executive position to oversee certain elements of it. Under the plan, the chief public defender would report to a county executive for issues regarding staffing, budget and data collection. The move, which drew criticism […]
Posted inPublic Health
County greenlights long-awaited performance audit of Central Health
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court greenlit a long-awaited independent performance audit with auditing firm Mazars for $854,200. The audit will examine how Central Health has used taxpayer money, with a close eye on the controversial, taxpayer-funded allocation of $35 million per year to Dell Medical School, which began dispensing in 2014 and has […]
Posted inEducation
Travis County celebrated teaching Black history, despite attempts to ban it
The Travis County Commissioners Court officially proclaimed February 2023 as Black History Month in a unanimous vote last month. The proclamation was made in conjunction with the Austin Independent School District’s celebration of African American heritage. Commissioners drew attention to the fact that the proclamation stood in stark contrast to efforts to ban the teaching […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Travis County to build diversion center aimed at reducing recidivism
The Travis County Commissioners Court passed a resolution Tuesday to create both a diversion center for mental health and substance use disorders as well as fund construction for a new central booking and intake facility. During a press briefing on the matter, commissioners highlighted the role of the diversion center in reducing recidivism and detentions […]
Posted inTravis County
End times near (for brush drop-off), says Travis County
Following a substantial decrease in demand, Travis County has announced that March 26 will be the last day Mansfield Dam Park will serve as a drop-off location for storm debris. Winter Storm Mara created an outsize need for debris disposal at the beginning of February, after it snapped tree limbs and downed power lines throughout […]
Posted inTravis County
Google Fiber to expand presence in Travis County
Travis County is proceeding with an ongoing plan to use the public right of way to install Google Fiber in the western and southern portions of the county, as representatives from Google Fiber and county staff explained in updates Tuesday to the Commissioners Court, which ultimately approved a license agreement for its installation and maintenance. […]
Posted inTravis County
County ramps up debris cleanup efforts following Mara
The Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday mulled the county’s ongoing response to Winter Storm Mara, which rattled Central Texas with sleet, ice and rain four weeks ago, snapping power cables and tearing down tree branches. Discussion centered on county efforts to remove storm debris and fallen branches, which accumulated in considerable quantity after Mara […]
Posted inPublic Health
County pays tribute to joint vaccination efforts during pandemic
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court recognized the departments and organizations whose efforts were crucial in the county’s emergency response at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “A dedicated group of public and private partners, including a cross section of community-minded, elected and appointed officials, and staff from internal county departments, as well as […]