A voter-led initiative that banned hydraulic fracturing — also known as “fracking” — in Denton last fall appears to have inspired a Texas House bill that could quash similar measures in the future. House State Affairs Committee members heard arguments for and against the legislation at a public hearing Wednesday. Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford), who […]
Tyler Whitson
Posted inTransportation
CTRMA plans to add express lanes to MoPac South
A proposal to add four tolled lanes to MoPac Expressway, including two elevated lanes, raised concerns Monday from Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea and others during a Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board meeting. “I don’t think there’s been adequate public dissemination of information about this,” Shea said. “I don’t think there’s been […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Housing
Council approves lower Onion Creek buyout
Many at-risk residents of the flood-prone lower Onion Creek area were relieved to learn Thursday, after more than a year of waiting, that the city will help them move away from the area most affected by the record-breaking Halloween 2013 flood. City Council voted overwhelmingly at a regular meeting to give city staff the go-ahead […]
Posted inWhispers
TCEQ OKs limits on downstream releases
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality gave the Lower Colorado River Authority permission Wednesday to limit the amount of water it releases downstream this year from lakes Travis and Buchanan for the fourth year in a row. Citing the persistent drought afflicting the two Central Texas reservoir lakes since 2008 — now officially the worst on […]
Posted inAustin, Budget, City Council, Environment
Council assesses potential Onion Creek buyout
While the Halloween 2013 flood continues to impact lives near Onion Creek, City Council will likely decide Thursday whether the city should chip in up to $60 million to help ensure that history does not repeat itself. Council members considered a proposal at a work session Tuesday to purchase 240 homes in the lower Onion […]
Posted inCity Council, Energy
Council debates deregulation of Austin Energy
When it comes to Austin Energy, there is one word that always stirs up debate. That word is “deregulation.” City Council held a policy workshop with Austin Energy management, stakeholders and policy advocates Monday on the myriad issues associated with the public utility. The conversation touched several times on the merits of Austin Energy’s current […]
Posted inCity Council, Energy, Environment
Council puts energy consulting contracts on hold
Picking up where others left off can be difficult, especially when it involves something as expensive and complicated as the Austin Energy generation plan. Rather than decide on up to $2 million worth of contracts for energy demand management consulting related to the plan, City Council voted Thursday to refer the decision to one of […]
Posted inAustin, Budget
Council considers health care for more employees
Though the City of Austin offers health coverage to most of its regular employees, City Council has kick-started a process that could lead to an expansion to all employees in the next fiscal year. Council voted Thursday to direct city staff to identify and categorize city employees who are not eligible to receive health coverage […]
Posted inCity Council
Adler lays out new staffing plans for his office
City Council members peppered Mayor Steve Adler with questions at a work session Tuesday about his new proposal to ask city staff to look into ways to fund five additional full-time staff members for his office and allocate an additional $25,000 for each Council office. As he indicated to the Monitor last week, Adler said […]
Posted inWhispers
Board chair concerned about Council conflicts
Environmental Board Chair Mary Gay Maxwell raised concerns at Wednesday’s meeting that the proposed City Council committee meeting schedule will divert attention from Environmental Board meetings by superseding live broadcasts on the ATXN cable channels. Though Council will have to adopt its new committee schedule at next Thursday’s meeting, the current proposal would schedule those […]
Posted inParks, Water
Staff says Decker golf plan may limit water hazard
A proposal to construct a set of golf courses in Austin in the midst of a record drought has whipped up controversy over the past few months, but city staff has indicated that a plan the prospective developer floated last week may address some major environmental concerns. City Environmental Officer Chuck Lesniak told the Austin […]
Posted inWhispers
LCRA celebrates its 80th anniversary
The Lower Colorado River Authority is officially an octogenarian. The nonprofit public utility’s board of directors and staff celebrated the occasion at Thursday’s board meeting, followed by a special ceremony at the Agricultural Museum in the Capitol. General Manager Phil Wilson said that he is proud to be part of “an organization with such a […]