Affordability and equity topped the list of concerns that citizens raised Friday during public hearings on the budget, tax rate and utility rates for Fiscal Year 2015. The majority of citizens who had signed up to speak during the hearings were not present, likely because City Council had originally scheduled the hearings for Thursday’s regular […]
Tyler Whitson
Posted inDevelopment
County getting funds for Timber Creek
The Travis County Commissioners Court has agreed to enter into a Project Partnership Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will provide the county with federal funding for home buyouts in the flood-prone Timber Creek subdivision. The agreement provides about $1 million in federal funds for the Timber Creek project in Fiscal Year 2014. […]
Posted inPublic Safety
County OKs new criminal defense program
The Travis County Commissioners Court has appointed a nonprofit corporation to manage a new program created to provide criminal defense for indigent Travis County residents, starting Jan. 1 of next year. The program will replace the current system of court-appointed and paid defense attorneys. Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint the Capital Area Private Defender […]
Posted inResources
Riley, Tovo resolutions push AE energy agenda
City Council will vote on two energy resolutions this week that would direct the City Manager to task Austin Energy with starting the process for implementing recommendations from the Austin Generation Resource Planning Task Force’s July report, despite the utility’s reservations about its overall affordability. The items are listed on the addendum to Thursday’s regular City […]
Posted inResources
AE responds to task force recommendations
Austin Energy has responded to the Austin Generation Resource Planning Task Force’s wish list of carbon emission goals, calling it “not workable” if the utility is to meet City Council’s yearly affordability targets. Austin Energy Deputy General Manager Cheryl Mele made the statement in a memo released Friday, alongside Austin Energy’s preliminary response to the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Government
LCRA delays vote on water management plan
Despite pleas from stakeholders to take swift action to protect lakes Buchanan and Travis from drought conditions, the Lower Colorado River Authority board of directors voted Wednesday to postpone a decision that would have moved the water management process forward. Board members said they wanted to give the public more time to study the plan. […]
Posted inDevelopment
Biz alliance wants more help for small firms
The Austin Independent Business Alliance is both optimistic and frustrated about the City of Austin’s current efforts to assist small local businesses. The discussion took place at last week’s Council Audit and Finance Committee meeting, following a progress report on two 2012 Council resolutions intended to work with small businesses by enhancing the city’s Small […]
Posted inResources
Council debates Pitch and Putt contract
Though City Council members started out Tuesday intending to talk about the entire Parks and Recreation Department budget, most of their discussion Tuesday centered on the possibility that Butler Park Pitch and Putt could change management in the near future. Parks and Recreation Director Sara Hensley told Council her department will open the city-owned facility’s operating […]
Posted inResources
Austin Energy to cut planned 2015 fee increase
Austin City Council members are studying an Austin Energy plan to lower regulatory fees in 2015, which will cut the average monthly residential bill. Utility officials floated the plan Thursday at the Council Committee on Austin Energy. Austin Energy officials say the proposal would reduce a consumer’s portion of an Electric Reliability Council of Texas […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources, Uncategorized
Council punts decision on AE reserves
The Austin City Council decided with a 4-3 vote Thursday to postpone a decision to transfer $30 million from Austin Energy’s Operating Fund to its Strategic Reserve Contingency Fund as requested by staff in order to bring the utility closer to complying with its own financial reserve policies. Council Member Laura Morrison made the motion. Joining her […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council committee questions plans for Oak Hill Parkway project update
Austin City Council members questioned Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and Texas Department of Transportation representatives last week about their decision not to advance elements of a resident-supported plan to reconstruct the congested U.S. Highway 290 and State Highway 71 intersection in Oak Hill. The discussion took place during the regular meeting of the Council […]
Posted inEnvironment, Resources
Plan suggests shutdown of Decker power plant
The City of Austin is considering taking the Decker Creek Power Station offline in order to secure access to water from adjacent Lake Walter E. Long in the case of a future drought emergency. The idea is one of several key recommendations set forth in a report by the Water Resource Planning Task Force, a team that the Austin […]