Ann Kitchen thrives from the many challenges of being a City Council member. “It’s a combination of being really proactive and trying to address the problems that we’re having as a city,” she told the Austin Monitor. “It’s always new, it’s always challenging and it really is an opportunity to help out people and the city […]
City Hall
Posted inCity Council
Mackenzie Kelly: A collaborative conservative among Democrats
Since the creation of the 10-1 City Council, the Council members who have represented District 6 in far Northwest Austin have stood out for one reason or another. The first two – conservative Republican Don Zimmerman, followed by progressive Democrat Jimmy Flannigan – were miles apart on the political spectrum yet similar due to their […]
Posted inCity Council
Natasha Harper-Madison’s focus in 2022? ‘Housing, housing, housing’
Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison’s tenure on City Council has been marked by crisis. Elected in November 2018 as the District 1 representative, Harper-Madison barely had a year in office before Covid-19 struck. “What a time to have your first term in public office!” she noted. Though the pandemic has persisted into the last year […]
Posted inCity Council
Vanessa Fuentes: Putting health and equity first
City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes stepped into a rather busy first term in office – this year, an unprecedented winter storm took Travis County by surprise and the pandemic continued to surge despite hopes for Covid-19’s retreat. But Fuentes, who now represents Southeast Austin’s District 2, took the challenge head-on. “No amount of preparation can […]
Posted inCity Council
Pio Renteria: Seven years in office and 71 years in District 3
City Council Member Pio Renteria recalls the time when he was able to purchase his East Austin home for just over $20,000. Now he’s received an offer to sell it for nearly a million. As a lifelong resident of East Austin, Renteria has experienced the whirlwind of change undergone by District 3 firsthand. Though it […]
Posted inAustin
Church leaders praise city, county for committing fed funds toward homelessness
Leaders from 50 religious organizations around Travis County have praised the work of city and county leaders who have dedicated more than $200 million toward ending homelessness in Central Texas. In an online forum on Tuesday, leaders of congregations from Central Texas Interfaith gathered with their constituents to discuss the significance of Austin City Council […]
Posted inCity Hall
Committee sends ‘meeting place question’ to full Council
Although they rejected the idea of changing the bylaws of three land use commissions to designate a specific meeting place, members of the City Council Audit & Finance Committee on Wednesday expressed their willingness to consider directing staff to hold the meetings at City Hall instead of at the new Permitting and Development Center (PDC) […]
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As the pandemic drags on, 24/7 dining makes a return to Austin
Last month, Bennu Coffee was able to reach a milestone it had been after for months: resuming the 24/7 hours of operation it had gained a reputation for among Austinites. At the moment, only Bennu’s Highland location is open around the clock, but owners Stephanie and Steve Williams are already making plans to open up […]
Posted inCity Council
Fuel site for airport expansion put on hold to allow for more community input
The city has stepped in to address the concerns of residents who live close to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and directed city staff to conduct a deeper analysis of the possible effects of a fuel tank farm proposed as part of the airport’s expansion plans. As part of the consent agenda, City Council approved on Thursday […]
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TipSheet: City Council, 12.9.21
In what has become one of our most treasured and least favorite of yearly traditions, the last City Council meeting of the year is always a long one, with everyone trying to get in a last bit of business before Council takes its break until Jan. 27. We’ll note that today will include an executive […]
Posted inCity Council
TipSheet: City Council, 12.9.21
In what has become one of our most treasured and least favorite of yearly traditions, the last City Council meeting of the year is always a long one, with everyone trying to get in a last bit of business before Council takes its break until Jan. 27. We’ll note that today will include an executive […]
Posted inCity Hall
Staff reports on relocating Waller Creek Boathouse
When construction of new transit lines gets underway, buildings, streets and other parts of our urban environment will naturally be torn down. One structure that needs to make way for the Project Connect Blue Line is the relatively new Waller Creek Boathouse, home of the Austin Rowing Club. When City Council members approved the joint powers […]