Some tree trimmings from power restoration efforts during Winter Storm Uri are still on the ground nearly two months after the storm, creating a potential wildfire hazard as wildfire season approaches. Though trimmings in residential areas have been mostly picked up, trimmings under Austin Energy transmission lines in undeveloped areas have not. “Nobody seems to […]
City Hall
Posted inAustin
City seeks input on post-Covid economic recovery plan
The city is taking feedback from residents on a wide-reaching plan to restructure how many departments operate, and how economic development is handled in the post-pandemic world. The Economic Recovery and Resiliency Framework is a list of 45 ways the city can create new or transform existing programs to better serve residents and small businesses. […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: City Council, 4.8.21
Today’s City Council meeting has the potential to be blessedly brief. Of course, one can never quite tell whether that promise will be realized, but with just about 40 speakers signed up to speak on a fairly thin agenda, it’s looking good. While the three proposed Rainey Street towers on the agenda – items 10, 11 […]
Posted inBudget
Public Safety Commission recommends budget requests – with one exception
The Public Safety Commission “wholeheartedly” recommended City Council adopt all budget items requested by Austin’s police, fire and EMS departments for Fiscal Year 2022 – with the exception of money for a new police helicopter. The budgets await review by City Manager Spencer Cronk and approval from Council in August. APD forecasts a $302.7 million […]
Posted inCity Council
Council stresses need for cooperation in forming strategic plan for homelessness
After hearing the results of a follow-up audit related to the city’s efforts to help the homeless, Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Leslie Pool both stressed the need for other segments of the community to get involved in resolving Austin’s homelessness problem. They made their remarks at last week’s meeting of City Council’s Audit […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 4.6.21
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 here. The meeting will be streamed live on the Travis County website. Special Joint Session Covid Updates County Health […]
Posted inPlanning
Panel weighs future potential of city’s health care innovation district
The battle over reconstructing Interstate 35, and the stalled Land Development Code update, are factors that continue to influence the shape and scope of the developing health care innovation district in the eastern section of downtown Austin. Those larger civic questions were among the points of discussion during a recent Urban Land Institute Austin panel […]
Posted inCity Hall
Libraries set to begin reopening in May, despite City Council resolution
Amid concerns about vaccination rates, City Council has pushed back the day Austin Public Library employees will return to their physical workplaces. The change is not expected to impact a plan to begin reopening public libraries on May 10. “I really appreciate the way the public library has maintained that balance of providing a level […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: City Council, 3.25.21
With more than 100 speakers signed up to speak, it’s likely that today’s meeting will be on the long side. Thankfully, the items we are watching on this week’s City Council agenda represent a wide array of issues, so at least it won’t be monotonous! Though we expected a discussion about items 16, 34, 74 […]
Posted inCity Council
Council floats spending ‘huge’ portion of American Rescue Plan funds to solve homelessness
City Council hopes that solving homelessness – the city’s biggest priority – may finally be within reach thanks to President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package. Council members spoke effusively at Tuesday’s work session about the “transformational” change possible if the city concentrates its portion of the American Rescue Plan – $195.8 million – on solving key […]
Posted inAustin
Austin Animal Center offers free microchipping to help residents track their pets
In an effort to educate and encourage Austin residents to get their pets microchipped, the Austin Animal Center will offer a free drive-up clinic to pet owners on April 10. The process involves implanting a microchip, a tiny electronic device the size of a grain of rice, between the animal’s shoulder blades. Once the chip […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 3.23.21
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 Joint Session Covid […]