The Environmental Board gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to redevelopment plans in the Barton Springs Zone Wednesday night. Parkside Community School is moving from its current Toomey Road location, where rising rents have become unmanageable, to a new home at 3207 West Slaughter Lane. The school proposes to rehabilitate what is currently a chemical dependence […]
Local Politics
Posted inLocal Politics
Austin Monitor Radio, Show 1
The inaugural edition of the KOOP show! Veteran political consultants Mark Littlefield and David Butts join the Monitor‘s Mike Kanin and Elizabeth Pagano to talk 2014 Council elections. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/154218203″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Cole enters mayoral race emphasizing solving problems together
Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole launched her campaign Saturday to become Austin’s first African-American woman Mayor before a crowd of enthusiastic supporters in the front yard of a North University home. In announcing her candidacy, Cole joins fellow City Council Member Mike Martinez, attorney Steve Adler, maintenance technician Randall Stephens and business owner Todd […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Council members angry over lack of notice on salary overpayment
Members of the Council’s Audit and Finance Committee expressed frustration and disapproval Wednesday over the city’s $239,000 overpayment to a city employee and the failure of City Auditor Kenneth Mory to tell them about it. Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole, who chairs the committee, said, “These are public funds and we didn’t have any […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics
Travis County Commissioners Court spending for May 27, 2014
Here is a detailed look at how much money Travis County Commissioners spent this week: · Approved $7,500.00 for a County Cash Match grant accompanying a $17,000.00 grant awarded to the Travis County Historical Commission by the U.S. Department of the Interior through the National Park Service. The total grant required a $8,500 matching […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
Council reviews Central Corridor Study’s report on Urban Rail
The Austin City Council got a look Thursday at Project Connect’s Central Corridor Study recommendations for the city’s proposed high-capacity transit line, its initial route and its price tag. Project leader Kyle Keahey told Council members the study team recommends a Locally Preferred Alternative, or LPA, of an Urban Rail route from Riverside Drive […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council spending
Here is a detailed look at how much money the Council spent this week: · $4,500,000 to Stanley Consultants Inc. to provide engineering services for Austin Energy’s Electric Service Delivery. · $3,111,207 to Clark Equipment Company DBA Bobcat Company, Central Texas Equipment, Cooper Equipment Company INC, Austin Truck and Equipment INC. LTD DBA Freightliner […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council sends Auditorium Shores renaming to 90-day vetting process
Austin City Council members sent a proposal to rename a section of Auditorium Shores after late civic leader Vic Mathias to a full 90-day vetting process. The move, debated in front of the friends and family of the former Austin Chamber head yesterday, came after questions surfaced over whether Mathias was involved in the municipally […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council makes progress on Vested Rights Ordinance, with work to go
City Council members made some progress on the city’s new Vested Rights Ordinance Thursday, though it seems they are not close to completing their work on the full ordinance. Council members conditionally passed part of the ordinance unanimously in a fairly efficient manner, though they only agreed to do so on second reading. That […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Council members concerned about handling of employee overpayment
Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole and Council Member Bill Spelman, who both sit on the Council’s Audit and Finance Committee, as well as a local attorney with expertise in employment law, have expressed concern over the city’s handling of an employee who received more than $200,000 in salary overpayments but was only required to repay […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics
Travis County Commissioners Court spending for May 20, 2014
Here is a detailed look at how much money Commissioners spent this week: · Approved purchase of an Agilent 7697A Headspace Autosampler/7890Bb Gas Chromatograph (HS/GC) System from Agilent Technologies for $64,871.15. · Approved change order No. 3 to contract with RJ Rivera Associates, Inc., for Circle Drive/US 290 intersection improvements design for $21,092.00. · […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members set to go forward with Vested Rights Ordinance
Austin City Council members Tuesday indicated their collective intent to move ahead with a second reading of a contentious new set of grandfathering regulations at their Thursday meeting. Their action could include a vote on a set of proposals from Council Member Laura Morrison that would offer changes in how the city conducts its managed […]