Austin City Council members Thursday night endorsed a plan by transportation officials to pursue an urban rail line that extends south from the Highland Mall region, through the city center, and east out East Riverside Drive. The move begins a process that could end in a multi-million dollar bond election over rail for the city […]
Elections
Posted inLocal Politics
Strains show between Council, City Manager over Auditors’ office
Tensions continued to mount Tuesday between City Manager Marc Ott and a number of Austin City Council members. At immediate issue is where to relocate the office of City Auditor Ken Mory as City Hall is reconfigured to make room for additional Council members under single member districts. During Tuesday’s work session, there was […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Mayor nominates police intelligence agency for free Google Fiber
A pitch from Mayor Lee Leffingwell to include the Austin Regional Intelligence Center, or ARIC, on a list of sites that will receive free access to Google’s new ultra-high speed Internet service met with some amount of skepticism from his colleagues Tuesday. At their regular work session – the last one of 2013 – […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Resources
PUC: Non-city utility customers must pay legal fees
The Texas Public Utility Commission has dismissed a complaint filed by a group of non-City of Austin ratepayers against Austin Energy. That dismissal means that ratepayers who are not Austin residents will foot the $1.55 million bill for the utility’s legal fees related to a rate case settled earlier this year. So, those who […]
Posted inLocal Politics
City Ethics Commission clears Almanza of conflict of interest
An emotional battle between a business shut down by the city and an Austin Parks and Recreation Board member came to an official end Wednesday. The fallout may be felt for some time, perhaps even into the next election cycle. The city’s Ethics Review Commission voted unanimously that Susanna Almanza, a Parks Board member […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Council eases rules on delinquent utility bills
At the urging of advocacy groups and a tenacious City Council Member Kathie Tovo, the Council on Thursday approved an ordinance that gives additional breaks to residential utility customers having trouble paying their bills. Supporters of the ordinance said the action would especially help in preventing customers with low and fixed incomes from having […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Council to hash out Austin Energy issues in committee meeting
With Council Member Kathie Tovo pushing hard to gain approval of an ordinance that would offer more leeway for Austin Energy ratepayers in deep arrears on their bills, utility officials remained leery of the plan. It will all be hashed out this afternoon as Council members meet for their monthly Austin Energy Committee meeting, which […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment, Local Government, Local Politics, Public Safety
County finds just $4.3 million to buy flood-ravaged homes
Travis County officials say they have searched their budgets, bond programs and possibly even the couch cushions to come up with $4.3 million to buy out damaged and destroyed homes from the Halloween floods. But it will be another week or two before County Commissioners will be get an estimate on just how much […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members question staff over code enforcement issues
Members of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday questioned city staff over their ongoing efforts to revamp code compliance. Code enforcement has been in the spotlight since a balcony collapse at the Woodridge Apartments set off a wave of criticism after lax enforcement of safety regulations was revealed. As Council members discussed […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council, City Manager in tug-of-war over location of Auditor’s office
A debate over where the City Auditor sits after the transition to the 10-1 Council Districts government is pitting City Council members against City Manager Marc Ott. The rising tension over the issue finds some Council members preparing a resolution to indicate their official position for the Dec. 12 Council meeting. Meanwhile, city staff has […]
Posted inLocal Politics
City management increases restrictions on employee gifts
Sparked by a case where city employees walked away with $11,000 in prizes from a work-related convention, Human Resources Director Mark Washington has outlined a new policy that places stricter limits on the gifts city employees can receive while on the job. Washington told Council Audit and Finance Committee members last month that the […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council denies zoning change for Bluff Springs convenience store
With negotiations in shambles, there will be no zoning change for construction of the Bluff Springs Food Mart in the near future. The owner of the proposed convenience store was seeking the zoning change in order to remove a restriction that prohibits food sales and restaurant fast food drive-throughs on the property. That change […]