More than 100 people gathered at a Northeast Austin hotel on Wednesday night to hear Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt declare that the state of the county is strong. Eckhardt established her case for that assessment in a punchy, pithy and often unsparingly earnest speech presented by the Austin Area League of Women Voters. The […]
Travis County
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County pulls plug on charging-station proposal, for now
A proposal involving an alternative to petrochemical-powered transportation lurched into a temporary ditch at Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday. County Judge Sarah Eckhardt postponed the vote on whether to install an electric-vehicle charging station at a county-owned parking lot after two commissioners voiced their opposition. The proposal’s controversy was somewhat belied by its relatively […]
Posted inTravis County, Uncategorized
County puts housing authority official in the hot seat
Travis County Commissioners Court is on the verge of pushing out a top local affordable housing official over thousands of dollars’ worth of travel expenditures. The court voted unanimously on Tuesday to send a letter to Melvin Wrenn, chair of the Housing Authority of Travis County board of commissioners, to let him know that the […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County approves screening process for courthouse sites
Travis County planners are heading back to the laboratory to hash out the pros and cons of several select properties – including the one that voters rejected in November – that could be home to a new civil courthouse. On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved the so-called site evaluation matrix that county staff, […]
Posted inTravis County
TravCo Precinct 1 race attracts diverse voices
For the first time in a generation, the Travis County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 chair is up for grabs, and a crowded field has emerged with five candidates squaring off for their chance to grab it. With early voting set to begin in less than a week, it’s crunch time for Richard Franklin III, Marc […]
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Travis County ponders public information office
Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday came close to derailing a months-in-the-making proposal to establish an official county officer to deal with media relations. At the regular voting session of the commissioners court, members of the Public Information Subcommittee – a group of county staff members – unveiled five recommendations they had been developing since […]
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Travis County courts controversy with CTRMA appointment
Sparks flew at Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday over the reappointment of Charles Heimsath to serve on the board that supervises regional toll road projects. The 3-2 decision poured cold water on a late-hour effort that bubbled up last week to sink Heimsath’s quest for a new term at the Central Texas Regional Mobility […]
Posted inTravis County
County’s new PID policy touted as victory for both labor and developers
It may have a name only a wonk could love, but Travis County’s brand-new PID policy could have sweeping implications for a large swath of residents whose every thought isn’t consumed with local governance. On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court approved a policy framework that will guide the county as it creates Public Improvement Districts, or […]
Posted inLocal Government, Monitor News & Media, Radio, Travis County
Austin Monitor Radio: The Palm School
Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard joins Travis County Pct. 3 Commissioner Gerald Daugherty to talk about options for the Palm School and the property it sits on. Austin Monitor Radio is made possible by Austin Water. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/244590997″ 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 inTravis County
County reboots civil courthouse project
Less than three months after voters rejected a nine-figure bond to build a new civil courthouse, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted on Tuesday to effectively reboot the process that had been more than 15 years in the making. The 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Ron Davis off the dais, approved a modification to the county’s […]
Posted inTravis County
Commissioners Court retains firearms ban for employees
A political shootout at Travis County Commissioners Court ended with victory for proponents of tougher gun restrictions on Tuesday. The court voted 4-1 to update Travis County Code to include language that forbids employees of departments that report to the court from carrying deadly weapons on county property or in county vehicles. The language includes […]
Posted inTravis County
Eckhardt issues public challenge on transit, affordability, justice reform
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt on Monday challenged the public to get involved and help achieve a broad set of policy goals in 2016. In her first press conference of the year, Eckhardt stood before a line of cameras and reporters and laid out a tripartite agenda that focused on transit, economic prosperity and a […]