In January, Travis County Judge Andy Brown told the Austin Monitor that he intended to double down on overdose prevention efforts and the county’s work to build a mental health diversion center to help more people in crisis avoid jail time. In December, Brown sat down with the Monitor again and confirmed not just his […]
Travis County
Posted inTravis County
Travillion finds connecting resources helps solve complex issues
When Travis County Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Travillion looks at the county’s accomplishments in the year past, he sees lessons learned in the pandemic – and in his childhood – put into practice. “It was really no one thing. We pulled together a large group of resources to address complicated problems,” he said. Since the […]
Posted inTravis County
Experience, communication help Margaret Gómez tackle difficult issues
With more time logged in office than the other commissioners on the court, Travis County Precinct 4 Commissioner Margaret Gómez is able to bring a long-term perspective to county government. Gómez took office in 1995, making her the longest-tenured commissioner currently in office. But her career with the county began long before that. A graduate […]
Posted inTravis County
Howard proudly ruffling feathers her third year in office
For Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard, this year was all about employing the institutional knowledge she gained over her first two years in office. “You know, I found the bathrooms and the light switches, and I’m sort of recognizing the themes and the issues, knowing who to call and understanding where my colleagues are coming […]
Posted inTravis County
Shea continues search for creative solutions to climate crisis
As an environmentalist, Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea spends a lot of time thinking about worst-case scenarios. Still, the commissioner’s approach to leadership is far from doom and gloom. In fact, as the climate crisis worsens across the globe, Shea is driven by her search for creative solutions within Travis County borders. The county got […]
Posted inPolice
Renewed cooperation eliminates backlog of sexual assault evidence kits
After years of discord, the team created to improve Travis County’s response to sexual assault is back to collaborating, team members told the Commissioners Court Tuesday, and a backlog of untested evidence kits has been processed. Spurred by state law enacted in 2021, the members of SARRT, or the Austin/Travis County Sexual Assault Response and […]
Posted inTravis County
Program supporting underutilized businesses shows progress
Travis County’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program made remarkable progress in the last few years despite a few setbacks and political challenges, county officials say. The annual report for the program, which promotes equal procurement opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, showed increases in the percentage of county contracts awarded since 2018. Of the categories […]
Posted inPublic Safety
County emphasizes winter safety awareness
As Travis County officials detailed plans and preparations for the next big winter storm, some said that the public might not be taking the threat seriously enough. On Tuesday, leaders from the Office of Emergency Management, Transportation and Natural Resources, Health and Human Services, EMS and other departments briefed the Travis County Commissioners Court. Commissioners […]
Posted inTravis County
Total eclipse could bring massive crowds in 2024
Parts of Travis County could double or even triple in population in April 2024 as visitors come here to see the total eclipse of the sun, county officials said Tuesday. Travis County sits on the eastern edge of the 115-mile-wide viewing path of the eclipse, which will begin just after noon April 8. Western Travis […]
Posted inTravis County
At the county, mentoring and advocacy service comes back to life
After a rocky start, two local nonprofits reunited this year to create a program that supports Black and Latina girls. Nonprofit groups Measure and Hearts2Heal first met with the Travis County Commissioners Court in July 2021. They proposed using American Rescue Plan Act funding for a “proactive, evidence-based service on behalf of black girls in […]
Posted inTravis County
County public defender office takes shape
The long process of unifying Travis County’s three separate public defender offices took another step forward last week. The Commissioners Court reviewed draft bylaws for the oversight board the first time Nov. 2 and agreed to another voting session to work through details. The unification of the separate offices for adult, juvenile and mental health […]
Posted inTravis County
Commissioners voice support for Tesla factory, community investment plan
The Travis County Commissioners Court defended tax breaks for Tesla’s factory in East Austin and approved the company’s plan to donate $750,000 as part of the tax incentive deal. This is more than double the amount – $298,000 – the electric vehicle manufacturer is required to spend based on the $2.9 million in tax breaks […]