In their first meeting since the South by Southwest drunken driving tragedy that killed four people, Public Safety Commissioners voiced their concerns Monday that aspects of the festival are growing out of control. Commission Chair Kim Rossmo said the festival’s growth and transition into more of a party atmosphere creates issues for the city’s […]
Public Safety
Posted inDevelopment, Public Safety
Building and Standards Commission eases sanction for code violations
An Austin homeowner facing a glut of building code violations says his house was not inspected before he bought it in 2005, during the national housing bubble. Austin’s Building and Standards Commission voted unanimously last week to give homeowner Ricardo Ordonez an extra 60 days to sell his house, which he says, he has […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Despite tragedy, the beat goes on at SXSW
After an early morning tragedy that left two people dead and sent 23 others to local hospitals, stunned city officials spent most of Thursday working through the grief and trying to keep the South by Southwest Music festival on track. Officials said they will open an Emotional Support Center downtown Friday to help festival […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
County may join city in developing local sobriety center
Travis County Commissioners took a step Tuesday toward developing a sobriety center for the Austin area. The resolution passed unanimously, though it came with a few caveats. Commissioners instructed their staff to work with the City of Austin and other stakeholders to develop the sobriety centers as an alternative to incarceration for those found […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Public Safety
Travis County still working on finalizing flood buyout program
Four and a half months after the devastating Halloween floods, the county still doesn’t have a definitive buyout plan for all of the affected properties in the Bluff Springs Road area. After an hour of public discussion, and even more in executive session, Travis County Commissioners decided Tuesday they need more information, including current […]
Posted inEnvironment, Public Safety, Resources
Struggle coming over which agency should lead on prescribed burns
After hearing that wildfire prevention efforts led to the prescribed burn of approximately 200 acres in 2013, several Public Safety Commissioners said this week that they worried that any burn not led by the Austin Fire Department poses a safety risk. AFD implements prescribed burns, which reduces the risk of serious wildfires, with partners […]
Posted inEnvironment, Public Safety
Austin wins nearly $12 million in federal funds for Onion Creek
The City of Austin will receive $11.8 million in federal funding for the Onion Creek – Lower Colorado River Basin Project now that Congress finally loosened its purse strings and approved spending the money. The funds – which will be used to buy out properties and relocate displaced families from the Onion Creek flood […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Government, Local Politics, Public Safety
Austin still needs nearly $100 million for flood plain buyout
Four months after raging floodwaters damaged and destroyed dozens of homes in the Onion Creek neighborhood in southeast Austin, city officials say it could cost between $80 million and $100 million to complete a buyout of homes in the flood plain and relocate the displaced families. Officials with the city’s Watershed Protection Department told […]
Posted inPublic Safety
City, firefighters union headed for mediation in hiring dispute
The Austin Firefighters Association – the union for City of Austin’s firefighters – and city management are headed to federal mediation over lingering accusations of hiring discrimination. Asked how long the mediation process might take AFA head Bob Nicks Tuesday declined to speculate. Also, at Tuesday’s work session Council Member Mike Martinez, former head […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety, Uncategorized
Audit finds Parks Department lax in managing safety hazards
City Auditor Ken Mory reported to Council members Wednesday that the city’s Parks and Recreation Department “is not effectively managing hazards related to patron safety” and, further noted that “there is limited assurance that hazards identified are corrected promptly.” Mory’s finding was part of an audit of the efficacy of the department’s ability to […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Public Safety panel backs expanding city’s texting-while-driving ban
After hearing the city’s chief prosecutor say that drivers on their cell phones are 23 times more likely to be in a wreck than a driver who isn’t distracted, the Public Safety Commission approved a resolution Monday asking City Council to form a task force to consider expanding the city’s texting-while-driving ban. Chief prosecutor […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Firefighters union meets with DOJ to discuss city’s hiring process
With a potential consent decree between the City of Austin and the U.S. Justice Department hanging over their heads, representatives of the Austin Firefighters Association met with DOJ officials Tuesday to discuss how the decree might affect the city’s hiring process and the impact that might have on the union. Should union officials accept the […]