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Quote of the Day
“The firefighters hope we have your support… It’s going to get ugly.”
— Austin Firefighters Association President Bob Nicks, from Firefighters to seek firing of Chief Baker
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Firefighters to seek firing of Chief Baker
From Jo Clifton:
Austin Firefighters Association President Bob Nicks will hold a press conference today to discuss the removal of Fire Chief Joel Baker from his position. Nicks told the Austin Monitor that Baker issued a standing order on June 6 that prevented Austin firefighters from deploying to assist those working to rescue people during the catastrophic 4th of July flooding in Central Texas.
Nicks said he plans to set up a vote among firefighters expressing no confidence in Baker and urging his removal. He expects the vote to be held online from July 15-17. Nicks explained that Baker had “a standing order that we would not be deployed,” starting on June 6. “We had active boat crews ready to go.” He said AFD was contacted for help when flooding seemed possible and firefighters could have been on the scene on July 3, before the catastrophe occurred.
“We are disgusted with our fire chief, he needs to be held accountable and fired for his disgraceful dereliction of duty,” Nicks wrote on Facebook.
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Leaky pipes top the list of water improvements
At its July 2 meeting, the Environmental Commission recommended approval of Austin Water’s list of 15 capital improvement projects located within the Drinking Water Protection Zone. The projects are submitted for approval each year as part of the annual budget adoption process. The projects include several lift station improvements and replacement of waterlines and other improvements totaling about $79 million. As part of its recommendation, the commission requested that the 2026 report include water leak detection or abatement to leaks in the DWPZ. The request was in response to a recent KUT report about the water utility’s loss of billions of gallons of water loss due to leaky pipes.
— Amy Smith
Austin’s rental prices ease up
Austin’s rental market is beginning to show signs of relief, bucking statewide trends thanks to a steady pace of new apartment construction. According to RentCafe’s latest Rental Competitiveness Index, Austin ranked as the least competitive rental market among Texas’ five major metros, with a score of 64.8—well below Houston’s 75.3. That relative easing is tied to slightly longer vacancy periods, with available apartments sitting empty an average of 46 days, compared to 44 in Houston and 45 in Dallas.
The study also found Austin’s occupancy rate holding at 90.9 percent, with a lease renewal rate of 55.4 percent—an indication that more renters are exploring alternatives rather than staying put. For city planners and policymakers, the numbers offer tentative evidence that new multifamily supply is beginning to moderate some of the affordability pressures that have defined Austin’s housing landscape in recent years.
— Chad Swiatecki
Health care job fair next week
Job seekers interested in breaking into the healthcare industry or advancing their careers are invited to a hiring event hosted by Workforce Solutions Capital Area on Wednesday, July 16, at their North Austin location. The event includes an optional career information session from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by the main hiring event from 10 a.m. until noon, featuring a range of employers and training providers from across Central Texas.
Organizers emphasize the event is not just for nurses, with available positions spanning clinical and non-clinical roles. Participating employers and organizations include Austin State Hospital, Capital Home Health, Central Health, Sendero Health Plans, and CommunityCare, among others. Attendees can also learn about no-cost services, including job search assistance, career training, and transportation support, available to eligible job seekers. Registration is encouraged online.
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ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
Once again, news about the Hill Country flooding dominated local news. Updates on the situation can be found all over KUT, KXAN and the like. The Texas Tribune has additionally put together a comprehensive resource on how to give, and get help.
In non-flood news, despite good news for renters (see above) the wealth gap in Austin continues to grow as those with lower incomes are forced out of the city.
And Community Impact reports on an Urband Transportation Commission recommendation to put local roads on a diet.
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