Callout: Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
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Quote of the Day
“I’m very uncomfortable with a policy of us going through a lengthy budget process, a detailed budget process, and then literally at the very next meeting of the Council, we’re taking up budget items again, many of which were items that were part of the budget process.”
— Mayor Kirk Watson, from Council rejects resolution to target youth homelessness funding
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Proposed Travis County pay draws equity questions
From Lina Fisher:
During a Tuesday meeting, Travis County employees raised grievances related to staff’s presentation of possible adjustments to the county’s pay scale in the FY25-26 budget, including a “modernization” proposal that would designate employees either exempt or non-exempt. Staff says this structural change is necessary to address the county’s issues retaining talent.
Since 2022, the lowest paid employees at Travis County have seen consistent increases in wages. In 2022, there was an across-the-board increase, from $15 to $20 per hour and, in 2024, that increased another 4 percent. But in other areas, county staff has been consistently flagging improper compensation – for example, in the Public Defender’s Office.
Council rejects resolution to target youth homelessness funding
From Chad Swiatecki:
A resolution aimed at prioritizing youth homelessness funding failed at City Council on Thursday following extended debate over budget process and policy flexibility.
Staff from the Homeless Strategy Office expressed concern that the proposal, even softened from its original form, could restrict their ability to adjust investments based on the needs shown by real-time data and trends across homeless populations.
At the heart of the debate was a provision directing city staff to “target” 15 percent of new homelessness spending to serve youth, in line with their estimated proportion of the local unhoused population. While the resolution’s sponsor, Council Member Ryan Alter, described the language as a flexible “target” rather than a mandate, both Watson and staff said the phrasing could carry binding effects.
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Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
Join Austin Parks Foundation for the 11th Annual Party for the Parks, featuring Passion Pit! This beloved event is happening under the lights at ACL in Zilker Park on Wednesday, October 8th.
Partygoers will enjoy delicious dining options, libations from Austin’s premiere beverage brands, games, a live auction and an intimate concert—all while helping raise funds for our city’s nearly 400 parks, trails and green spaces. Click here to get your tickets and join the fun!
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City to require greater protections at new dog-boarding businesses
New dog-boarding facilities in Austin will be required to include protections to prevent pets from digging under fences in outdoor areas under a new code amendment expected to go to City Council later this year.
Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes on Thursday sponsored the no-dig resolution in direct response to an incident involving a constituent’s family dog escaping from a dog-boarding facility in South Austin. The dog, Wendy, was later found deceased.
“I can only imagine the devastation that comes from such a tragedy – one that was very preventable,” Fuentes said ahead of the unanimous vote. “Our pets are part of our families, and in a city like Austin we take pride in being a no-kill community, So we have a shared responsibility to ensure that our pets are safe, especially when placed in someone else’s direct care.”
The resolution appeared on the same agenda as a rezoning item for the boarding facility in question, The Acre, to come into compliance and continue operating as an animal services business, which Council approved. Fuentes said the property owner has since installed dig guards and strengthened the firm’s safety protocols.
The resolution also directs city staff to consider requiring anti-dig protections at existing dog boarding and daycare businesses, and to recommend additional steps to improve the overall safety and welfare of pets at boarding facilities.
— Amy Smith
City seeks Bike Bus leaders to help students ride safely to school
The city is recruiting community members to serve as Bike Bus leaders, helping guide students on safe, supervised group bike rides to and from school. The paid positions are part of the city’s Safe Routes to School program and aim to promote exercise, safety, and community building by training residents to lead bicycle convoys along pre-planned routes.
Interested applicants must first complete an interest form and then apply to join the city’s existing school crossing guard program. A mandatory training clinic will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, covering topics such as helmet safety, hand signals, and coordination with families and school staff. The city will prioritize new routes at schools where at least three applicants commit to participating. More information is available by emailing GetThereATX@austintexas.gov or visiting the Safe Routes to School webpage.
— Chad Swiatecki
Happy Labor Day!
This Monday, the city of Austin will close its administrative offices and other municipal facilities in observance of Labor Day. (Check out the full list here.) We, too, will be taking the day off to observe the holiday and will see you back here Tuesday!
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Elsewhere in the News
Austin’s massive airport expansion just got bigger, as KUT reports.
In other City Council news, the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan has been updated.
Council also approved $260 million in water and wastewater projects.
The Austin Chronicle gets into the details of Rep. Greg Casar’s run to be re-elected.
And, in some really nice news, ACC and UT have opened their mental health services to anyone aged 18 to 29.
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