At the June 4 City Council meeting, Council Member Ora Houston voted against an Austin Water Utility contract with Austin White Lime that would allow the company to provide about 21.5 tons of lime per year to soften the city’s water. She also voted against three other contracts that were designated “sole-source” by the Purchasing […]
Austin City Council
The Austin City Council is the body with legislative purview over the City of Austin. It offers policy direction, while the office of the City Manager implements administrative actions based on those policies. Until 2015, the body contained seven members, including the city’s Mayor, all elected at-large. In 2012, City of Austin residents voted to change that system and as of 2015, 10 members of the Council are elected based on geographic districts. The Mayor continues to be elected at-large.
Posted inAustin
Reporter’s Notebook: Swimming with the sharks
Kitchen argues for longer lunch break … City Council Member Ann Kitchen expressed concern Thursday about the length of lunch breaks during Council meetings. When Mayor Steve Adler suggested continuing for 30 minutes after citizen communications closed just before 1 p.m, Kitchen protested. “I’d like to take a break for lunch,” she said. “I think that’s […]
Posted inPremium Types
TickTock: Austin City Council Meeting 6.11.15
Tick Tock is the sortable-by-item-number transcript of Monitor publisher Mike Kanin’s Twitter feed from Council day. Simply click on the item number to scroll to the corresponding. Votes are color-coded: Green for yeas, red for nays, et cetera. It’s embedded below.Tick Tock is the sortable-by-item-number transcript of Monitor publisher Mike Kanin’s Twitter feed from Council […]
Posted inPreservation
Council members sound off on historic district
The proposed Bluebonnet Hills preservation district took its first step forward at City Council on Thursday. But will it be its last? After several hours of public testimony both for and against, Council voted to approve the district on first reading. The vote was 7-3, with Council members Ellen Troxclair, Don Zimmerman and Pio Renteria […]
Posted inCourts, Development
New lawsuit adds to sour feelings in Swede Hill’s Patch House saga
The owners of a controversial house in East Austin’s Swede Hill neighborhood are taking their fight with the city to a Travis County district court. Last week, lawyers for Blake and Toria English filed a suit against the city of Austin and Austin Energy seeking an injunction against threats to shut off power and orders […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Austin City Council 6.11.15
The Austin City Council will have its regular meeting Thursday. Below is a list of items we’re watching for the upcoming week. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda. The City Clerk’s office posts a copy on its Web site, here. 4. Approve an ordinance authorizing the negotiation and execution of […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Council looks back at 84th Legislative Session
At the conclusion of a Texas Legislative Session, Austin must inevitably sit back and lick its wounds. According to Interim Intergovernmental Relations Officer Karen Kennard, however, the city sustained far fewer direct blows to its local control this time around than it could have. During a legislative briefing at a City Council work session on […]
Posted inEnergy
Weis memo addresses AE bad-debt questions
Austin Energy’s bad-debt problem is not the result of a policy “that penalizes customers who are a day late or a penny short,” according to a memo to City Council and Mayor Steve Adler from Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis. Instead, the utility places the blame on lenient collection policies. “After the city’s previous utility […]
Posted inCity Hall
Many boards and commissions seats still vacant
While City Council members have almost 300 spots to fill on commissions and boards before current membership expires on July 1, some groups have adjourned their June meetings still uncertain about who will be seated next month. With Commissioner Reynaldo Moreno absent, the Public Safety Commission last week voted unanimously to cancel its July meeting because […]
Posted inAustin
City inches Homestead Preservation Districts forward
Technically, Austin has had a Homestead Preservation District for years. Last week, City Council decided to do something about it. Council members voted 9-0-1 to move forward with actually using homestead preservation districts as yet another way of addressing Austin’s affordability crisis. Council Member Don Zimmerman abstained from the vote and Council Member Delia Garza […]
Posted inAustin
Council approves East Austin land trusts
Affordability was in fashion at last week’s City Council meeting. In the midst of talk about homestead exemptions and homestead preservation districts, Council members also revisited another strategy the city has used to create affordable housing. And, as has been their practice since their election, they took a close look at the issue. Council members […]
Posted inPremium Types
TickTock: Austin City Council Meeting 6.4.15
Tick Tock is the sortable-by-item-number transcript of Monitor publisher Mike Kanin’s Twitter feed from Council day. Simply click on the item number to scroll to the corresponding. Votes are color-coded: Green for yeas, red for nays, et cetera. It’s embedded below. ITEMS 2 3 10 11 16 19 20 21 23 30 37 40 44 […]