Late Friday afternoon, Council Member Bill Spelman asked his colleagues to reconsider their actions on a resolution by Council Member Chris Riley that instructs Austin Energy to greatly increase their renewable resources — specifically solar — and work toward eliminating the Decker Creek Power Plant as a result of the city’s concern about greenhouse gas […]
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 inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Acevedo predicts changes to deportation program
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo told the Monitor on Thursday that he believes the focus of the federal Secure Communities Program could change by the end of 2014. Speaking after he briefed the Council on a proposed new city booking facility, Acevedo added to comments he made to Council members. “What’s happening right now is that the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Politics, Resources
Riley resolution passes in chaotic Council finish
Update: An Austin Energy official told the Monitor early Friday morning that they had left Council chambers for home after Council members passed a resolution to recess the meeting until noon today. A twisting, chaotic end to Austin City Council’s Thursday meeting resulted in fast passage of two Austin Energy-related items — one that had […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics, Transportation
Candidates talk transportation at mayoral forum
Though Austin residents can only vote for one Council member to represent their geographic district this Election Day, everyone in the city gets a say in who becomes the next mayor. Five of those in the running showed up for the Civic Summit Mayoral Candidate Forum, Wednesday, presented by KLRU, Austin’s PBS station and the Urban […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Council gets update on Rundberg Project
The work of restoring the Rundberg neighborhood is well underway. A briefing on the Restore Rundberg Project’s progress at City Council’s Tuesday work session prompted at least one Council member to ask: Could it be better? The Restore Rundberg Project is a result of a $1 million, three-year grant to fund innovative solutions for areas […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
City Council closing in on a final budget
City Council didn’t pull any punches at the start of Tuesday’s budget session, setting next year’s tax rate before anyone’s coffee had time to cool. Council members voted unanimously to adopt the tax rate of 48.09 cents per $100 taxable value, which is in line with the budget proposed by City Manager Marc Ott. The […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Library staff holds the line on 2015 funds
Despite the imminence of a glowing new Central Library on the horizon, the library department kept it humble Wednesday afternoon. As part of the city’s budget process, City Council heard from Brenda Branch, director of the Austin Public Library department. Branch presented her $36.8 million budget along with an overview of the city’s public library […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Background checks for dog walkers ?
Fingerprinting and an eight-week wait for a background check … to walk shelter dogs? At Wednesday’s City Council budget work session, Council Member and mayoral candidate Mike Martinez noted that some would-be Austin Animal Center volunteers decide to help elsewhere when faced with these stringent requirements. According to Chief Animal Services Officer Abigail Smith, all […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council hears feedback on boards and commissions transition
City Council heard opinions last week about a plan to move its massive boards and commissions network to the new 10-1 Council system next year. As anticipated, there were several complaints. The Boards and Commissions Transition Task Force issued its final report in May on how the nearly 60 boards and commissions should best transition […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Council meetings to consider utility fund, rail ballot, flood buyouts
The Austin City Council will hold two special called meetings this week, one Thursday following the Council Committee on Austin Energy, and one Friday at 1p.m. Thursday’s meeting includes consideration of whether to allow the utility to transfer $30 million from its operating fund to its strategic reserve fund. Staff has requested the action in […]
Posted inEnvironment, Resources
Plan suggests shutdown of Decker power plant
The City of Austin is considering taking the Decker Creek Power Station offline in order to secure access to water from adjacent Lake Walter E. Long in the case of a future drought emergency. The idea is one of several key recommendations set forth in a report by the Water Resource Planning Task Force, a team that the Austin […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Local Politics, Transportation
Leffingwell keeps his seat on BCCP coordinating committee
Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell will stay on as the City of Austin’s representative to the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan’s coordinating committee. His presence there — as one of only two representatives — had irked some of his colleagues in the wake of recent apparent forward movement for the long-debated State Highway 45 Southwest extension. Travis […]