Travis County is one of the few large counties in the state with only a single probate court, but it may be adding a new one. The Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution last week to post a public notice explaining the possibility of creating an additional court, as required by the Texas […]
Travis County Commissioners Court
The legislative body for Travis County. It includes representatives from the four Travis County Precincts, as well as the County Judge. The County Judge serves as the chair of the Court.
Posted inAustin
Food plan committee balancing inflation worries against long-term needs
With food prices remaining persistently high as overall inflation levels continue to ease, the cost of food is likely to be one of many issues discussed in the coming weeks by the new group that will steer the creation of Austin’s first-ever area food plan. The Office of Sustainability has selected the 25 members of […]
Posted inPublic Safety
County nixes license plate surveillance cameras on public land
A minor debate flared up at Tuesday’s Travis County Commissioners Court meeting about installing Flock, a license plate surveillance system, on public lands in the county – specifically Rob Roy, a private residential neighborhood in Austin. Members of the homeowners association of Rob Roy on the Creek requested that six automatic license plate reading cameras […]
Posted inTravis County
Travillion: Charting the path to job opportunity for county residents
After nearly three years of Covid-19 pandemic response, plus unprecedented challenges like Winter Storm Uri and rapidly rising housing costs across the Austin metro, Travis County Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Travillion said his high point of 2022 was workforce development. Travillion, now in his second term, believes residents should have not just their basic needs met, […]
Posted inTravis County
Two years in, Ann Howard is playing for the county’s team
Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard compares the first two years in her four-year term representing Precinct 3 to speed dating. “When you have something like Winter Storm Uri and a pandemic, you cram a lot of meet-and-greets into the early months,” Howard told the Austin Monitor. “Because there are so many conversations, and so many […]
Posted inTravis County
Margaret Gómez has learned to take the long view
For Margaret Gómez, Travis County’s longest-serving county commissioner, listening to community members’ concerns is the first and most important step toward guiding initiatives for the 1.3 million-plus residents of Travis County. In a recent interview with the Austin Monitor, Gómez – who earlier this year won a tight reelection race for Precinct 4 commissioner – shares how that strategy […]
Posted inTravis County
Andy Brown intends to double down on overdose prevention efforts in 2023
Coming off a landslide reelection victory in the November election, Travis County Judge Andy Brown is proud of how the Commissioners Court responded to challenges in 2022, from staffing shortages and new state laws threatening civil rights to housing affordability and the recent Arctic freeze. The county also laid the groundwork to launch a mental […]
Posted inTravis County
Brigid Shea: Seeking local solutions for global problems
If you’d asked Brigid Shea 30 years ago where she’d be in 2022, the Travis County Commissioners Court likely wouldn’t have topped her list. Nevertheless, the outspoken environmentalist and former City Council member, who broke into the political scene co-founding the now-iconic Save Our Springs Alliance, has made herself a comfortable home there. “I had […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Fire risk is heightened during holiday season
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are peak days for home fires and injuries from inattentive cooking, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Travis County’s fire marshal’s office, the U.S. Fire Administration and NFPA are partnering up for the holidays to spread information about fire safety and fire hazards. Other causes of home fires over […]
Posted inTravis County
County reviews community survey results ahead of investment decisions
A Travis County community survey was conducted early this year to assist the county in its decision-making on economic developments, strategic planning and where to invest local fiscal recovery funds. On Tuesday, county commissioners received the second briefing on survey responses from the 2022 community survey. The 2,477-respondent survey results were first presented to commissioners […]
Posted inTravis County
County gears up for severe winter weather, just in case
Though extreme winter weather appears to be unlikely in the Texas forecast, Travis County is covering all its bases. The plans are, in part, a response to the snowstorm crisis Central Texas faced in early 2021, in which a lack of adequate preparation led to an estimated 246 deaths in the state. Representatives from the Office […]
Posted inHousing
Eviction rates are skyrocketing in Travis County, says HHS
Eviction rates have shot up more than 250 percent of the average in the Austin area, according to Travis County Health and Human Services. “We have been absolutely inundated with crisis applications,” Kirsten Siegfried, HHS chief deputy, told the Travis County Commissioners Court. Siegfried said it took HHS six months to get through applications received in […]