Save Our Springs wins an order to increase speaking time

Things might be a little different at today’s City Council meeting. Last week, after getting only two minutes to address Council on a variety of items, Save Our Springs Alliance Executive Director Bill Bunch said Mayor Kirk Watson was violating the Open Meetings Act and the Austin City Charter. At that point, Bunch said he would sue on that issue. He subsequently filed suit. Late Wednesday, Travis County District Judge Madeleine Connor ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and granted a temporary restraining order that requires Council to give each speaker three minutes to speak on each item they have indicated they wish to speak about. Watson was giving speakers only two minutes to speak, regardless of how many items they wished to discuss with Council. In a statement to the press, Bunch said, “Every resident deserves the opportunity to address the council on matters that affect our community.” He added that he was pleased with the “court’s acknowledgment that Austin taxpayers make an investment in democracy, and they deserve to be heard.” That same statement said SOS expects a hearing to extend the injunction on April 25.