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Austin Monitor
Funding gaps and future needs eyed in analysis of bond spending
Members of City Council have started to show some of their priorities for the city’s next bond package that would address needs for parkland and cultural centers, among other city departmental resources. Another concern expressed at last week’s Audit and Finance Committee meeting was the likelihood that the city will need to assess where it has fallen short of its scope on some past bond projects, potentially needing more funding to fill those gaps.
Panelists discuss size, shape of downtown caps proposed for I-35 expansion
Planners expect the series of multi-acre caps that will eventually cover portions of a reconstructed Interstate 35 to feature compact two- and three-story buildings that could support retail, arts spaces or limited amounts of housing to serve the downtown area. Those lower profiles could make the projects less attractive for potential developers who prefer height and density downtown, but the engineering considerations of building on top of a major freeway present some challenges that require shorter buildings.
Money for city parks, facilities dwindling
James Snow, director of Capital Delivery Services for the city, on Wednesday gave the City Council Audit and Finance Committee a detailed view of how money has been spent from bonds approved by voters in 2006, 2012 and 2018, with an emphasis on parks, libraries, museums and cultural facilities. The...
Proposed changes to the city’s ethics commission falter
A proposal to reenvision the city’s ethics commission as an independent entity appears to be on ice at the Charter Review Commission after a motion to form a working group to look into the issue failed without any support. Commissioner Betsy Greenberg, who made the motion to form an...
An Austin-area food bank wants students to get healthy meals, so it opened a food pantry at a school
The Central Texas Food Bank is launching a new program to establish food pantries in schools and opened its first location on Wednesday at Creedmoor Elementary, a Del Valle Independent School District campus. “We are super excited to be a flagship and be leading the way on this front because...
Council moves to extend police pay package, incentivize bargaining
City Council recently directed the city manager to extend the package of pay and benefits for police enacted last year in the face of stalled labor contract negotiations. With the Austin Police Association still refusing to return to the bargaining table, Council also directed the city manager to implement a controversial bonus program for officers that incentivizes the union to bargain.
Fleet Services moves forward with fuel efficiency, reducing emissions
Although mileage put on city vehicles has continued to grow over the last five years, Austin has been able to reduce the amount of fuel used during that same time period, according to a report Wednesday to the City Council Audit and Finance Committee. Fleet Mobility Services Assistant Director Rick...
Watershed Protection Department releases 2023 annual report
Last week, the city’s Watershed Protection Department released its 2023 annual report. The report breaks down the department’s work to manage the city’s creeks, drainage systems and water quality programs. Regarding building and maintaining drainage infrastructure, the department completed eight pond repairs, 1,900 service requests for clearing...
Art Acevedo says he won’t take job overseeing Austin police
Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he is no longer joining city leadership. City leaders on Friday announced Acevedo would take on a new role overseeing policing. The decision sparked controversy and came as a surprise to some local officials and social justice advocates. In a new statement posted...
East side activist Llanes Pulido running for mayor
Longtime Austin activist Carmen Llanes Pulido announced Tuesday that she would be running for mayor. Llanes Pulido, 39, is the executive director of GAVA (Go Austin/Vamos Austin) and a former member of a variety of city organizations, including the Planning Commission and the inaugural Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which created Austin’s first district map.
Parks board delays request for traffic study, shuttle service for Zilker Park
The Parks and Recreation Board has further delayed a transportation impact analysis of Zilker Park that was originally suggested by City Council two years ago because of concerns the study could draw money away from other parks programs and budget items. At this week’s meeting, the board voted down a...
Arts nonprofit lands historic preservation funding for East Austin gallery space
A historic grocery store-turned-gallery space on East Cesar Chavez is on the path to landmark designation, with unanimous support from the Historic Landmark Commission to initiate the zoning process. The zoning case comes as nonprofit Women and Their Work accepts $104,428 in Heritage Preservation Grant funding for roof, foundation, window...
Charter Review Commission continues to wrestle with petition process
As the Charter Review Commission works to prepare its recommendations to City Council, a discussion at the most recent meeting showed that its members are still struggling with what changes they will recommend for the city’s petition process. Currently, any citizen or group can get their suggested policy change...
Valid petitions fail to sway Council in two zoning cases
Last week, City Council approved historic zoning for a small Folk Victorian house in East Austin over the objection of the owner of the property at 1100 E. Second St. The Planning Commission approved recommending historic zoning in December. The owner, who wanted to demolish the house, filed a valid...
City likely to increase wealth cap for minority businesses seeking contracts
The city likely will increase the limit on personal net wealth for individuals looking to take part in the city’s procurement program aimed at hiring businesses owned by women and/or minorities. That adjustment was supported by an analysis of the local economy that found the city’s business growth is...
Former APD Chief Acevedo is returning to Austin to oversee police
Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will take a new position created to oversee the police department, a city of Austin memo shared with KUT confirms. The news was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman. Acevedo told KUT he is excited to return to Austin in this new role focusing...
Tovo announces run for mayor
Former City Council Member Kathie Tovo announced Thursday that she is running for mayor this year, a move that will inject a little adrenaline into the race featuring incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson. Tovo served as an at-large council member from 2011 to 2015 and as a representative of District 9 from 2015 to 2023. She served as mayor pro tem starting in 2015 until she left Council last year.
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