Shudde Fath: Continuing the good fight at 95

Shudde Bess Bryson Fath, grande dame of Austin citizen activists, is a case study in longevity and perseverance when it comes to life and electric rates.   That perseverance – as well as her decades of experience with Austin Energy,…

Uncategorized • By Bill McCann • Jul 1, 2011

Attorney General rules against LCRA over release of public information

A battle over public information between the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of West Lake Hills continues to heat up.   In a letter dated June 28, the Texas Attorney General’s office informed the LCRA that it had…

Uncategorized • By Michael Kanin • Jul 1, 2011

Downtown density bonus goes unused in favor of CURE overlay

Council approved one more high-density downtown tower last week that used a “CURE” overlay and bypassed interim downtown density bonuses. Four years after the interim downtown density bonus program was proposed, not a single project has used it to gain…

Uncategorized • By Kimberly Reeves • Jun 30, 2011

Split Council approves enhanced Formula One agreement

It was, once again, standing-room only in chambers as City Council deliberated whether to endorse Formula One for the last time. The council voted 5-2 Wednesday to sign on as an endorsing municipality, with Council Members Laura Morrison and Kathie…

Uncategorized • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jun 30, 2011

Council approves hotel fee waivers with timeline, wage restrictions

Council approved waiving $3.8 million in development fees Wednesday for a 1,000-room hotel on Congress Avenue between Second and Third streets, a hotel many say is badly needed in order to increase city tourism. In return for those waivers, White…

Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Jun 30, 2011

Council approves contracts to help bring Formula 1 to Austin

In their second big vote of the day, the Austin City Council this afternoon approved three resolutions related to locating the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 event in southeast Travis County. Council Members Kathie Tovo—who opposed city involvement in…

Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jun 29, 2011

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Council OKs waiver of fees for Marriott

The Austin City Council on a vote of 5-2 this morning approved $3.8 million in construction fee waivers and up to $500,000 for relocation of a wastewater line to facilitate White Lodging’s plan to build a new hotel on Congress…

Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jun 29, 2011

Martinez steps aside, Cole becomes new Mayor Pro Tem

If there was an unofficial theme to Tuesday’s City Council inaugural ceremony, then it was surely reconciliation. Following several divisive months at City Hall, highlighted by nasty emails and a split over endorsements in the Place 3 race, nearly every…

Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Jun 29, 2011

Travis commissioners vote to keep historic tax exemption in place

Travis County’s existing property tax exemption for historic landmarks is safe for now. On Tuesday the Commissioners Court voted to hold off on any changes to the hotly debated incentive for the 2011 tax year.   The court’s action came…

Uncategorized • By Michael Kanin • Jun 29, 2011

County Attorney accuses LCRA of violating Public Information Act

According to the Travis County Attorney’s Office, the Lower Colorado River Authority violated the Texas Public Information Act in a series of interactions with the City of West Lake Hills. In a letter to LCRA General Counsel Vic Ramirez, Executive…

Uncategorized • By Michael Kanin • Jun 29, 2011

Board reluctantly OKs plan for private school campus on Riverside

The Waterfront Planning Advisory Board on Friday gave lukewarm approval to the addition of a makeshift private school on the Acton Business School campus on East Riverside Drive.   Acton Business School founder and Republican donor Jeff Sandefer was embroiled…

Uncategorized • By Kimberly Reeves • Jun 28, 2011

Aramark’s financial statements clean despite audit ‘oversight’

Nearly two months after the City Council Audit and Finance Committee learned that the company responsible for the Austin Convention Center’s catering and concession services had not been providing required annual audit reports, an independent auditor has issued an unqualified,…

Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Jun 28, 2011

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