New intelligence ‘fusion center’ fuels privacy concerns

City Council heard an earful from residents and privacy rights advocates over a proposed “fusion center” which would use federal money to gather and share information about citizens with the aim of crime prevention. Although Council ended up voting unanimously…

Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Aug 7, 2009

City union brings out employees to protest proposed pay cuts

Braving record temperatures of 105 degrees, about 100 city employees gathered outside City Hall Thursday afternoon to protest proposed cuts in next year’s city budget that could eliminate incentive pay for the most senior employees and require furloughs of employees…

Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Aug 7, 2009

Council ponders public safety budget issues

Council members heard the latest budget presentations Wednesday from the emergency services departments, yielding few surprises from representatives from the Austin Police Department, Fire Department and EMS. Each made a case for their achievements in the last year, the budget…

Uncategorized • By Jacob Cottingham • Aug 6, 2009

Water Treatment Plant 4: one more argument today

On what City Council members once thought was a settled issue, players are lining up once again to joust over the city’s planned Water Treatment Plant 4. With a current price tag of some $508 million—or maybe more—the construction of…

Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Aug 6, 2009

Citizens complain about removal of two managers from Travis County

A parade of citizens spoke at Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday in defense of Alicia Perez, an executive manager with the county. Last week in a little-publicized evening motion, the commissioners voted to place Perez and Linda Moore Smith,…

Uncategorized • By Jacob Cottingham • Aug 5, 2009

AISD’s boss says Pearce repurposing plan just the beginning of changes

Austin Independent School District Superintendent Meria Carstarphen promised last night that the repurposing plan for Pearce Middle School would be only the first step to answer the systemic decline that have plagued East side campuses for decades. After 10 years…

Uncategorized • By Kimberly Reeves • Aug 4, 2009

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Council Committee OKs BOA rule changes

With the blessing of the city’s Audit and Finance Committee, the Board of Adjustment can update the old adage “if at first you don’t succeed try, try again.”   The Board of Adjustment, which decides on property owners’ requests for…

Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Aug 4, 2009

Ambitious rail planning, but no plans to attract stimulus funding

The Transportation Department briefed the Comprehensive Planning and Transportation Council Committee on their aggressive schedule for the Strategic Mobility Plan, and raised some doubts as to whether Austin would be well positioned to receive any of the Federal Government’s stimulus…

Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Aug 4, 2009

Advisory committee reconsiders MBE/WBE sanctions

Not everyone is happy with the new rules the city adopted last year to clarify the sanctions imposed on prime contractors and consultants who fail to comply with the city’s minority- and women-owned business procurement ordinance.   In a special-called…

Uncategorized • By Charles Boisseau • Aug 3, 2009

Beneath the stucco, one of Austin’s historic treasures

For every historic house with an owner who insists to the Historic Landmark Commission that the building is simply too far gone to be saved – most recently, the Travis House — Preservation Officers Steve Sadowsky and Susan Villarreal long…

Uncategorized • By Kimberly Reeves • Jul 31, 2009

Travis County appraisal protests delay certifying tax rolls

In what Chief Appraiser Patrick Brown called “an unfortunate mistake,” Travis Central Appraisal District has erroneously certified the tax rolls for some 140 Travis County taxing entities. In fact, property owners are protesting too many appraisals to certify the results.…

Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 31, 2009

Historic Landmark Commission recommends saving Travis House

Travis House – a hotel-turned YWCA-turned halfway house-turned urban eyesore– is the kind of building in Downtown Austin that inspires a kind of love-hate relationship with those who know it. Older Austin residents appreciate it for its history. Younger ones…

Uncategorized • By Kimberly Reeves • Jul 30, 2009

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