Commissioners applaud county’s assistance to ‘those who need help’

On Tuesday, Health and Human Services staffers gave commissioners a report from the Family Support Services Division, the section of HHS that operates out of community centers and provides basic services for low-income families. According to Kirsten Siegfried, HHS division…

Audit finds golf chief accepted favors from employee

The superintendent for the Parks and Recreation Department’s golf complex accepted favors from an employee he directly supervises, according to a recently released investigative report from the Office of the City Auditor. After receiving an allegation that Nick Smitham, the…

Cap Metro board endorses $50M contract for MetroRapid projects

On Monday, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors approved a resolution authorizing the execution of a five-year, $50 million group of construction contracts for transit facilities. Part of Project Connect, the primary goal of these particular contracts is…

Council denounces 'false choice' of pitting parkland against affordability

More than two months after City Council passed a new budget that took effect Oct. 1, city management now wants to freeze one of the adopted fee schedules as it relates to the amount developers pay toward parkland acquisition and…

Council expands Healthy Streets into Living Streets

City Council expanded possibilities for Austin’s residential street spaces this past Thursday with the unanimous passage of a resolution initiating the Living Streets program. The program, sponsored by Council Member Paige Ellis, will allow for Austinites to interface with residential…

Emergency alerts now available in American Sign Language

For the first time, community members who are deaf, hard of hearing or blind will be able to receive accessible emergency notifications. The city of Austin and Travis County launched the Accessible Hazard Alert System, or AHAS, on Oct. 4. The…

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Adler wants Music Commission to be 'more creative' with $2.3M Live Music Fund

Mayor Steve Adler wants the new Live Music Fund that is supported by hotel tax revenues to produce a city-financed music venue, record label or some other business entity to train Austin music professionals in the coming years. In an…

Prop A would mandate 2 police officers per 1,000 residents. Where does that ratio come from?

What’s in a ratio? A lot, if voters are being asked to mandate one. Proposition A, one of two local measures on the Nov. 2 ballot, asks Austinites if they want to set a minimum staffing ratio for the Austin Police…

Council to adopt TIRZ, implement full south waterfront plan

The long-delayed South Central Waterfront Plan moved closer to implementation Thursday after City Council initiated a tax increment reinvestment zone to guide the use of new property tax revenue on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake.  The TIRZ is…

County staffers update commissioners on the jail plan resolution

Last Tuesday’s Commissioners Court session focused on the future of the women’s jail. The Planning and Budget Office reported on the June 15 resolution, which asked county staff for strategies to reduce the number of incarcerated women and enhance jail…

City sees details of homelessness strategy, with push to raise $115M

City Council learned in detail Thursday how its $210 million in federal aid, bond funds and other allocations will be used to address and possibly end homelessness over the next three years. The presentation by Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Grey…

ZAP votes against rezoning for affordable housing project, the Rhett

The Zoning and Platting Commission Tuesday recommended denying a rezoning for the Rhett, an affordable housing project at 1000 East Yager Lane in North Austin.  The commission’s vote comes as the city falls short on its affordable housing production goals.…