City Council sounds alarm over locker rooms for female firefighters

A multiyear project to provide locker rooms for Austin’s female firefighters has stuttered past its deadline, causing frustration among both firefighters and City Council. At a budget work session on Aug. 10, Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr promised to redouble…

Fire • By Cate Malek • Aug 15, 2016

Victorious Prop 1 PAC prepares for next battle

Dozens of supporters of the homespun political action committee that brought two multibillion-dollar global corporations to heel last May held a victory party of sorts in Central Austin last week. According to the invitation, the Our City, Our Safety, Our…

Local Politics • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 15, 2016

Residents uneasy about Housing Authority's plans to renovate public housing

The Housing Authority of the City of Austin is moving forward with a plan to renovate its public housing complexes, but some residents are concerned about where they will live during construction. Julie Ahmadi has lived in the Housing Authority’s…

Housing • By Syeda Hasan • Aug 15, 2016

Reporter's Notebook: Reach for the czars

It’s a dog-eat-chicken world… In comments to City Council during citizens communication Thursday, the city’s top anti-dog demagogue, Robert “Crocodile” Corbin, described the Austin Animal Center’s “no kill” policy as “destructive to humans, animals, the environment and our finances.” He…

Reporters' Notebook • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 15, 2016

Austin Monitor Radio: Travis County Courthouse redux?

Austin Monitor reporter Caleb Pritchard sits down with Julia Spann, chair of the community advisory committee for the Civil and Family Court Complex, and Belinda Powell, the county’s strategic resource planning manager, to talk about the continuing Travis County Courthouse…

Travis County • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 15, 2016

City Manager Marc Ott steps down

After almost nine years as the most powerful person in local government, City Manager Marc Ott resigned his post today. Ott has accepted a position as executive director of the International City/County Management Association in Washington, D.C., beginning Oct. 30. In…

City Hall • By Cate Malek • Aug 12, 2016

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Council tweaks mobility bond, dashes light rail hopes

Mayor Steve Adler’s $720 million transportation bond proposal is one vote away from heading to the November ballot after City Council gave it preliminary but unanimous support on Thursday night. The consensus support came after a marathon public hearing followed…

Bonds & Propositions • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 12, 2016

What does a $720 million transportation bond get us?

Members of the public have weighed in on Mayor Steve Adler’s $720 million transportation bond proposal. While we know generally where the money would go if voters approved the bond, the spending on subcategories is still subject to change, with…

Transportation • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Aug 12, 2016

Arguments heat up over controversial Grove PUD

Plans and feelings will have to change dramatically in the coming weeks if City Council is ever to reach a consensus on the Grove at Shoal Creek, an enormous mixed-use development proposed for a 75-acre tract of land in North…

Development • By Jack Craver • Aug 12, 2016

Council approves alternatives to jail time for indigent defendants

City Council members approved a measure Thursday clarifying the process to be used by municipal judges to deem a defendant incapable of paying a municipal fine – and emphasizing community service as an alternative to jail time for unpaid fines.…

Courts • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Aug 12, 2016

View of the Drag

Urban Transportation Commission talks rail, sidewalks, bond dismay

Tuesday’s Urban Transportation Commission meeting provided a stark counterpoint to Mayor Steve Adler’s claim that he has broad community consensus behind his $720 million transportation bond proposal. Members aired frustrations about the process of the proposal’s development, heard from advocates…

Transportation • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 11, 2016

Adler: Business incentives shouldn't be 'bad word'

In a booming city with an unemployment rate south of 3 percent, it’s not surprising that people might be skeptical of spending taxpayer dollars to lure more jobs into town. In a recent survey of Austinites about city spending priorities,…

Budget • By Jack Craver • Aug 11, 2016

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