Stories by Austin Monitor
PARD website will coordinate efforts to save Barton Springs trees
The Parks and Recreation Department is creating a website to coordinate efforts of people who want to preserve and plant trees at Barton Springs. Sharon Yarbrough, PARD Grants Coordinator, told the Parks and Recreation /Environmental Board Joint Committee Monday…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 21, 2009
One-Stop Shop becomes part of Planning Department
Effective today, employees of the Watershed Protection and Development Review Department who deal with development—about 250 city workers—are part of the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department—and that department is being renamed Planning and Development Review to reflect its new enhanced…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 20, 2009
Final fundraising totals for May election released
Final campaign finance reports from this spring’s election are in and they show that both Council Member Chris Riley and his Place 1 rival Perla Cavazos raised significant amounts of money and spent it freely until the day of the…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 17, 2009
New parking pay stations debut downtown
Parking pay stations, an early effort of City Manager Marc Ott, will roll out downtown and in West University beginning today, with the possibility of solar-powered units being placed in the Capitol complex. The new meters will have a five-hour…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 17, 2009
Citizens group accuses county of undervaluing commercial property
A few dozen people organized by ChangeAustin.org protested yesterday at the Travis Central Appraisal District’s offices, saying the entity undervalues commercial property appraisals. The group, born out of the Stop Domain Subsides PAC, is drawing attention to what they say are a…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 17, 2009
Campaign report shows steep price of Mayor’s race, even for winner
The final round of campaign finance reports for the 2009 Mayoral race show that in addition to getting the most votes, Lee Leffingwell raised the most money of any of the candidates for the city’s top elected office. He spent…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 16, 2009
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Talk show hosts suspended over use of racial slur
Facing a backlash from Austinites unsatisfied with the station’s apology for a racial slur uttered by talk show host Don Pryor, KLBJ AM announced that the “The Todd and Don Show” has been suspended for two weeks and both Todd…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 16, 2009
Travis inching forward in Balcones Canyonlands acquisitions
Travis County Commissioners approved the purchase of the “Karnik tract,” a 30-acre stretch of hill country along Spicewood Springs Road, now part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Travis County has added 1,200 acres to the preserve this fiscal year. It’s…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 15, 2009
Huber says land management is her biggest priority
Travis County Pct. 3 Commissioner Karen Huber, the newest member of Commissioners Court, spoke for the first time to the South Austin Democrats at Casa Garcia’s on Tuesday evening. She told the influential group of political donors and organizers that…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 15, 2009
Economic woes kill plan for Travis County bilingual pay bonus
Travis County currently has a pilot program that pays an additional $900 per year to bi-lingual employees who pass a language test. But it appears that the program will be postponed for a couple years. County staff had conducted…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 14, 2009
City embarks on plan for the future of Austin
More than 70 people showed up last week for Livable City’s community conversation on the city’s upcoming overhaul of Austin’s comprehensive plan. This new plan will be the first significant update to the Austin Tomorrow Plan of 1979. Planning is…
Uncategorized • By Austin Monitor • Jul 14, 2009
Austin garbage fees could be increased
On July 8, the Solid Waste Advisory Committee recommended increasing residential garbage collection fees, and approved a rough timeline for the Solid Waste Services Integrated Master Plan. Staff presented a spreadsheet to SWAC that detailed the revenue impact of…
