About the Author
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Wednesday, May 22, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
City Hall
Auditor finds fire department employee misused resources for family business
An investigation by the city auditor’s office found evidence that an Austin Fire Department employee misused city computer equipment and his city email account to conduct business for a company owned by his wife.In a report released Tuesday, the auditor’s…
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Downtown Commission wants city to open three new homeless shelters by 2020
The Austin Downtown Commission wants the city to push harder to create homeless shelters outside of downtown, asking City Council to create three satellite facilities by September 2020.The directive came as part of a recommendation passed unanimously at last week’s…
Monday, May 20, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Tourism Commission backs 2017 findings pushing convention center expansion
Signaling more possible momentum for a push to expand the Austin Convention Center, the city’s Tourism Commission has recommended City Council adopt a 2017 report outlining the benefits and possible frameworks for the project.At last week’s meeting, the commission voted…
Thursday, May 16, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Land Development Code
Cronk names team, spells out process for land use code rewrite
City Manager Spencer Cronk has selected the team that will handle the creation and adoption of the city’s new land use code, with the goal of completing the process by the end of 2019.In a memo issued Tuesday, Cronk gave…
Wednesday, May 15, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
City Hall
Auditor says Austin Energy employee accepted utility poles from vendor
Investigators in the Office of the City Auditor have released a report showing that an Austin Energy supervisor asked for and received favors from a city vendor early last year.In the report, which was released Monday, an investigation found evidence…
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Preservation
Lions Municipal legislation creating questions for city course
With momentum growing behind legislation that could change the ownership and operational framework of the West Austin property that contains Lions Municipal Golf Course, city leaders are watching closely to see what options might become available for future use of…
Monday, May 13, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Parks
Kitchen backs reopening Butler Park golf course contract
City staff has been directed to examine options to reopen the bid process for management of the Butler Park Pitch and Putt golf course so the longtime owner of the course can be considered for a contract extension.City Council Member…
Friday, May 10, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Bonds & Propositions
MACC supporters enter the fray for $12M in creative space funding
Members of the Latino and Mexican American communities are pushing for arts spaces representing those groups to receive money from the $12 million approved by voters to preserve and create arts spaces.Monday’s meeting of the Music Commission featured several speakers…
Tuesday, May 7, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Homelessness roundtable calls for coordinated programs to provide relief
With homelessness one of the top concerns for city leaders, the most recent Imagine Austin speaker series brought together a trio of specialists who have spent years looking for ways to help those who lack a permanent home. Among the…
Monday, May 6, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Parks
With mural saved, East Austin groups seek clarity on public art process
A community gathering Wednesday at Givens Park in East Austin is expected to look at how the city and residents can work together to prevent a repeat of controversy over a mural created to memorialize a recent murder victim.The event,…
Friday, May 3, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Texas State Legislature
State bill no longer targets Austin’s MLS deal
A Senate bill that many felt could endanger the city’s lease deal on a new soccer stadium has been amended in a way that appears to have created an exception for the roughly $250 million structure.On Thursday, State Sen. Paul…
Thursday, May 2, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Parks
Golf course owner hopes Council will intervene in Butler Park contract dispute
The owner of Butler Park Pitch & Putt golf course is hoping City Council will reopen the contract process that threatens to end the nearly 70-year family operation.Lee Kinser, owner and president of the small golf course tucked off South…
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
ACL Fest’s $264M economic impact comes with $5M gift to parks foundation
The 2018 Austin City Limits Festival pumped more than $264 million into the Austin economy, according to data released Monday by festival organizers and the city. That represents an increase of more than $10 million in impact created by the…
Monday, April 29, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
City eyes loan to cover facilities costs for job training nonprofit
City Council has committed to offering financial help to the Workforce Solutions Capital Area job training program to help it address facilities expenses that resulted in a 20 percent cut to its programs this year.The resolution, which passed as part…
Friday, April 26, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Real estate leaders look for support for airport’s $4.5 billion expansion
By mid-2020, city officials are likely to begin seeing options for how to fund the $4.5 billion expansion at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that stakeholders say is needed to keep up with demand for the growing Central Texas market.There are no…
Thursday, April 25, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Land Development Code
Council to consider jump-start to small area planning
The city’s Planning and Zoning Department could be getting outside help to clear an anticipated decades-long backlog of planning documents for activity centers specified for growth in Imagine Austin.An amendment up for consideration at today’s City Council meeting includes possible…
Monday, April 22, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Tourism Commission asks Council to pursue hotel tax collection on STRs
The Tourism Commission wants City Council to revisit and possibly make changes to its ordinance covering short-term rentals, with the goal of increasing the amount of Hotel Occupancy Tax coming into city coffers.The commission voted unanimously at this month’s meeting…
Friday, April 19, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Budget
Access to health care, transit among top budget priorities for Austin seniors
With the city paying closer attention to the needs of its fast-growing senior population, staff and commissions involved in issues for the aging are hearing a lot of familiar concerns heading into the early stages of budget talks.An emphasis on…
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Planning
Infrastructure, financing studies signal progress for South Shore district
The city’s Planning and Zoning Department is looking to move forward on two pieces of long-overdue economic analysis needed to begin larger planning and development efforts around the portion of South Congress Avenue immediately south of Lady Bird Lake.At Monday’s…
Monday, April 15, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Increased sound enforcement among ‘agent of change’ recommendations for Council
By the end of this month, City Council could start considering a number of policy and operational changes – including a revision to the sound ordinance and more stringent enforcement of noise disturbances – to try to alleviate growing friction…
