City Charter
Friday, December 28, 2018 by Jack Craver
City Charter
Paige Ellis represents sharp political shift for Southwest Austin’s District 8
Paige Ellis, the incoming City Council member for District 8, has very different political views from her predecessor, Ellen Troxclair, who spent the last two years as the only Republican on Council.Ellis, who made her affiliation with the Democratic Party…
Tuesday, June 19, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
City Charter
Ethics Review Commission weighs in on potential charter changes
In the midst of discussions about soccer stadiums, CodeNEXT and the 2018 bond, the Charter Review Commission is asking citizens to consider one more thing: changes to the city charter.At its June 13 meeting, members of the Ethics Review Commission…
Monday, April 23, 2018 by Jo Clifton
City Charter
Changes ahead for Planning Commission?
At this week’s meeting, City Council is scheduled to consider changes to how members of the city’s Planning Commission are selected. The city attorney’s office has offered two alternative approaches – one of which could have a radical impact on…
Monday, March 19, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
City Charter
Should the auditor’s office be exempt from municipal civil service?
Having an independent auditor’s office is integral to running a city where checks and balances fulfill their intended function. Independence, however, is not always easy to maintain, and in Austin, the Office of the City Auditor is working to balance…
Tuesday, June 14, 2016 by Audrey McGlinchy
City Charter
Post Prop 1, city begins community conversations about citizen petitions
In a dark room usually reserved for musical performances in South Austin’s Strange Brew coffee shop, four Austin residents met on Monday to talk about the process of citizen petitions — the most recent of which resulted in Proposition 1…
Thursday, April 14, 2016 by Jo Clifton
City Charter
Too many land-use professionals?
At Monday’s City Council Audit and Finance Committee meeting, Council members rejected the idea of allowing the Environmental Commission to have five land-use professionals among its 11 members.The current rules governing membership on the Environmental Commission allow for only three…
