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City Hall
Austin's interim city manager shakes up leadership team after initial organizational review
Interim City Manager Jesús Garza is ushering in a new era of leadership this week. On Wednesday, his office announced two high-profile departures from city management, as well as four new hirings that Garza billed as “a solid foundation for…
City Hall • By Nina Hernandez • Mar 2, 2023
Council signals plans to review, revise new Cultural Arts grant program
City Council’s approval last week of nearly $4 million to fund a new Cultural Arts grant program came with an indication that the evaluation and allocation criteria may get a hard review and revisions to address loud concerns from arts…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 28, 2023
Animal Advisory Commission splinters over spay/neuter expansion
The city’s Animal Advisory Commission continues to duke it out over an approach to shelter overcrowding, with a proposal to expand contracts with Emancipet and Austin Humane Society forecasting more friction ahead. The proposal, put forth by the commission’s spay/neuter…
City Hall • By Kali Bramble • Feb 27, 2023
Complaint from deaf traveler at Austin airport sparks changes to TSA policy
A recent complaint concerning the Transportation Security Administration’s treatment of a deaf passenger at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport prompted changes in the ways the agency treats travelers with accessibility needs. Topher Avila, who is deaf, told the Airport Advisory Commission…
Austin • By Nina Hernandez • Feb 23, 2023
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 2.23.23
City Council will convene today for its last regular meeting in February. It also marks the first official Council meeting with interim City Manager Jesús Garza, who has taken back his seat following the near-unanimous firing of Spencer Cronk. A…
TipSheets • By Elizabeth Pagano • Feb 23, 2023
Chamber partnership looks to strengthen connection to startup community
The Austin Chamber of Commerce has extended its reach to become directly involved with launching startups in the city, bringing the business incubator Founder Institute Austin into its offices downtown. The one-year pilot program allows the institute, which has chapters…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 21, 2023
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Notley/Monitor Poll: Austinites feel disconnected from Council on city priorities
As a new City Council continues to adjust to its roles and responsibilities, new data show a large portion of Austin residents feel disconnected from the priorities and concerns of their elected leaders. Those were some of the conclusions from…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 17, 2023
Notley/Monitor Poll: The need for local leadership and deeper understanding
In the second installment of our Notley/Monitor poll series, commissioned by Notley and conducted by national pollster Change Research, Austinites clearly expressed the desire for stronger local leadership and show areas where they are divided and unsure of how to…
Austin • By Joel Gross • Feb 17, 2023
Notley/Monitor Poll: Digging into the data
In a poll commissioned by Notley for the Austin Monitor, Change Research surveyed 429 voters in Austin, Texas, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1, 2023. Over the course of the past week, we’ve published a series of stories examining the data. Now it’s…
Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Feb 17, 2023
Notley/Monitor Poll: Austinites want reinstated camping bans on the homeless enforced
Austin residents feel the city isn’t doing enough to manage the effects of homelessness throughout the area, according to a January/February poll of 429 voters commissioned by Notley and conducted by national pollster Change Research for the Austin Monitor. Homelessness has…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 16, 2023
Council fires City Manager Spencer Cronk in wake of winter storm response
Austin City Council members have fired City Manager Spencer Cronk, the city’s chief executive. The vote Wednesday followed criticism of his leadership during an ice storm that left hundreds of thousands without power earlier this month. “I ran (for mayor)…
City Council • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Feb 16, 2023
Council members signal they could fire City Manager Spencer Cronk
Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk could be on his way out. City Council is slated to vote on the employment and a possible severance package for Cronk at its meeting on Feb. 15. Council initially planned the Wednesday meeting to discuss the city’s contract…
