Amanda Marzullo announced her bid for the Travis County Precinct 2 seat this week in an email inviting supporters to her campaign launch party.

Marzullo is a former executive director of the Texas Defender Service. She currently works as a Senior Staff Attorney at the Austin Community Law Center. “Travis County deserves forward-thinking leadership that puts people before corporations,” she told the Austin Monitor.

Marzullo’s announcement comes early, as the election for County Precinct 2 will take place in November of 2026. Precinct 2 is currently represented by Hon. Brigid Shea, a former Austin City Council member and a co-founder of Save Our Springs. Shea has served the county since 2015. She has yet to issue a formal statement on whether she will be seeking re-election.

In a lawsuit over regulations related to the development of the Statesman PUD, the plaintiff Save Our Springs Alliance, the defendant City of Austin, and the intervener property owner all asked Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer to rule in their favor on Thursday. After nearly 3 hours of arguments, the judge told the lawyers she would take the matter under advisement and let them know her decision.

The suit, over plans to develop 18.86 acres of land on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake focused on whether City Council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act and the City Charter when they approved Endeavor Real Estate group’s plans for the site in late 2022. The property was the home of the Austin American-Statesman for many years.

Among other things, SOS, argued that the city violated TOMA by failing to notify the public about the plan to relocate part of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail inland, away from the lake. SOS argued the city should have identified this change and given the public the right to speak about it separately. In addition, SOS, said the Council’s giving the public just one minute to speak on each item– including the relocation of the trail– did not satisfy the requirements of the Open Meetings Act.

Dan Richards and Sarah Clark argued on behalf of the city. Casey Dobson spoke on behalf of the intervenors, the Cox family and Endeavor Real Estate. Each lawyer, said the city had fulfilled all the requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act, and that the judge should grant the city’s request for summary judgment in their favor.

Bobby Levinski and Bill Bunch, attorneys for SOS, said the city had violated the Open Meetings Act and failed to enumerate major changes approval of the Statesman PUD would entail. They also asked for a summary judgment in their favor.

The Save Our Springs Alliance (SOS) and the City of Austin will be in Travis County District Court on Thursday afternoon to joust about what the city may and may not do with the old Statesman site.

Almost a year has passed since the Austin Monitor reported that SOS had sued the city over the Planned Unit Development proposed for the site previously occupied by the Austin American-Statesman by the Congress Avenue Bridge. Council approved the PUD in late 2022, thinking they would use money generated by a tax increment investment zone. Although a judge found that use unlawful, the zoning plan went ahead, and SOS is concerned that the new buildings on the property could be 725 feet tall. Most troubling to SOS, according to the lawsuit, is that the plan would include moving the Hike and Bike Trail, erode environmental protections along the Lady Bird Lake shoreline, and allow for the “removal of almost 100 mature trees along the trail and lake.”

The parties expect to be in court at 2pm at the Travis County Courthouse, 10th floor in the court of Judge Jan Soifer.

John Lawler started his City Hall experience with the newly elected Council Member Greg Casar in 2015. Casar moved on to Congress but Lawler stayed in Austin, working for a variety of jobs, some political, some policy. Now, he’s stepping up to take a new job at Travis County.

Recently Lawler has been working for Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, but she was unable to attend Thursday’s meeting in person. However, Council Member José Chito Vela, followed by most of his colleagues, praised Lawler’s hard work and dedication to helping people. Vela noted that when Casar appointed him to the Planning Commission, Lawler was his “handler.” Lawler told the Austin Monitor he will be starting his new job on June 1.

José Roig, who was appointed director of the Development Services Department in June 2023, is moving on. Council presented him with a Distinguished Service Award on Thursday at his last Council meeting. Roig has more than 30 years of experience dedicated to building safety, including 18 years in various leadership roles with the City of Austin. Even though he is retiring from the city, he is not going to be resting. Roig announced that, effective June 2, he will join the International Code Council’s Global Solutions Team as the Regional Director of Latin America and the Caribbean. His last day with the Development Services Department will be May 30. He told those gathered to honor him on Thursday that he intends to keep living in Austin. (However, it seems likely he will be doing a lot of traveling.)

In a recent report, the department noted that the Development Services Department united 11 departments that play a role in the City’s site plan review process, with one goal: Transforming Site Plan Review. The report notes, “An independent review of the site plan process identified over 40 initiatives, and this year, workgroups completed 26 of them, focusing on process, technology, and customer-centric solutions. These efforts have improved both staff and stakeholder experiences, leading to the lowest turnaround times in six years.”

Some tenants of the Acacia Cliffs apartments in Northwest Austin held a press conference outside City Hall Thursday to protest proposed changes to their property, citing the likelihood that the currently affordable apartments will be displaced by less affordable ones. The Acacia Cliffs Tenants Association then carried their demands into City Hall, with a number standing at the back of the chambers with signs. However, during discussion of other zoning cases, the Acacia Cliffs group started shouting at Council, blowing whistles, and were escorted out of the building by police. Residents have complained that the DB90 density bonus, which offers 90-feet of height to developers in exchange for some income-restricted affordable housing, “is incentivizing the demolition of their affordable apartments,” according to their press release.

The zoning case that might impact the Acacia Cliffs tenants is on the May 22 agenda and was not discussed at Thursday’s meeting. Council Member Marc Duchen is hoping to convince his colleagues to postpone the case on May 22 to give tenants more time to negotiate with the developer. He wrote on the Council message board, “Like many other Austinites, the families and individuals living in Acacia Cliffs are hardworking renters living in an increasingly expensive city. Postponing the May 22 vote would provide them with more time to reach a reasonable and meaningful arrangement with the developer, one that ensures that our most vulnerable residents have access to housing they can afford in Austin.”

“I believe the main cause of the Acacia Cliffs emergency is DB90, an ordinance that was designed to improve local affordability but, when impacting naturally occurring affordable housing, has worsened affordability since it went into effect last year. In cases that don’t involve naturally occurring affordable housing, it can create affordability where there was none – which we always need! But in cases like this DB90 gives land developers the freedom to demolish affordable housing in exchange for a woefully inadequate preservation of affordable units. This is antithetical to the affordability issues that DB90 was intended to address.”

The Downtown Austin Alliance will host its annual Future of Downtown celebration on Tuesday, May 27, at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. The event will feature key findings from the annual State of Downtown report and an introduction to Davon Barbour, the organization’s new president and CEO. Attendees will be the first to hear new insights into downtown’s economic, cultural, and social trends, as well as learn about the Downtown Alliance’s strategic priorities for the coming years. The State of Downtown report looks at real estate development, office and employment trends, residential growth, public safety, tourism, homelessness, parks, and mobility in the city’s core. The evening will also feature the presentation of the Downtown Vision Award and the Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture, which recognizes individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the vibrancy and vitality of downtown Austin. Tickets for the public event are available for purchase online.

Texas Senator John Cornyn has announced his campaign team for the 2026 election, warning his major opponent in the Republican primary, “It’s going to be a long, miserable 10 months for Ken Paxton.” The press release says, “We will accurately convey my record in the U.S. Senate and make sure that Texans understand the character and record of my opponents.”

The team member most familiar to Austin voters is Matt Mackowiak, who is the co-chair of Save Austin Now.  He will serve as communications director. Mackowiak stepped down from his local Republican Party job in February

Cornyn named Andy Hemming, who served as senior advisor for Governor Greg Abbott’s 2022 re-election campaign, as his campaign manager. He has considerable experience in Republican politics, having worked on the 2016 Trump campaign and the campaign of Governor Rick Perry, among others.

On Tuesday, Council went into executive session to hear legal advice related to a suit filed by Sam Kirsch after an APD officer shot him in the head with a beanbag round during a 2020 racial justice protest. Kirsch suffered serious injuries, recently losing an eye as a result, and is seeking compensation for his injuries, pain and suffering. The suit says Kirsch is also seeking to punish the city for the officer’s actions and conduct, which the suit describes as “egregious, reckless, and endanger(ing) numerous peaceful protesters and bystanders. Sam seeks punitive damages to deter this type of retaliation and excessive force against protesters who demonstrate against police brutality in the future.” APD stopped using the beanbag rounds after this incident. The city has already settled several suits related to the use of those rounds. Kirsch is represented by attorney Rebecca Webber, a former member of the Public Safety Commission.

Austin Public Health has learned that the city has another confirmed measles exposure. The city hosted an infectious El Paso resident April 25 through April 27 with an initial investigation revealing a potential public exposure at Terry Black’s Barbecue on April 26 between 8 and 11 p.m. Anyone visiting the restaurant during that time should monitor for symptoms through May 17. Should symptoms develop, exposed people are advised to quarantine, call a health provider (before visiting) or 512-972-5555 for assistance. Unvaccinated, pregnant or immunocompromised people should contact a doctor immediately as they may be eligible for preventative care.

The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is offering a free emergency preparedness training session, “Ready Together: Basic Emergency Preparedness for You, Your Family & Your Neighborhood,” on Thursday, May 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Carver Branch of the Austin Public Library. Developed in collaboration with the Austin Fire Department, its Wildfire Division, Ascension Seton, and Go Austin/Vamos Austin (GAVA), the two-hour session aims to equip residents with essential strategies to prepare for emergencies, with a particular focus on wildfire safety. Attendees will learn the four key steps of emergency preparedness: creating a plan, building an emergency kit, knowing your neighbors, and staying informed. Given that Central Texas ranks fifth nationally for the number of homes at risk of wildfire, this training is especially pertinent. Participants will also receive an emergency preparedness starter kit and a NOAA weather radio. Complimentary pizza and beverages will be provided, and interpreters will be available in both Spanish and American Sign Language. Registration is required to attend. The training aligns with recent initiatives by the City Council to bolster wildfire preparedness. Last month, Council adopted updates to the Wildland-Urban Interface code, expanding the designated wildfire risk zones to encompass over half of Austin’s habitable land, representing a 38 percent increase from a decade ago. Information and registration are available online.

With current City Auditor Corrie Stokes set to retire at the end of the year, City Council is coming up with a game plan. The city auditor is one of the few positions that Council appoints directly and, to do so, the code stipulates that members of the Audit and Finance Committee serve as a nominating committee that recommends a new auditor within 90 days of the office being vacated with Council acting on that recommendation within 30 days. Working well ahead of that timeline, Mayor Kirk Watson proposed on the City Council Message Board that they start the process mid-May, with an aim to select candidates in September and appoint a new auditor in November.