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Whispers
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 by Katy McElroy
Opening on the Central Health Board of Managers
The Travis County Commissioners Court and city of Austin are looking to fill a seat on the leadership board of Central Health. Travis County and the city of Austin each appoint four members of the board. In addition, both entities jointly appoint a consensus candidate. The joint appointee will serve for an unexpired term set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020, as well as an additional full-length term that will run from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2024. Serving on the board requires a minimum commitment of 10-15 hours a month. Most, but not all, of the meetings are held in the evenings. Members of the board also are assigned to subcommittees. Applicants are not required to have experience as a health care provider, but they must have a working understanding of the area’s health care system and be a resident of Travis County and the city of Austin. Interested persons can find the application packet here; the deadline to apply is Feb. 7.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 by Katy McElroy
ATD holds open house to share bikeways vision
The Transportation Department has a vision of a network of neighborhood bikeways throughout the city, local streets where traffic speed and volume is reduced to provide safety and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians. The department is now ready to share its preliminary design and answer questions from the community. Roll on by the Bryker Woods Elementary cafeteria anytime between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30. All materials from the open house will be will be available on the project website on Jan. 30, as well as an online survey for the public to provide feedback.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 by Jo Clifton
Council members say no to testing marijuana
Council Members Greg Casar, Natasha Harper-Madison, Jimmy Flannigan and Delia Garza are holding a press conference this morning to explain why they are sponsoring a resolution to prevent the Austin Police Department from testing small amounts of green leafy substances to find out whether they contain sufficient levels of THC to qualify as marijuana. Last year, the Texas Legislature passed a bill legalizing and regulating hemp, making testing of alleged marijuana so expensive and time-consuming that prosecutors in Travis and Williamson counties, among others, stopped prosecuting all new misdemeanor possession cases. According to data supplied by Casar’s office, APD officers arrested only eight people for possession of marijuana between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2019. All of those cases involved class A or B misdemeanor amounts, and according to the notations on the quarterly report, most of the arrests involved situations in which the officer cited a reasonable likelihood of imminent danger to someone. Of the eight people arrested, four were black, three Hispanic and one white. Two other Hispanic people were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor. It is well known nationwide that persons of color are more frequently arrested for possession of marijuana than are white people. The resolution would find that the Council does not want any city funds or personnel devoted to testing of THC concentrations except in the cases of “high priority felony level cannabis-related trafficking offenses.” Under the resolution, the city manager would be directed to take steps to eliminate use of arrests for cannabis-related possession except in cases where there is a threat to someone’s safety. From the quarterly report, it appears that that might already be the case. However, this resolution would make that informal policy formal. For the past two to three years, Travis County Attorney David Escamilla has run a pretrial diversion program for people not arrested, but cited and released, for possession of small quantities of marijuana. Under that program, Escamilla said, all the person had to do was show up in court, show proof they watched a video on the subject, and the case would be dismissed. Now, Escamilla said, people who are cited and released show up to see Justice of the Peace Nick Chu and he informs them that the case is dismissed.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Coalition asks for LDC halt to prevent displacement
On Monday, a group calling itself “Development Without Displacement” held a press conference asking the city to delay adoption of a new Land Development Code in areas vulnerable to gentrification “until the City fully develops, funds, and implements an effective anti-displacement program.” Specifically, the Development Without Displacement Coalition asked City Council to adopt a four-point plan to:
- Delay zoning changes
- Engage vulnerable communities to create (or expand) neighborhood plans
- Establish an equitable development plan that “aims to revitalize disinvested communities and ensure that all residents can shape urban development and benefit from economic growth.”
- Establish staff and funding to tackle displacement
City Council approved an initial draft of a new Land Development Code late last year, and is scheduled to take a final vote in March. More information about the coalition and its goals can be found online here.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 by Katy McElroy
ECHO looking for volunteers to assist in census
Every year, Austin’s Ending Community Homelessness Coalition conducts a census of the homeless population in the city. For this year’s Point in Time count, ECHO is looking to recruit 800 volunteers to assist with the endeavor. Volunteers can sign up for one of two categories: Team Leads and General Volunteers – you can find more information on the responsibilities of each role on the recruitment website. Census-taking involves covering a lot of ground on foot, so those who would like to help out but aren’t comfortable with walking long distances are encouraged to help collect donations. Learn how to run your own donation drive here. Training begins Jan. 21, and the count will be conducted Jan. 25.
Friday, January 17, 2020 by Tai Moses
Affordable housing community celebrates opening
The Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department and LifeWorks invite the community at large to help celebrate the grand opening of a new 29-unit affordable housing community in East Austin. According to NHCD, the Works II “offers a path to self-sufficiency for young parents, youth experiencing homelessness, or youth who are aging out of the foster care system, including an extensive array of supportive services available through the LifeWorks’ Sooch East Austin Youth & Family Resource Center.” The project was made possible in part by $1.8 million from the city’s Rental Housing Development Assistance program and federal grant funding administered by the Austin Housing Finance Corporation. Jan. 21, 11 a.m., The Works II, 835 N. Pleasant Valley Road. Please RSVP here.
Friday, January 17, 2020 by Tai Moses
Learn to be a true tree friend
Trees are priceless. They sequester carbon, lessen air pollution, filter rainwater, and reduce stormwater runoff. Their shade helps cool the air on hot days and their branches provide protection from the wind. Their leaves, seeds, nuts and fruits provide food for countless species of wildlife. And trees are beautiful. For all of these reasons and many more, Austin places a high value on its urban canopy. The Development Services Department’s Community Tree Preservation Division is conducting a series of free workshops to teach residents how to properly care for the trees in their lives, how to navigate the city’s tree ordinance, and how to apply for a tree permit when necessary. The Get Tree Smart workshops will take place on Jan. 23 at Menchaca Road Library, 5500 Menchaca Road, 6-7:30 p.m.; and Feb. 25 at Cepeda Branch Library, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Road, 6-7:30 p.m. Register for January’s workshop here.
Thursday, January 16, 2020 by Tai Moses
Property taxes due next week
Friday, Jan. 31, at 11:59 p.m. is the deadline to pay your property taxes, but Bruce Elfant, the county tax assessor-collector, urges Travis County property owners not to wait to the last day to pay. The best way to pay, according to Elfant, is to go to TravisCountyTax.org and use eCheck, which costs only a dollar. You can also use a credit card or PayPal, but Elfant warns that will add a 3 percent charge to your total. He also cautions property owners not to mail in their property tax payment on Jan. 31, because if USPS puts a next-day postmark on the envelope, state law requires the assessor to charge a late penalty and interest charges. Says Elfant in a news release, “No one looks forward to having to pay their property tax bill, but we all have to do it, so why not get it out of the way by paying today using our quick and easy online method?” Need another good reason to get it out of the way sooner? Elfant says, “If you choose to call or come in person you will have a very long wait, and if you are paying online, our payment processing system becomes slower to respond due to the high volume of traffic on deadline day.” So don’t delay, pay today!
Thursday, January 16, 2020 by Tai Moses
ReVerse Pitch returns
The ReVerse Pitch Competition, which bills itself as an “innovative social entrepreneurship competition designed to help start the next big venture,” will be returning for its fifth year in February. Businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs turn discarded waste materials into the raw materials for a new social enterprise and compete for the $10,000 Innovation Prize. Check out the 2020 material suppliers and get those creative juices flowing. Opening night is Monday, Feb. 10, 6-8 p.m., at Rowling Hall, Crum Auditorium, 300 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Harris endorses, tweets ensue
While it’s still early in the local election season, the race for county attorney has already become heated, with current Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza, former Judge Mike Denton, Assistant County Attorney Laurie Eiserloh, and criminal defense attorney Dominic Selvera all vying for the seat. On Monday night, criminal justice reform advocate Chris Harris announced his support of Selvera, which led to the following exchange on Twitter (click through to read the replies). Endorsements for the county race will continue to roll in, with Austin EMS Association announcing its support of Garza yesterday.
Thanks Chris. I guess a dude supporting IDEAS resonates more than a woman who actually has a record of taking the hits and having an actual record of implementing actual progressive policy. ✊🏽 Got it.
— Delia Garza (@DGarzaforD2) January 14, 2020
It’s really no wonder that women don’t step into the arena to serve. Because even when they do, and face the critics and have the record of taking the hits and making the right but maybe not popular choices…they don’t get the support they earn. #itsbullshit
— Delia Garza (@DGarzaforD2) January 14, 2020
As much as I would love to righteously dismiss any charge of sexism, as a USian I’ve been raised in a patriarchy where sexism is constantly normalized.
And as a man, I’ve been fed a lot of self-serving myths of male superiority to justify the male-dominated state of the world.
— Chris Harris (@chrisharris101) January 14, 2020
Know that I highly respect Mayor Pro Tem Garza & her leadership on criminal justice issues. She’s helped make our city more just, even when it wasn’t popular &/or created enemies.
I hope to con’t working w/ her to ensure everyone in our community feels safe & free.
— Chris Harris (@chrisharris101) January 14, 2020
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 by Ryan Thornton
Long replaces Adler as CAMPO chair
By unanimous vote, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Policy Board has elected Williamson County Commissioner Cynthia Long as chair and Council Member Ann Kitchen as vice chair for calendar years 2020 and 2021. Mayor Steve Adler, who served as board chair since former chair Will Conley resigned in February 2019, thanked the board for the opportunity to lead the group before making the motion to elect Long and Kitchen. Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea made a substitute motion in favor of fellow Commissioner Jeff Travillion becoming vice chair, saying the board’s leadership should reflect the region’s increasingly diverse constituency. Travillion, who also serves on the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s board of directors, received only six votes, including his own. Returning to Adler’s original motion, the board gave its unanimous approval to be led by Long and Kitchen. Speaking to the vote, Kitchen said she looks forward to working with the board’s representatives, including Travillion, while she serves as vice chair. Prompted by questions from Council Member Alison Alter, Long stated her intention to keep Adler in a leadership role by appointing him Austin’s representative on the board’s executive committee and thanked Adler for his willingness to be “drafted” as a leader going forward.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 by Tai Moses
Review the city’s mobility plan
If you’re curious to know what projects are planned or in progress from the 2016 mobility bond, take a look at the draft 2020 Mobility Annual Plan, now available online for review and comment. Check out new sidewalks and urban trails, intersection improvements, protected bikeways and safer school routes on the interactive project map and leave feedback through Feb. 2. Says the Transportation Department, “The projects align with Austin City Council’s Austin Strategic Direction 2023 Mobility Strategic Outcome of getting Austinites where we want go, when we want to get there, safely and cost-effectively.” The final Mobility Annual Plan is due to be published in March.