This week City Council will consider an interlocal agreement between the city and the Austin Independent School District that will allow for administration of a proposed “Austin Promise Zone.” However, it is not clear exactly what such a designation would do absent congressional action. The purpose of the Promise Zone is to revitalize high poverty areas. These would include Rundberg, St. John’s, Colony Park, East Central and Dove Springs if the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designates the areas as eligible for funding. Promise Zones are part of the Obama administration’s attempt to revitalize low-income communities throughout the country by attracting private investment, reducing crime and improving educational opportunities, among other things. AISD applied for the designation with support from the city, Travis County, United Way and the Austin Housing Authority, as what are called “key implementing partners.” The city must assign an employee to help coordinate assistance from various agencies, but there is no fiscal impact, according to Council agenda backup. Although the chances of congressional action may seem uncertain this year, if the areas are designated, the designation will last for 10 years.

In response to the scandal that shook the Department of Veterans Affairs last year, two bills designed to continue to reform the VA passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday. The Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act will give veterans the ability to transfer to a non-VA medical foster home for long-term health care needs instead of staying in a VA facility. The second bill will allow the VA Secretary to force an employee to repay bonuses, a safeguard against the current practice that awards bonuses even when the actions of an employee lead to substandard care for veterans. The bills now go the U.S. Senate for consideration. The bills were authored by Republican Will Hurd, who represents Texas’ sprawling 23rd congressional district.

The Cemetery Master Plan Draft is available for community review. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department is seeking the community’s feedback about the draft plan, which addresses issues related to historic preservation, tree care, management and policy as well as heritage tourism and educational programming. Austin’s historic municipal cemeteries include Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, Evergreen Cemetery, Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood Cemetery Annex and Plummers Cemetery. In order for comments and suggestions to be incorporated into the final draft, community feedback is requested by Friday. The full Cemetery Master Plan Draft can be viewed here. Once comments are received, the draft plan will be finalized and brought forward to several city boards and commissions before a final presentation to City Council in early summer.

On Tuesday, the Audit and Finance Committee will kick things off by holding its first meeting at 2:00 p.m. The committee will take a closer look at Mayor Steve Adler’s staffing proposal as its first order of business. Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who chairs the committee, announced the meeting on the City Council message board. Tovo said she expected that vetting the proposal would take more than one meeting, and she will likely hold another during the week of March 23. Despite shuttling a number of agenda items to various committees last week, Council has not yet scheduled any other committee meetings.

Although the Austin City Council recently had some disagreements over how each Council member might use his or her salary, there was never any question about whether their salaries were sufficient. That’s because the 2006 Council approved an ordinance giving Council members the same salary increase as most rank-and-file city employees. Last year, that salary hike was 3.5 percent. So, Austin Council members make a little more than $70,000 a year, and the mayor makes more than $82,000. Not so in San Antonio, where Council members currently make $1,040 and the mayor $4,040 annually. They will be asking voters to give them a real salary in May. But San Antonio Express-News columnist Gilbert Garcia thinks his Council is way behind in campaigning and may not get that salary increase. Garcia wrote, “The bad news is that the road from here to election day (May 9) is lined with potholes, pylons, speed bumps, and, possibly, a few stray llamas.” Former Mayor Phil Hardberger did it right, Garcia opines, when he successfully backed a charter amendment in 2008 that relaxed term limits for Council members. But Hardberger “made the term-limits referendum his personal crusade,” Garcia said, and he began that crusade at least six months before the election. San Antonio’s current major, Ivy Taylor, is running for a full term as mayor and will not have time, or perhaps the will, to put too much effort into the salary referendum. Garcia also notes that the 2008 referendum campaign spent more than $600,000, but this year there will be many candidates scrambling for dollars for their own campaigns. And Hardberger is not available. Finally, there is what Garcia calls “the May curse,” which we in Austin know a lot about but no longer have to contend with. He is expecting the turnout to be small, noting that the 2013 municipal election turnout was less than 7 percent. In case you were wondering, the salary these Council members might get in San Antonio is $45,722, with the mayor at $61,725.

Today, as part of its ongoing look into different policy areas, City Council will tackle Resource Recovery and Austin Energy. Resource Recovery gets the morning shift, and starting at 9:00 a.m., Council will hear from: Bob Gedert, Austin Resource Recovery; Natalie Betts, Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services/Austin Resource Recovery; Andrew Dobbs, Texas Campaign for the Environment; Cathy Gattuso, Zero Waste Advisory Commission; David Rodewald, River City Rolloffs; Rodney Ahart, Keep Austin Beautiful; Fayez Kazi, Engineer, Zero Waste Advisory Commission; Eric Goff, Compost Pedallers; Maia Corbitt, State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR); Adam Gregory, Texas Disposal Systems; Rebecca Stuch, Austin Creative Reuse, Reuse Alliance Texas; and Skeeter Miller, Greater Austin Restaurant Association. Then, at 12:30 p.m., Council will take a look at Austin Energy. During that discussion, Council members will hear from: Larry Weis, Austin Energy; Phillip Schmandt, Attorney, Former EUC & multiple task forces; Clay Butler, Attorney, Generation Planning Task Force, former EUC; Catherine Morse, Samsung; Milton Lee, Lee Energy Partners Former CPS/AE General Manager; Roger Duncan, UT Energy Institute, Former Austin City Council and Former Austin Energy General Manager; Carol Biedrzyck, Texas ROSE, Low-Income Consumer Advisory Task Force; Bill Peacock, Center for Economic Freedom; Dr. Cyrus Reed & David Cortez, Sierra Club & Austin Beyond Coal; Kaiba White, Public Citizen, Solar Austin; Charles Cloutman, Meals on Wheels & More, Home Repair Coalition; and Susan Meredith, Resource Conservation Contractors Association.

As part of an effort to update the 2010 Hazard Mitigation Plan, the City of Austin will hold a series of public meetings this month. According to the city, “Input from the community is needed for the project team to identify and analyze potential hazards affecting residents, in addition to possible recommendations to reduce their impact. Hazards can include droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and other major disasters.” Meetings will take place on: Tuesday, March 10, at Pleasant Hill Branch Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, March 12, at Spicewood Springs Branch Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, March 12, at Howson Branch Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Monday, March 16, at Carver Branch Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

An ordinance that would allow businesses to count metered parking toward off-street parking requirements was once again delayed by City Council on Thursday, despite recommendations from staff. Council sent the ordinance back to the Mobility Committee without discussion. The Planning Commission in August voted unanimously against the ordinance, which would amend the Austin Land Development Code. Under the current code, businesses must fulfill parking requirements primarily through off-street parking. Staff said that metered parking encourages quick turnover and the change would create opportunities for small businesses. The ordinance was approved on first reading with a split vote in December, before the current Council took office.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, Council Member Pio Renteria will hold the first in a series of District 3 meetings. Titled “Council on Your Corner,” the event is a chance for residents to speak to Renteria (and each other) about issues. And, according to his open invitation, Renteria will also be offering coffee and pan dulce to those who attend. The discussion will take place at the A. B. Cantu Pan Am Recreation Center from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m..

The dramatic letter penned by Col. William Barret Travis to his fellow Texans about the dire situation his men faced at the Alamo is on display through March 6 at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building. “The Travis Letter” has become one of the most revered and studied documents in Texas history. The iconic letter will be on display for 12 days, representing the lengthy siege fought by the defenders of the Alamo. While on exhibition, the document is being kept in a specially designed case that limits harmful light while providing visitors the unique opportunity to view one of the most important pieces of Texas history. The display is part of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s latest exhibit, Texans’ Struggle for Freedom and Equality, comprising documents and images integral to the state’s history. The exhibit is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through March 6 with a special showing Saturday at the library at 1201 Brazos St. Go to tsl.texas.gov for more information.

Unlike the Board of Adjustment and Public Works ex-officio positions, the Austin Independent School District position has been unfilled on the dais since the Planning Commission reincorporated ex-officio members several years ago. According to the City Charter, the AISD position must be filled by the AISD Board of Trustees. Board President Gina Hinojosa has asked to appoint another member to take her place, but previously, staff has said that would not be allowed under City Charter. Since then, however, AISD and City Legal minds got together and came to an agreement that it could be done if the Planning Commission amended its rules to recognize an AISD representative. “The Planning Commission has wanted for a very long time to get the AISD rep here,” said Chair Danette Chimenti. She then quoted from a letter from Assistant City Attorney Brent Lloyd, who wrote that, after thinking about the issue further, City Legal didn’t see a problem with the new solution, “as long as it is not regarded as a delegation in the legal sense.” Chimenti said she wanted to get the ball rolling with a conversation at the commission’s next meeting, and other commissioners agreed. “I’m fine with discussing it. I just think we are on shaky ground,” said Commissioner James Nortey.