This week, the Austin Bulldog reported that District 6’s own City Council Member Don Zimmerman paid his wife to work on his campaign, which could run afoul of campaign finance laws. For his part, Zimmerman remains focused on Council spending. Yesterday, he took aim at funding public art and proposed a Feb. 12 resolution that would end the practice of earmarking 2 percent of eligible Capital Improvement Project construction budgets for public art. Zimmerman’s proposal has yet to make it to the agenda. (It is here, though, on the Council message board.) However, there are two items on the agenda that seem to have triggered Zimmerman, both concerning art for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expansion. Artists for the project have already been selected and approved by the Austin Arts Commission. More information about the process can be found in the City Council backup, under agenda items eight and nine.

On Saturday, City Council Member Delia Garza will be holding a town hall meeting to reach out to constituents in District 2. According to the invitation, residents will have the opportunity to share their thoughts about the community, learn about City of Austin resources, receive assistance on enrolling for marketplace health insurance and get updates on the Onion Creek flood buyout process. The meeting will take place from 10:00 a.m. until noon at Perez Elementary School, 7500 S. Pleasant Valley Road.

From now until March 2015, the city will be giving people cash incentives to decrease their outdoor irrigation. Austin Water customers could earn up to $1,750 in rebates. Those hoping to cash in on their green (or, in this case, less-green) lifestyle can visit Water Wise Austin for information on how to apply to the program. Residents could receive $35 per 100 square feet of native plant beds and permeable hardscapes that are converted from existing turf grass (though it is a bit more complicated than that).

Mayor Steve Adler signed the first ordinance presented to him in his official capacity on Tuesday. It will become old hat soon, but he was pretty excited to take the pen and inscribe his name on an ordinance approved by Council last week that made clear that ethics complaints about rank and file city employees would fall under civil service jurisdiction, not within the purview of the Ethics Commission.

Sara Hartley, who has been the public information officer, marketing director and chief of staff at the Public Works Department until recently, has joined the staff of Mayor Steve Adler. However, she is apparently still on the payroll of her former department. (The public information office did not know the answer.) And like some other members of the mayor’s staff, Hartley does not yet have a title. When asked, Adler said her title was, “All Around Make Things Work.” He continued: “We have good people here, and not many of them are interested in their titles.” However, Adler said, he would be announcing the entire staff within the next seven days. He promised transparency, and that it would be put together in a way designed to avoid any measure of conflict of interest. “We’re going to do what is needed and required in the mayor’s office in this new system,” he concluded. So stay tuned.

After a months-long process and nearly 40 applicants, the Travis County Commissioners Court appointed Cynthia Valadez and Sherri Greenberg to the Travis County Healthcare District Board of Managers yesterday. Last week, commissioners interviewed the finalists for the positions in their work session, and those interviews are available on the county’s website. In a statement to the press, County Judge Sarah Eckhardt expressed her thanks, saying, “We were lucky to have an extraordinary group of citizens apply for these important positions. … I want to thank everybody, including my fellow members of the court, for participating so effectively in the process.” Valadez’s term will expire on Dec. 31, 2015, and Greenberg’s on Dec. 31, 2018.

This week, the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department announced that its Cemetery Master Plan Draft is available for community review. Until March 6, the department will be accepting feedback about the plan as it addresses “historic preservation, tree care, management and policy as well as heritage tourism and educational programming.” The plan covers Austin’s five historic municipal cemeteries, which are: Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, Evergreen Cemetery, Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood Cemetery Annex and Plummers Cemetery. The full draft plan, along with information about the plan, can be found on the city’s website.

A memo, from City Manager Marc Ott to Austin city employees:

As we approach the end of our first month under a new, district-based Council structure, I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for the patience, professionalism and flexibility you have demonstrated as we navigate this historic change.

I recognize that with change comes uncertainty, and sometimes uncertainty can lead to apprehension. Let me personally assure you that our focus remains the same – providing best-managed service to our community.

I can tell you that each of the newly elected officials is a passionate advocate for maintaining the quality of living that we have established for our residents. It’s clear that they bring new energy and ideas that give all of us an opportunity to take a fresh look at the work we do, and the services we provide.

Of course, a new Council office will have lots of questions about what we do, how we do it, and why. That’s part of the process, and shouldn’t be perceived as challenging our work ethic or competence to meet the needs of our community. This is a learning process for all of us, and one I encourage you to embrace.

As I’ve said often, our employees are our most vital asset. The work you accomplish every day makes me proud to say that I’m your City Manager. I can’t thank you enough for that.

cc: Mayor and Council

Yesterday, Austin’s Capital Planning Office revealed online interactive charts showing the spending status of the city’s general obligation bonds. According to a statement to the press from the city, “The charts include bond funds that have already been invested in capital improvements projects from the 2013, 2012, 2010 and 2006 bond programs as well as funds that are under contract and what’s left remaining. The data will be updated quarterly.” For those who prefer raw data, the city has also made the information available through its data portal. And for those interested in bond spending distribution, interactive maps detail the city’s recent bond projects. The treasure trove of information can be found on the city’s Capital Improvements Visualization Information and Communication (CIVIC) website, which is located at this link.

The Public Safety Commission on Monday postponed discussing the criteria for sending the fire department with emergency medical services to respond to medical calls. Medical Director Paul Hinchey committed more than a year ago to re-examine which medical calls warrant a response from both EMS and AFD. Vice Chair Mike Levy told the commission last month that sending AFD on every call was a drain on gasoline and time. Levy also emphasized the need for benchmarks to other cities, noting that most cities do not send their fire departments on every call. The commission will discuss the item at its next regular meeting March 2.

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the League of Women Voters of the Austin Area is holding a reception for the region’s newly elected officials. The league has invited the 10 new members of City Council, Mayor Steve Adler, the Travis County Commissioners and County Judge Sarah Eckhardt. The reception will take place at the Austin City Hall Atrium from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Though the Parks and Recreation Department will hold a meeting for public input on Battle Bend Park, that meeting will not take place on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The meeting has been postponed to an unknown date.