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Dear Neighbors, Many of you reached out to my office in the latter half of 2017 with concerns about your water bills. My staff worked with affected residents to gather billing data, allowing us to map out areas where the meters showed unusual water consumption patterns. We took the information you provided us to Austin Water and Austin Energy to get more information and helped guide customers through the bill escalation process. As a result of concerns from District 10 and other Council offices, Austin Water and Austin Energy launched an investigation into the root cause of the billing abnormalities. The audit identified thousands of residences that were negatively affected by erroneous meter reads. Due to these findings, over 1,700 customers will receive rate adjustments leading to bill credits. The city utilities will send letters out to individuals who are eligible for adjustments by Feb. 15. The city is also working on improvements to the meter reading process. More information on these changes can be found in the memo Austin Water and Austin Energy posted here. Please note that this is a separate situation from the billing issues my office helped resolve near Edgemont Drive last year. I am grateful for your awareness and engagement with my staff. We are here as a resource for you, and your utilization of my office helped affect change for thousands of customers. Thanks to your calls and emails, we were alerted to this citywide issue and were able to work on your behalf to remedy the situation. If you have any questions about the adjustment process, please call the City of Austin Utility Contact Center at 512-494-9400. Kind regards, Alison Alter Council Member, District 10 |
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Table of Contents - Black History Month
- Graffiti Program
- Library E-card
- Pease Park Exhibit Opening – Feb. 10
- Lunar New Year Celebration – Feb. 10
- Aquatic Hiring Day – Feb. 10
- APD VIN Etching Event – Feb. 10
- CodeNEXT Open House – Feb. 12
- Opening of the People's Gallery – Feb. 23
- Public Meeting Related to Flooding near Oak Knoll – Feb. 27
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| | | Black History Month
Every February, we honor the extraordinary contributions that people of African descent have made to this country. There are several special events throughout the city this month to celebrate the rich history and culture of the black community. Check out the event page for the George Washington Carver Museum for activities like Black History Month Kids Day on Feb. 17. This family-friendly festivity will feature crafts, stories, games, and more to introduce kids and families to the importance of Black History Month. The Austin Public Library system also has several film screenings and recreational activities planned for the month, which can all be found on the library department’s public event calendar. |
| | | Graffiti Program
The City of Austin's graffiti initiative, Make Art Not Marks, is an effort to increase awareness and education about graffiti in our community and provide opportunities for local artists to nurture the creative culture that thrives in Austin. The Graffiti Core Team is currently exploring ways to implement a mural program to help prevent graffiti and strengthen the presence of art in Austin. The program also focuses on educating residents on how to report and remove illegal graffiti. If you see illegal graffiti around town, please call Austin 3-1-1 to submit a service request. You can also download the Austin 3-1-1 smartphone app and submit a removal request online. To help with efficiency, residents can check the 3-1-1 service request database to see if a particular piece of graffiti has already been reported. |
| | | Library eCard
The Austin Public Library is debuting an eCard that allows residents age 18 and older to register for access to the Virtual Library without having to come to a library location in person. Unfortunately, the eCard does not allow users to check out physical materials, place holds on physical materials or place Interlibrary Loan requests. However if you would like full borrowing privileges, you can always convert your eCard to a full access Library Card at any Austin Public Library location. This is only for new users since Austinites with a physical Austin Public Library Card already have access to the Virtual Library. Click here to register online for your eCard. |
| | Pease Park Exhibit Opening – Feb. 10
Over a three week period last month, internationally-acclaimed artist Patrick Dougherty created one of his majestic Stickwork sculptures in Pease Park, entitled Yippee Ki Yay. The sculpture utilizes locally-harvested materials including depression willow, ash, and ligustrum. The installation will remain on display in Pease Park’s Custer’s Meadow (2201 Parkway) for several years, sparking the imagination of old and young park patrons and passersby. The Pease Park Conservancy is hosting a public opening and celebration on Saturday, Feb. 10. Light refreshments will be served.
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| | | Lunar New Year Celebration – Feb. 10
Tradition holds that the Year of the Earth Dog renews our commitment to be generous, just, and unwavering in our pledge to uphold all the values of humanity and integrity that we hold dear in our heart. To celebrate the arrival of the Earth Dog in 2018, the Asian American Cultural Center and the Asian American Community Partnership are organizing a Lunar New Year celebration. The event will be held at the Asian American Cultural Center in District 10 and will feature several festivities, including performances of Asian dances, music, martial arts demonstrations, a lion dance, taiko drums, and calligraphy. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enjoy traditional Lunar New Year foods. The event program can be found here. Be sure to catch the lion dance at noon!
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| | | | Aquatic Hiring Day – Feb. 10
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Aquatic & Nature Based Programs Division will be hosting an Aquatic Hiring Day event at the Aquatics Administration & Training Center . This event will provide those who are interested in working as a lifeguard, pool attendant, swim instructor or swim coach, the opportunity to complete an application, interview and register for required training. Pool attendants will earn $12/hr. All other positions will have a starting pay of $13.84 an hour.
Aquatic Hiring Day Saturday, February 10th Aquatics Administration & Training Center 2818 San Gabriel Street Austin, Texas 78705 1- 5 p.m.
Working for the Aquatics Unit has many great benefits and is a great fit for anyone looking for:
- Flexible Schedules
- Great Pay
- Opportunity to Work Outside
- Some Year Round Opportunities
- No Experience Required
Applicants that are 15-16 years old are required to have a parent present during the interview. Applicants that are 17 years old require parent signatures on the applicant paperwork. To review a complete list of acceptable forms of identification that applicants need to bring to the hiring day, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf.
For more information, please call the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Aquatic Administration and Training Center at 512-974-9330. You will also find additional hiring information at www.LifeguardAustin.com.
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| | APD VIN Etching Event – Feb. 10
The Austin Police Department will be at Lakeline Mall from 1-4 p.m. to etch VIN numbers on vehicles. This event is free and was created to help prevent auto thefts. Many auto parts buyers will not purchase parts that carry identification numbers. Should a thief try to sell the parts from a vehicle for profit, those marked parts carry a higher risk for both the thief and the auto parts seller. VIN etching can also increase the odds of recovery of a stolen car by police.
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| | | CodeNEXT Open House
Join the City of Austin’s CodeNEXT team on Monday for an open house regarding Draft 3. Residents will be able to see the updated maps, learn about the changes, and ask code experts their questions.
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| | | Opening of the People's Gallery – Feb. 23
Now in its 14th year, People’s Gallery is a series of exhibitions designed to showcase the work of local artists while promoting the City’s cultural and economic initiatives, encouraging public discourse, and fostering greater enjoyment of visual art. Each year the City of Austin's Cultural Arts Division presents The People’s Gallery at City Hall and hosts an opening reception. The 2018 People’s Gallery Exhibition will open on Friday, Feb. 23. Residents are invited to discover the artworks throughout City Hall, meet the participating artists, and enjoy light refreshments and live music. Please visit the People’s Gallery page on the City website for updated information or to arrange a guided tour.
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Public Meeting Related to Flooding near Oak Knoll – Feb. 27
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, the Watershed Protection Department is holding a public meeting to discuss a proposal to reduce the risk of flooding around Oak Knoll Drive. After studying the drainage area around U.S. Highway 183 and Jollyville Road, the Watershed Protection Department identified a proposal for flood mitigation near Oak Knoll. The project includes installation of 2,900 linear feet of pipes, storm drain inlets, and a detention pond. Residents are invited to attend the meeting to learn more. Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 7 p.m. Spicewood Springs Library 8637 Spicewood Springs Road Austin, TX, 78759 |
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