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Dear Neighbors, Though it is only April, the budget process for FY 2019 is already under way. City departments, boards, and commissions are working to create budget proposals, which are due by June 8, 2018. This means that now is a key time for you to provide input on fiscal priorities. As staff prepares recommendations, I want to invite you to communicate your thoughts about how the budget should be allocated and/or funded. I recommend that you reach out directly to individual departments to advocate for certain programs, facilities, or services, or to air concerns about aspects of the budget. As always, I also want to hear from you about the budget and all topics that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office about the City's fiscal process and other issues at district10@austintexas.gov. In this newsletter you'll also find several opportunities to connect with my office through District 10 Office Hours and town halls related to the budget and CodeNEXT. I hope to see and hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10
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Table of Contents - District 10 Office Hours – May 2
- District 10 Budget Town Hall – June 18
- District 10 CodeNEXT Town Hall – May 16
- CodeNEXT Postcards and Public Hearings
- National Small Business Week – April 30-May 4
- Watershed Protection Public Hearing for Meredith Street – May 7
- Proposed Mosquito Screen Ordinance
- District 10 Board/Commission Openings
- District 10 Artist Feature
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| | District 10 Office Hours – May 2
Thank you to everyone who came out to Russell's Bakery last week to meet with my staff. We had a great turnout and were pleased to see neighbors engaged in so many topics. I'd also like to thank Kelvin Liao and Sherri Hsieh, the owners of Russell's on Hancock, for their hospitality and for helping make last week possible.
My staff will be holding our next office hours at Coffee Shark on RM 2222. Please come by to grab coffee and talk to my staff about issues like budget priorities, the upcoming bond, and CodeNEXT. This is also an opportunity to meet some of the District 10 team and express any ideas or concerns you may have about City issues and processes. Please share with your neighbors!
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Coffee Shark 7300 Ranch Rd 2222 Austin, TX 78730
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| | | District 10 Budget Town Hall – June 18 On June 18, I am hosting a Budget Town Hall in conjunction with the City Budget Office. At the town hall, we will be introducing the City's new Strategic Direction and explaining its connection to budget items for FY 2019. Attendees also will have the opportunity to meet and hear from Austin's new city manager, Spencer Cronk.
Monday, June 18 2018 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dell Jewish Community Center 7300 Hart Ln, Austin, TX 78731
By way of further background, the City Council recently adopted an outcomes-based strategic plan to guide Austin over the next several years. To help achieve the six outcomes, each City department will be creating budget recommendations that align with the Strategic Direction. In addition to the information in hyperlinks above, more details about each of the outcomes can be found in the slides presented during the Budget Work Session on March 7.
As we enter the budget process for FY19, I also would like to share with you the city's financial forecasts for the next several years. This information was presented to Council by the Budget Office and includes a timeline for this year's budget process, which I am also including below. |
| | | | District 10 CodeNEXT Town Hall – May 16
The rewrite of the land development code is a complicated process. From the outset of CodeNEXT, my office has worked diligently to help constituents navigate each draft. We have held dozens of meetings in the district where we've heard a great deal of concerns. I share many of your concerns and have been working hard to take those questions to City staff and CodeNEXT consultants to obtain answers and clarity.
In order to further answer your questions and help familiarize neighbors with the third draft and current proposals, I am holding a CodeNEXT Town Hall on May 16. This is another opportunity for folks to learn about CodeNEXT, ask questions, and provide input so I can best represent the district.
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 6:30-8:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Israel 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd, 78756 |
| | CodeNEXT Public Meetings and Postcards Reminder
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, the Planning Commission, the Zoning and Platting Commission, and the Austin City Council have scheduled four public hearings on Draft 3 of CodeNEXT. These hearings are an opportunity for you to speak to the land use commissions and City Council about the current draft. Sign ups to speak at the public hearings will begin 30 minutes before each meeting. Joint Land Use Commissions Public Hearings- 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28 – Dove Springs Recreation Center, 5801 Ainez Drive
- 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 – Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road
Austin City Council Public Hearings- 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 29 – City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St.
- 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2 – City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St.
Starting April 7, courtesy notices about the public hearings were sent to all property owners and utility account holders in Austin. Due to mailing list challenges, arrivals to your home may have been delayed. If you have not yet received a postcard, it should be coming soon. In the event that you do not receive a notice, I have included images of the two-sided postcard below. For more information about the public hearings, call (512) 974-2000 or visit AustinTexas.Gov/CodeNEXT-Postcard. |
| | | | National Small Business Week – April 30-May 4
In honor of National Small Business Week, the City's Small Business Program is hosting a series of educational events to help local businesses. The fifteen sessions will be great resources for aspiring entrepreneurs, existing small business owners, and those in creative industries. Attendees will receive free advice on subjects including funding, marketing, legal, and business planning from fellow business owners and experts in their respective fields.
The sessions will be held at public library branches around the city. Tickets to each event are free, but attendees should arrive early to ensure a spot as tickets do not guarantee admission. Registration and more details can be found at www.SmallBizAustin.org. |
| | | Watershed Protection Public Hearing for Meredith Street – May 7
The Watershed Protection Department (WPD) is hosting a public meeting about the Meredith Street Flood Risk Reduction Project. The area around Meredith Street has experienced repeated flooding. The existing storm drain system, which was built in the 1960s, is undersized and releases rain water to a cave. The cave has filled up and partially collapsed due to the discharge. To help with this situation, WPD will be installing a new storm drain system along part of Meredith Street, Rockmoor Avenue, and Cherry Lane in the spring of 2019. The department is holding a public meeting to inform neighbors about the project and answer questions.
6:30 p.m. Howson Branch Library 2500 Exposition Boulevard More information can be found online at www.austintexas.gov/stormdrains or by reaching out to Reem Zoun, P.E., Supervising Engineer, at 512-974-3354. |
| | | Proposed Insect Screen Ordinance
I have received concerns from neighbors about a proposed insect screen ordinance and its implications. For clarification, the Code Department is asking for public input about a proposed City ordinance that could require some property owners to install insect screens on windows or exterior doors. The ordinance language applies to structures that do not have mechanical ventilation. If you have air conditioning, the ordinance as written would not apply.
All input received by April 30 will be submitted to Council on or before June 30, 2018, to inform the Council’s decision about an insect screens ordinance in Austin. Your thoughts and concerns can be submitted by completing this Google form. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the Code Department at codecommunications@austintexas.gov.
I would also like to note that City and Council offices cannot see neighborhood NextDoor posts, but can only post and see comments that are written directly under our posts. For this reason, we are unable to see which issues are being discussed by neighbors on NextDoor. If an issue arises that is causing confusion or concerns, please feel free to reach out to my office so we can be made aware and work to resolve any questions.
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| | | | District 10 Board/Commission Openings
As two of my board and commission appointees transition from their current posts, I would like to take a moment to recognize their efforts. Lynne Wiggins, my library commissioner, and Hipolito Sarabia, my appointee to the Mexican-American Cultural Center Advisory Board, have done a wonderful job representing the district and I am grateful for their service.
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| | District 10 Artist Feature
Do you know a local artist whose work you'd love to share with your neighbors? If you or someone you know have a knack for painting, drawing, photography, etc., we would love the opportunity to feature work from District 10 artists in the newsletter! To submit an artist/piece to be featured here, please email my Communications and Outreach Coordinator, April Brown, at April.Brown@austintexas.gov. If you are sending in your own work, please include a photo of the work you would like to share with your neighbors, the work's title, year, medium/materials, and a link to your website if you have one. Also encouraged is a bit of background info, such as:- What/who inspired the work?
- What do you hope its viewers will feel/think?
- Why did you choose the medium, subject matter, style?
Through these artist features, we hope to showcase some of the many talents and passions of District 10 residents and increase awareness of the importance of art in our communities. |
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