| | Dear Neighbors,
On the ballot this fall, you'll find candidates for various federal, state, and local offices. Austin voters also will consider several bond propositions (Propositions A-G), two charter amendments (Propositions H & I) and two citizen-initiated City ordinances (Propositions J & K). Ballot language for Propositions A-K can be found here.
Before being added to the ballot, each bond proposition went through an extensive vetting process. Creation of the proposed package began in 2016 with the citizen-led Bond Election Advisory Task Force. Task force members and staff participated in dozens of meetings totaling approximately 140 hours of public meeting time. After considerable community outreach, stakeholder collaboration, and Council deliberation, I voted in favor of the much-needed investments included in the 2018 bond package.
As I mentioned above, the bond initiatives will be listed as Propositions A-G on the ballot. The general topic and amount of each proposition are included below. Click on each proposition letter to find more information about the nature of that potential investment. More information about the bond, including a tax bill impact calculator, can be found at austintexas.gov/2018Bond. Additionally, the League of Women Voters has created a non-partisan 2018 Voters Guide to help Austin area voters prepare for the midterm elections. The guide can be printed out and taken into the voting booth. It includes Texas voter ID requirements, a list of every candidate in each race, and a brief Q&A from responsive candidates.
Finally, don't forget – early voting runs from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2, and Election Day is Nov. 6. Some polling locations have changed since the 2016 election, so please find an updated list of each day's polling locations on the Travis County Clerk's website. Pick a day, make a plan, and exercise your right to vote!
Happy voting!
Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10
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Table of Contents - Exposition Blvd. Water Improvement Meeting – Oct. 25
- District 10 Office Hours – Oct. 26
- Barton Springs Bathhouse Rehabilitation Open House – Oct. 30
- Eilers Park Master Plan
- New Dockless Mobility Rule – Comment Period Closes on Nov. 3
- Shakespeare in Ramsey Park – Oct. 25-Nov. 10
- Movie on the Lawn – Oct. 19
- Citizen Communication via Videoconferencing
- District 10 Artist Feature – Call for Artists & Musicians
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| | | Exposition Blvd. Water Improvement Meeting – Oct. 25
The District 10 office recently received notice of a water improvement project along Exposition Boulevard. This project is part of the Renewing Austin program, which replaces aging infrastructure throughout the City. Beginning in early 2019, the project will replace a water line and a portion of a wastewater line between Enfield Rd. and West 35th Street. New service lines to water meters along Exposition Blvd. also will be installed.
A public meeting has been scheduled to discuss the project with the community. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018 7-8:30 p.m. O. Henry Middle School 2610 W 10th St, Austin, TX 78703
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| | | District 10 Office Hours – Oct. 26
Come by and talk to us about the issues that matter most to you! District 10 staff will be available on Oct. 26 to listen to your comments and concerns and help connect you with the appropriate City resources. These will be walk-in office hours operating on a first come, first served during the hours detailed below.
Friday, Oct. 26 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Epoch Coffee on Far West 3900 Far West Blvd. |
| | | Barton Springs Bathhouse Rehabilitation Open House – Oct. 30
After over 70 years of service, the historic Barton Springs Bathhouse is in need of extensive repairs and upgrades. Major elements of rehabilitation will include reconfiguration of the adjacent parking lot, access/egress improvements, replacement of the plumbing systems, structural repairs, and restoration of critical parts of the entry rotunda and changing rooms. Improvements to the aquatic facilities and the Sheffield/Splash facilities are also under consideration.
Residents are invited to an open house on Oct. 30 to see the proposed designs and provide feedback to staff.
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 3-6:30 p.m. Barton Springs Treecourt 2201 Barton Springs Rd.
More information about the improvements can be found on the project website.
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| | | Eilers Park Master Plan
Funded by the 2012 bond, the Eilers Neighborhood Park Improvement project is currently underway. The demolition phase has been completed, and the required grading and utility work will follow once the grounds have dried sufficiently. Grading activities are scheduled to be completed in late October, and the project is anticipated to be completed in early 2019.
The Eilers Park master plan was created in 2010 with the support of the Friends of Eilers Park (FOEP) and creates renovated recreation areas for all ages. The design also includes ADA compliant walkways and ramps, an updated play structure integrated into the landscape, improved access to the lake with an enhanced and repaired dock, and increased biodiversity with the introduction of new native plant landscaping.
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| | | | New Dockless Mobility Rule – Comment Period Closes on Nov. 3
In May, the City adopted an emergency administrative rule to govern dockless vehicles as e-scooters and dockless bikes made their debut in Austin. After several months of pilot testing and community feedback, the Austin Transportation Department has posted a draft of a permanent rule for the "deployment and operation of shared small vehicle mobility systems." The filed version can be found here. The Transportation Department also has included a version that highlights the differences between the new rule and the emergency administrative rule.
ATD is requesting public input on the proposed rule. Comments can be submitted in one of three ways: To be considered, comments must be submitted before Nov. 3, 2018. A summary of the written comments received will be included in the notice of rule adoption that must be posted for the rule to become effective. More information about dockless mobility can be found at http://www.austintexas.gov/docklessmobility. |
| | | Shakespeare in Ramsey Park – Oct. 25-Nov. 10
I am proud to sponsor fee waivers once again for Shakespeare in Ramsey Park! Please note that this fall's production of Macbeth has been delayed as a result of inclement weather. Due to the recent storms, Something for Nothing Theater is pushing back the run of Macbeth by one week. The show will now open on Thursday, Oct. 25, and close on Nov. 10.
As usual, the show will run Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. As a bonus, the cast will have an additional show on Halloween! Check out the show's Facebook event page for a short description of the play, the cast listing, and more.
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| | Movie on the Lawn – Oct. 19
The Northwest Recreation Center is hosting a family-friendly Halloween movie night! This Friday, the rec center will show Monster House starting at 8 p.m. Admission is $2, and drinks and popcorn will be provided for attendees. Note that the movie will be outside unless it is raining, so please dress accordingly. In the event of rain, the movie will be shown in the gym. |
| | | Citizen Communication via Videoconferencing
Did you know that you don't have to drive down to City Hall to participate in Citizen Communication? Early last year, I was a proud cosponsor of a resolution directing the City Manager to analyze ways to expand library services offered to residents. This expansion included providing access to General Citizen Communication via videoconferencing, as well as facilitating teleconferencing by military families, community organizations and small business start-ups at local libraries.
Using the videoconferencing capabilities that our public libraries now possess is a great way to speak to Council about important issues without having to make the trek downtown, saving time, money and energy. Please note that you must plan in advance if you would like to take advantage of these new services. To ensure you are able to utilize the videoconferencing technology, contact your local library a few weeks before the date you would like to speak to Council and ask staff for assistance. |
| | D10 Artist Feature - Call for Artists and Musicians |
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Do you know a local artist whose work you'd like to share with your neighbors? If you or someone you know have a knack for painting, singing, drawing, guitar, 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 visual artwork, 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?
For musicians, please send a photo of the musician(s), a brief description of the artist's or band's background, music genre, instruments played, etc. If a band website or online link exists, please feel free to share that as well.
We also are looking for musicians to play at City Hall! If you or your group are interested in playing before Council, please send us an email indicating your interest and include the information above with a link to your music.
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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