| Dear Neighbors,
I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve you and the City of Austin as your District 10 Council Member. This has truly been the hardest and most rewarding job yet in my life. Thank you for trusting me.
Over the last year and particularly the last few weeks, I have been reflecting on my eight years in office. I am really proud that my District 10 team and I are known for being attentive, responsive, and good communicators who work to find solutions, big and small. We were present in the district and actively connected residents and businesses with the right city staff to answer their questions and help address their concerns.
We delivered quality-of-life improvements and safety enhancements throughout the district. We acquired new park and preserve spaces and significantly renovated recreational facilities and playscapes throughout the district. We built two new fire/EMS stations (Davenport/360 and Canyon Creek), improved our libraries, and delivered safe routes to schools and other mobility improvements to help people get safely where they want to go. We worked to improve utility reliability in the district by instituting new vegetation management protocols and accelerated the City’s wildfire prevention and preparedness efforts. And much more!
I am proud to have helped build many programs that are moving the needle here in Austin. Many of these programs have been recognized nationally and sometimes internationally as creative and effective approaches to the challenges cities like ours face.
Some examples include:
All of these programs required collaboration with some of the smartest, most visionary, and often bravest people inside and outside of City Hall. | | | | In addition, I want to highlight a few more of my initiatives that are meeting real needs in our community:
Building five new Fire/EMS stations across Austin in six years! The final location, at Canyon Creek in District 10, will be opening in January Creation of a strong and robust ecosystem to respond to and prevent gun violence in Austin-Travis County, including the launch of the City’s Office of Violence Prevention Improving our response to hate through We ALL Belong Significant investments in our parks and preserves Expansion of the Hazardous Waste Pickup program, initially piloted in District 10, to the whole city starting in January 2025 Support for after-school programs, safe routes to schools, and the success of our school bonds Mobility improvements to enhance the walkability, bike-ability, and drive-ability of our communities Initiation and adoption of a much-needed Austin Energy Resource, Generation & Climate Protection Plan to 2035 Pandemic relief grant programs for nonprofits, cultural arts programs, childcare providers, and small businesses impacted by COVID
As Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee, I initiated an external review of Austin Water, improved our disaster preparedness, addressed staffing shortages at our 911 call center, advanced police academy reforms, and helped develop our cyber security roadmap. | | | | The District 10 team and I also had fun along the way. We distributed free eclipse glasses, gave tours of City Hall to student groups, hosted Smokey Bear in the Chambers, celebrated International Women’s Day each year, and marched with a parade of cultures to cut the ribbon on our new Austin Sisters Cities sign in front of City Hall. We also celebrated the people and organizations that are doing important work for our City with Proclamations and Distinguished Service Awards.
I want to thank the many community leaders and constituents who have worked with my office – many of you have become my collaborators and friends. I also want to thank my colleagues on the dais and across government, city staff, and especially my amazing District 10 team past and present.
Throughout these eight years, my husband Jeremi Suri and my two children Natalie and Zachary have been with me every step of the way. Their support and encouragement has meant the world to me. Through the many challenges we faced as a City, I am proud that I kept my vow to make sure I could explain every vote to my kids – especially when those votes were hard or swam against the tide.
You will hear from me once more before Inauguration Day when your new council member, Marc Duchen, takes office. Have a warm and safe holiday season!
Regards, | | | Alison Alter Council Member, District 10 | | Table of Contents
Happy Holidays From District 10
Council Member Alter in the Community City Council Farewell Reception SARRT & CSCRM Recognition Audit & Finance Committee Recognition Last CAMPO Meeting Distinguished Service Award: Charles Curry Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Mark Ackrell
Announcements | | | Happy Holidays From District 10
My team and I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. We celebrate a mix of holidays in our office, which reflects the cultural diversity of our district – but we celebrate together! | | | | | City Council Farewell Reception
Our last City Council Work Session was capped by a reception and some commemorative gifts, including personalized street signs. I can’t wait to see where it will fit in my house! | | | SARRT & CSCRM Recognition
I was recognized last week by the Austin-Travis County Sexual Assault Response & Resource Team, who has worked with me and my office extensively to secure justice for survivors and improve our city’s response to reported sexual assault. I also attended the monthly meeting of the Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Project for a meaningful farewell. | | | Audit & Finance Committee Recognition
I led my last Audit & Finance Committee Meeting, a committee that I have chaired for the last 6 years. I have been able to dive into my passion for governance and oversight thanks to the collective efforts of my fellow board members and city staff. | | | Last CAMPO Meeting
I have served on the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) since my first year in office and I am grateful for their warm sendoff at our last meeting. CAMPO afforded me the opportunity to work collaboratively to increase mobility and economic opportunity across the region. I have learned a lot from these amazing leaders and am confident they will continue to work hard to help our rapidly growing region thrive. | | | Charles Curry Distinguished Service Award
Last week I had the honor of presenting a Distinguished Service Award to Charles Curry, who I have had the privilege of working with for the last 8 years. He has a long history of community involvement, working with and for the City, and has recently served on the Bond Oversight Committee, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission, the Joint Inclusion Committee, and the current Bond Election Advisory Task Force.
He is noted for being incredibly collaborative, with a history of relationship-building and a wealth of historic knowledge of city practices and norms. His calm working style, open outlook and discernment are appreciated by all those who have worked with him. | | | Dr. Mark Ackrell Distinguished Service Award
This week I joined the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and Austin/Travis County EMS to honor the legacy of Dr. Mark Ackrell, a beloved Associate Medical Director, who passed away earlier this year. I presented a Distinguished Service Award to his family and we conducted a moving last call ceremony in front of City Hall.
In addition to his career at the City of Austin, Mark served at Saint David’s South and South Austin Hospital and was the medical director for numerous organizations and teams. He taught at universities, worked internationally, and mentored countless emergency staff in Austin and around the country. He made a profound and lasting impact at the City, and in the quality of emergency care in Austin overall. | | | | | 58th Annual Zilker Holiday Tree
The Zilker Holiday Tree is lit! The tree lighting ceremony was on December 1 and featured a performance from the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble. You and your family will be able to enjoy the free Zilker Tree until January 1, 2025. Find the full schedule and parking information on the website. | | | Trail of Lights
Austin Trail of Lights is celebrating 60 years! Zilker Park will be decked out in holiday lights from December 10 to December 23. Learn more and get tickets on the website. | | | City of Austin’s New Year Celebration
The City of Austin and Visit Austin will host Austin’s annual New Years Eve event at Auditorium Shores (800 W Riverside Dr., Austin, TX 78704) starting at 7 PM on December 31. Join a night of entertainment headlined by Third Eye Blind, food trucks and beverage vendors, and a midnight fireworks show. CNN will be doing our city’s New Years countdown live. Learn more on the event website. | | | |
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