Set Your Seats and Tray-Tables Upright

At the new City Council's inaugural meeting this morning, the biggest nod to Mayor Lee Leffingwell's past career as a pilot has to be the in-flight snacking provided by Randi Shade – a bulk box of individual bags of pretzels.

However, the sound barrier was broken this morning in perhaps the fastest reading of the consent agenda the Hustle has ever seen. With 137 items before City Council today, it's all the more impressive. Hizzoner also opted to enter council's new board and commission appointments into the record via paper instead of voice; as it's apparently seven pages long, we can't say we blame him (although we're curious to see who got the nod). Plus, this may be the first time in history the 10:30am presentation started anywhere near 10:30. (It's a presentation on the Austin Water Utility's water conservation strategies, part of a soggy agenda that also includes a 2pm update on waterworks bugaboo Water Treatment Plant No. 4.)