The Daily Hustle: 1/27/11

Agenda highlights from today's council meeting

No toying with transportation Thursday
No toying with transportation Thursday (Photo courtesy cogdogblog [CC])

City Council meets today. The Hustle will be tweeting the proceedings as they happen, so please, follow along.

To whet your appetite, a preview of council's agenda: punting on the Holly hullabaloo, Fire Department hiring trouble, tons of transportation bond spending, and much more.

Agenda highlights for City Council’s Thursday, Jan. 27 meeting:

Item 3: Increasing appropriation costs for the Holly Street Power Plant decommissioning by $17 million. However, this item is expected to be withdrawn by staff … Related to Item 8.

Item 4: Broadening utility disconnection moratoriums during extreme weather. What used to be below freezing is now 35 F with a 50% rain chance. Huh.

Items 6,7: Funding over $56 million worth of mobility and traffic infrastructure, including the boardwalk over Lady Bird Lake, out of November 2010’s transportation bond election.

Item 8: This would name TRC Corporation, “or one of the other qualified offerors,” for the Holly decommissioning. But again, this item appears with the following disclaimer: “ITEM TO BE WITHDRAWN BY STAFF.” Hmm... Word is the Holly decommissioning will be kicked down the road now until around March.

Item 20: Fire Department item increasing the number of Battalion Chiefs by one while decreasing Firefighter positions by one to make room for Guy Groomer. Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr passed Groomer over for promotion, but a hearing examiner disagreed, necessitating the position.

Items 30, 31: Authorizing “Advanced Funding Agreements” between the city and TxDOT to partner on two 2010 transportation bond projects: improvements to the IH-35/51st interchange, and traffic at the Oak Hill Y.

Item 34: Item from Lee Leffingwell, Mike Martinez and Randi Shade repurposing the 2006 Bond Oversight Committee to examine 2010's bond spending, while preserving the makeup of the group.

Item 35: From Mike Martinez, Randi Shade, and Chris Riley, direction to the City Manager “to develop short and long-term recommendations on how to address pedestrian safety, congestion, and parking issues in the Rainey Street District while continuing to encourage redevelopment of the area.”

Item 36: Bill Spelman and Sheryl Cole ask the City Manager “to work with the City Clerk to conduct a cost analysis of the City's boards and commissions system.”

Items 40-42: 10:30am briefings, including the “Austin Water 140 GPCD Conservation Plan,” updates on sustainable urban agriculture, and Austin Energy’s quarterly report.

Items 44, 45: Executive Session discussion and action, approving a resolution setting compensation for the City Auditor.

Items 46, 47: In the zoning agenda, second and third reading of rezoning for Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park, potentially clearing the way for disc golf.

Item 49: Second and third in the never-ending Bradford-Nohra saga. The Historic Landmark Commission's seeking historic zoning for the dilapidated Hyde Park house over owners objection. Despite passing 4-3 on first read, the objection requires a 6- 1 supermajority to bestow historic status.

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KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

The Daily Hustle, City Council, Austin Energy, Zoning, 2010, bond, transportation, lady bird lake, boardwalk

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