Public Notice: Who Needs 10-1?

Here in the fourth estate, we've been largely looking forward to the new story lines promised by the incoming 10-1 City Council: new faces, radical agendas, clashing egos, screaming matches on the dais if we get lucky. ... Yet for all of that, it's hard to imagine a scene much uglier than what transpired last Thursday toward the end of the discussion over the Decker Lake Golf Course project, as Mayor Lee Leffingwell, who might be described as irascible on his better days, was not having one of those.

The mayor's record on water issues has long been atrocious, of course: from arguing against imposing watering restrictions for fear that doing so would "send a message to business" that we're in a water-challenged area, to ramrodding the ruinous WTP4, to flacking for this latest mess. But Thursday's performance took things to a new level, with Leffingwell slamming Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros for his rather equivocal answers about the courses' water use, so personally that two Council colleagues felt compelled to apologize to Meszaros from the dais for Leffingwell's behavior.

One day after the LCRA suspended releases from the Highland Lakes for the fourth straight year, in view of what they called a "record-setting drought," Leffingwell railed at Meszaros that this is not the worst – but just the second worst – drought since the Highland Lakes dams were built early last century, and how dare he suggest that water use could be a problem. Nixing the proposal, as Council seemed poised to do, "is truly looking a gift horse in the mouth. And I don't want to be too critical, Mr. Meszaros, but I think your attitude toward this has been counter to the interests of the city of Austin." (Though Meszaros' concerns were hardly the only issue with the proposal.)

First Kathie Tovo, then Mike Martinez, felt compelled to defend Meszaros' service to the city. Martinez made it more personal: "Mr. Meszaros, my mom taught me as a little kid, don't ever apologize for another man's ill-fated actions, so I'm not going to start tonight. But I'm going to apologize to you for the lack of respect and decorum that was shown to you tonight. You have been through some of the most difficult times with this Council, starting with WTP 4, and leading up to tonight, and you have been nothing but professional, straightforward, honest, and respectful, each and every time we've asked you a question. So, I apologize."

Leffingwell did manage to keep the proposal alive for one more consideration on Dec. 11, which will keep the developer's attorney Richard Suttle on the clock for another three weeks, though there clearly appeared to be no stomach elsewhere on the dais for considering the project. Sheryl Cole's original motion was to punt the discussion to the next Council in late Febru­ary; Leffingwell offered a "friendly" amendment to bring it back Dec. 11 instead – and I think, given the mood he was in, Cole was afraid to point out that this was by no means friendly.

Postscript: On the next substantive issue to come up on the agenda, Leffingwell was the lone dissenting vote against the coyote conflict management plan, for fear that it would (I kid you not) keep folks from "throwing rocks at coyotes" (it won't). Good to know he has a retirement plan.

ATX Music Industry Census & Needs Assessment Survey: The City Music & Enter­tainment Division has launched the first-ever "comprehensive economic development study of Austin's music industry and its workers." The survey is now available at www.atxmusic.org; they're looking for input from musicians, music business people, venue staff, and support businesses from lawyers to photographers to pedicab drivers.

Housing Affordability in Austin: In July 2014, the city of Austin released the 2014 Comprehensive Housing Market Study, showing "shocking gaps and needs in our community." (See www.austintexas.gov/housing for more info.) Now there's a two-session presentation of the report by BBC Research & Consulting, the firm that did the study.

Austin's Affordable Housing Needs and Impedi­ments to Fair Housing Choice Come hear an overview of the market study, as well as preliminary info about the impediments to fair housing in Austin. Monday, Dec. 1, 6-7:30pm. Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. www.austintexas.gov/housing.

Affordable Housing in Austin: Dig Deeper into the Data The next night, hear details from the market study, including how the data was gathered, what it means, and how individuals and organizations use it. Open to the public. Tuesday, Dec. 2, 8-9:30am, LifeWorks, 835 N. Pleasant Valley Rd.

Meowvember Cat Special at AHS: Due to "an unexpected influx of kittens after the official end of 'Kitten Season'," the Austin Humane Society continues this special through Nov. 30: Kittens are $20, with the second one free. Adult cats are free. AHS, 124 W. Anderson.

Attention nonprofits and public ser­vice groups: Help us help you help others! Watch your email for an invitation to participate in the 2014 Austin Chronicle Holiday Wish Lists program. Join us as we roll out new features to highlight your lists. Make sure your organization is on the list: Send contact name, phone number, and email by Dec. 3 to: [email protected]. See austinchronicle.com/wishlist.

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