� City Council convenes today, Jan. 13, for its first meeting of 2011. Demolishing the Holly Street Power Plant and zoning matters, such as the Park Planned Unit Development, are expected to dominate. For an expanded preview of the council agenda, see “The Daily Hustle: 1/11/11” at austinchronicle.com/hustle.
� The Austin Independent School District could close as many as nine schools – eight elementaries and the beleaguered Pearce Middle School – to help fill its budget gap. Mayor Lee Leffingwell released a statement Wednesday saying that, as the city attempts to reduce sprawl and “facilitate sustainable growth,” the closure of “successful central city schools clearly runs counter to our community’s long-term planning goals.” See “Res Publica,” for details on a forum today (Jan. 13).
� Campaign update: This week, Laura Morrison drew an opponent in her Place 4 re-election race, political newcomer Eric Rangel. In potentially bigger news, ChangeAustin co-founder and fiscal conservative Brian Rodgers announced he was “mulling” a run against Place 3 incumbent Randi Shade, telling the Austin Bulldog, “The cost of living is killing us. … I think Randi Shade is tone-deaf to what regular citizens are facing.”
� A Jan. 12 memo from Solid Waste Services director Bob Gedert, tasked with estimating the expense of recycling plastic bags, pegs citywide curbside collection at $1.8 million. With that cost beyond their budget, Gedert writes, “Staff is currently researching how other cities are handling plastic bags, including … plastic bag reduction campaigns, distribution phase-out programs, and product bans.” Another additional report is due this summer.
� At press time, Hiram Kirkland, a supervisor who says he was fired from the city of Austin’s Fleet Services after complaining about wrongdoing in the department, was scheduled to have the dismissal of his whistleblower lawsuit heard by the Third Court of Appeals. For more, see “Former Fleet Services Manager Says Scrap Tires Only a Symptom,” Aug. 6, 2010.
� A former Travis County executive is suing her ex-employer, claiming that her 2009 termination was rooted in gender discrimination and retaliation; county officials fired 14-year executive manager Alicia Perez and longtime human resources director Linda Moore Smith after mediation failed to resolve their strained working relations.
� Travis County commissioners voted to solicit proposals from outside consultants for a $140,000 study of EMS response times and staffing levels outside city limits; they approved the item over the objections of emergency medical service workers, who attended Tuesday’s meeting.
� With a pending budget shortfall forecast to reach $27 billion, Gov. Rick Perry chose the opening day of the Legislature to announce his priority issues for lawmakers to tackle: sanctuary cities and eminent domain reform. See “This Way to the Big Top!” for more on the real concerns facing lawmakers this session.
� Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, will chair a nine-member House committee that will hear the election challenge filed by Dan Neil against his 12-vote loss to Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. Neil’s campaign had until Jan. 11 to cite the specific ballots he is contesting.
� Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott‘s attempts to block a gay couple’s divorce failed last week when the Third Court of Appeals ruled the state was not a party of record in the case. While the ruling made one unhappily married couple happy, it may not apply more broadly to other same-sex uncouplings.
Quote of the Week
“Before there were Republicans and Democrats, there was America, and what America is about is the rule of law.”
– Judge Pat Priest, prior to sentencing former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to prison for money laundering and conspiracy
This article appears in January 14 • 2011.