Austin City Council is back after its summer break and the agenda is big. Packed with nearly 200 items, the meeting, which kicks off at 10 a.m., is going to be a long one. Here’s what you need to know:
You Have Time To Sign Up To Speak.
Online speaker registration closed last night, but you can sign up in person as late as 45 minutes before the meeting starts. Look for three kiosks in the atrium at City Hall to register. Allotted speaking time per person will be at least 2 minutes, and you can donate your time to other speakers.
A note for next time: For a translator or sign language services, you must email city.clerk@austintexas.gov 48 hours before the meeting. If you’re bringing handouts or other documents for City Council members, those must be emailed to city.clerk@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the meeting.
Today’s Meeting Is Not a Budget Meeting.
City Manager T.C. Broadnax just released a draft of the city’s 2024-2025 budget, but the budget is not on today’s agenda. City Council’s first budget meeting will be on July 24. Why you should care about the budget? City Cast Austin has you covered – Host Nikki DaVaughn recently sat down with Austin Common’s Amy Stansbury to talk about all things budget.
We Sifted Through the Agenda so You Don’t Have To.
Highlights include:
- Council will vote on an ordinance to turn a Rainey Street-area alley into a park.
- Austin Public Library officials are asking for Travis County Sheriff’s Office vehicles to be stationed at various library locations as safety incidents, including attacks on employees and customers, have gotten “increasingly worse.”
- Council will also vote to authorize a contract with Central Texas Food Bank to provide shelf-stable food and fresh fruits and vegetables for Austin Public Health’s home delivery program, which serves roughly 2,300 food insecure households, or those with transportation barriers, each year.
- Council will consider an ordinance that would create a subdistrict in the Red River Cultural District.
