City of Austin Council Message Board

Colleagues, My heart goes out to the families of the officers who have been affected by the devastating events that unfolded today. The unwavering dedication and sacrifice they made in their service to the community will always be remembered and deeply valued. Mayor Watson, I want to express my hear...

Colleagues, I hope this message finds you well. I would like to express my sincere regret that I cannot attend the gathering this evening at 6:00 p.m. due to a previously scheduled event. My heart goes out to the Jewish community in Austin, and I truly appreciate the initiative taken by Shalom Austi...

Natasha, First and foremost, I want to express my deepest appreciation for your courage in sharing your personal challenges with us. It takes tremendous strength to open up about one's struggles, and your willingness to do so is both admirable and inspiring. Please know that your well-being is of pa...

Colleagues, I'm getting questions from the community regarding the possible implications upon passage of item 83. Although I know that this item is to get the conversation started with staff returning with recommendations, I would kindly like to ask these questions in a public forum so that the comm...

Dear Colleagues, I appreciate our meaningful discussions this year and I am excited to tackle this budget together. I'm asking for your support in reviewing my proposed budget amendments. Together, we can craft a strong budget that addresses the varied needs of our community. Your input is invaluabl...

Colleagues, Yesterday, I had the privilege of visiting Central Fire Station in downtown Austin and spent time with the dedicated firefighters on shift. During my visit, I gained valuable insights into some of their pressing needs, one of which is the lack of air conditioning in over 20 fire trucks. ...

Dear Colleagues, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the discussion we had today during the Council Work Session. I am truly thankful for the input you provided. I eagerly anticipate our future discussions as we strive to find the best solutions for our community. Following our discussion a...

Colleagues, Today, I hand-delivered a memo to Interim City Manager Garza, urging for transparency and accountability regarding the suspension of the DPS-APD partnership. This memo highlights the importance of open communication and ensuring that decisions align with the best interests and safety of ...

Dear Colleagues, I wanted to bring your attention to a matter of importance that requires action. During my recent visit to the Austin Animal Center, I discovered a distressing situation concerning the overflow of dogs housed in temporary crates at the truck port behind the center. With scorching te...

Dear colleagues, I would like to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for engaging in the extensive and thorough discussions surrounding the license plate reader program. Back in 2022, I initially presented this proposal to the council, and I am grateful that it received approval to pro...

Colleagues, There are two items on the June 1st, 2023 Council agenda that I would like to highlight. Item 48 is a resolution of significant importance, as it pertains to code amendments in City Code Title 25 regarding dwelling unit occupancy limits. During our productive work session, I raised some ...

Colleagues, Every year around this time the Texas Peace Officer Memorial Association conducts an event in downtown Austin to honor fallen officers. This event brings community members together from around the state to share stories, honor the profession, and support each other. This time is also val...

Dear CM Pool, Thank you for taking the time to respond to my proposed amendments to the items you brought this week. I appreciate your feedback and the concerns you have raised. Unfortunately, based on your response, it appears that you are not in support of my proposed amendments. Therefore, I have...

Dear Colleagues, I want to express my gratitude to Council Member Pool for introducing items #24 and #25 on the agenda for this week. As a representative of a district with abundant greenspaces, I believe safeguarding our environment is crucial for the city's future and the well-being of its residen...

Thank you Councilmember Fuentes for bringing this forward. I fully support the objective of your amendment, which I believe is a significant addition to my resolution. I have integrated it into the revised version of my resolution, and I sincerely appreciate our collaborative effort on this matter. ...

Colleagues, I hope this message finds you well. As we prepare for the upcoming council meeting on April 13th, 2023, I would like to submit the following proposed amendments for consideration. This first amendment for consideration directs the City Manager to explore possible partnerships with commun...

Dear Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude to Mayor Watson, Council Member Qadri, Council Member Vela, and Council Member Pool for their collaboration on my micro-mobility resolution, which was scheduled for the upcoming April 20th council meeting. I'm grat...

Dear colleagues, I am pleased to present the final draft of the resolution for the aerial fire truck. I want to express my gratitude to Council Members Alison Alter, Vanessa Fuentes, and Jose Velasquez for supporting and co-sponsoring this item with me. Our work together made this resolution address...

Colleagues, As I mentioned during today's council meeting, I plan to present a version of my micro-mobility resolution at the upcoming Austin City Council meeting on April 20th, 2023. As someone who is deeply invested in making our city more accessible, efficient, and safe, I believe that micro-mobi...

Thank you, Mayor, for reminding us about the upcoming Public Safety Committee meeting on April 24th. As you mentioned, public safety is a crucial issue, and it is essential that we discuss all relevant topics thoroughly. I would like to suggest a few agenda items for the committee to consider: • Dis...

Colleagues, I intend on bringing forward three amendments to items during the March 23rd, 2023 council meeting. The first is for item 57 which recommends including the City of Austin Code Department as one of the parties included when the City Manager is working with stakeholders on the creation of ...

Dear Colleagues, I want to express my appreciation for CM Pool's work on item #27 and for the positive impact it will have on our community's sustainability efforts. As we continue to review this important item, I would like to propose two amendments for consideration: • Amendment 1: http://assets.a...

Dear CM Vela, I wanted to reach out and express my appreciation for your proposed amendment to my Citizen Police Academy resolution. It is heartening to see that you have taken the time to research and engage with the program and that you have worked to ensure that it is aligned with current best pr...

Dear Colleagues, I am excited to share with you a drafted resolution I have authored that could make a significant impact on our community's safety and well-being. As some of you may know, I have been working closely with the Austin Fire Association and other stakeholders to identify critical needs ...

Thank you Mayor for proposing this substitute motion. As Austin grows, I think it's important that we take steps to incentivize officers to live within the city for which they serve. Therefore, I am proposing the following amendment to your substitute motion that will incentivize and encourage offic...