Search found 233 matches

by Leslie Pool
Thu Jan 05, 2017 1:47 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: on the future of the Austin State Hospital property
Replies: 1
Views: 6892

Re: on the future of the Austin State Hospital property

Thank you, CM Houston, for these ideas. I note that, before Travis County's proposal to acquire the old federal courthouse was approved recently, the feds considered applications from homeless organizations; the federal government has prioritized these housing needs when federal properties come avai...
by Leslie Pool
Thu Jan 05, 2017 12:24 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: agendas
Replies: 0
Views: 4835

agendas

all, I heard informally that two Special Called meetings are on tap for next Wednesday (at 4) and Thursday (at 4.30) at City Hall. Anyone else have information to share? And any agenda info - even in draft form! - for the Special Calleds and our retreat next week would be appreciated! I'd like to kn...
by Leslie Pool
Mon Dec 26, 2016 2:05 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Omnibus Activation Resolution No.1
Replies: 2
Views: 9616

Re: Omnibus Activation Resolution No.1

Mayor, thanks for the additional impetus to move the Music and Creative Ecosystem Omnibus forward. The performing and creative arts are important to Austin's character. I continue to support this effort, and agree that tangible commitment is key. I would like to add my name as a co-sponsor to bring ...
by Leslie Pool
Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:27 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Committees for 2017
Replies: 3
Views: 11541

Committees for 2017

Colleagues, MPT Tovo and CMs Kitchen, Garza, Houston and I would like to start a discussion about a major overhaul of the committee system. While some things about the system have worked, others haven't. We think a discussion about combining and eliminating some committees and changing the membershi...
by Leslie Pool
Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:16 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Mediated Agreement: Bull Creek Rd Coalition & ARG Bull Creek
Replies: 3
Views: 10647

Mediated Agreement: Bull Creek Rd Coalition & ARG Bull Creek

Colleagues, I wanted to share with you documents pertaining to the mediated agreement between the neighbors and the developer; so far I have summaries from both parties and they're provided here, below. I will post the mediated agreement as soon as I get it. These documents differ only in their intr...
by Leslie Pool
Wed Nov 09, 2016 12:58 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Nov. 10 Council Meeting
Replies: 2
Views: 8777

Re: Nov. 10 Council Meeting

Mayor, thanks for this update. Regarding the December 5 or 6 date for the public hearing and second reading of the Grove PUD, I understand that the lead spokesman for the neighbors will be out of town on business December 6 and 7. It would be helpful if the date for this special-called meeting could...
by Leslie Pool
Sun Sep 11, 2016 5:42 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: park lighting proposal clarification
Replies: 1
Views: 7638

Re: park lighting proposal clarification

MPT Tovo, thanks for your leadership on the parks lighting issue. I support this initiative and will be looking closely at vacancies in Austin Energy where I hope to identify revenue that we can free up to be added to AE's Community Benefit Charge. Instead of assigning this cost to the General Fund,...
by Leslie Pool
Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:32 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Grove Plan Needs More Housing, Parkland
Replies: 0
Views: 6214

Grove Plan Needs More Housing, Parkland

Recently, the coalition of neighbors who joined together in 2012 to advocate for a superior mixed-used development on the state-owned property at Bull Creek Road submitted their recommendations for the current proposal at the Grove. I am adding their document at this link http://tinyurl.com/hhkxvzc ...
by Leslie Pool
Thu May 26, 2016 9:37 am
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Welcome new AE GM & statement on City's energy future
Replies: 0
Views: 5094

Welcome new AE GM & statement on City's energy future

I’d like to welcome the new General Manager of Austin Energy Jackie Sargent back to Austin. Looking forward to meeting her and working on the various issues ahead. Since Ms Sargent is coming to Austin in the middle of a rate case and us having just had the new Navigant report on feasibility of build...
by Leslie Pool
Fri Apr 29, 2016 7:37 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Proposal for AE GM selection
Replies: 1
Views: 6923

Re: Proposal for AE GM selection

The Mayor and I are compiling a list of community members from the categories listed below, and will select 5-7 names for the Austin Energy General Manager Community Panel. 1. This panel will participate in the round-robin interview staff had scheduled for Tuesday, May 3. Applicants will individuall...
by Leslie Pool
Thu Apr 28, 2016 3:24 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Proposal for AE GM selection
Replies: 1
Views: 6923

Proposal for AE GM selection

Colleagues, here is a draft proposal to create a citizens panel to provide community input on the important decision of who will be the next General Manager for Austin Energy. The Mayor will discuss this idea with City Manager and report back on the outcomes of the discussion. ...... Create a Citize...
by Leslie Pool
Mon Apr 18, 2016 1:50 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Questions on The Grove PUD
Replies: 1
Views: 6881

Questions on The Grove PUD

Colleagues, I am sharing a letter I sent to City Manager Ott late last week with a number of questions about transportation issues at the proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) known as “The Grove at Shoal Creek.” As you know, our city staff has been in the process of reviewing this proposal, and I...
by Leslie Pool
Tue Apr 12, 2016 5:04 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Proposed Retreat RE: City Manager Evaluation
Replies: 2
Views: 8916

Re: Proposed Retreat RE: City Manager Evaluation

My thanks to MPT Tovo and the Mayor for following up with this proposal. I agree we'll need the day and a half recommended; a full day Friday and half-day Saturday (hard stop at noon or 1 p.m., depending on start time) should work UNLESS our Council meeting ends after 10 p.m. the night before .... i...
by Leslie Pool
Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:29 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: 040716 agenda item 6: campaign reporting forms
Replies: 0
Views: 5029

040716 agenda item 6: campaign reporting forms

All, as promised at our work session this morning, I've compiled the changes that CM Kitchen and the Mayor requested be made to the campaign finance forms. They are: - change term “Independent Expenditure” to “Direct Campaign Expenditure” (aligns terminology with reference in State law) - require a ...
by Leslie Pool
Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:27 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: 040616 agenda, item 6: campaign reporting forms
Replies: 1
Views: 6042

Re: 040616 agenda, item 6: campaign reporting forms

sorry - wrong date! I will report with the proper meeting date ....
by Leslie Pool
Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:54 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: 040616 agenda, item 6: campaign reporting forms
Replies: 1
Views: 6042

040616 agenda, item 6: campaign reporting forms

All, as promised at our work session this morning, I've compiled the changes that CM Kitchen and the Mayor requested be made to the campaign finance forms. They are: - change term “Independent Expenditure” to “Direct Campaign Expenditure” (aligns terminology with reference in State law) - require a ...
by Leslie Pool
Mon Feb 22, 2016 9:02 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Proposed committee system changes
Replies: 7
Views: 19454

Re: Proposed committee system changes

CM Casar, thanks for offering these changes. I'd be interested in co-sponsoring your initiative, and am supportive of having two members of a four-member committee as the basic requirement for placing items for consideration on committee agendas (rather than a majority). This tracks our practice dur...
by Leslie Pool
Wed Jan 20, 2016 8:57 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Bond Oversight Commission
Replies: 1
Views: 8719

Re: Bond Oversight Commission

CM Gallo, my nomination for the Bond Oversight Committee was submitted to staff earlier this month.
by Leslie Pool
Thu Jan 07, 2016 1:54 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: City Council Appointee Performance Evaluation
Replies: 2
Views: 15814

Re: City Council Appointee Performance Evaluation

Mayor, thanks for bringing this item back up for action. I would like to be sure there is an opportunity for us to receive comments and assessments from our direct reports' colleagues outside the City structure as part of these evaluations :: I believe the term of art is a "360 degree" eva...
by Leslie Pool
Wed Jan 06, 2016 8:33 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Moving Date of Austin Energy Meeting
Replies: 5
Views: 18262

Re: Moving Date of Austin Energy Meeting

hi Sheri, thanks for asking ... Audit & Finance meets the morning of Jan 27, 9 a.m. to noon. As Tina notes, the Open Space Cmte meets at 2 p.m. later that day. Both those meetings are "fourth Wednesday" committees. Are you interested in shifting AE meetings away from a Thursday entirel...
by Leslie Pool
Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:28 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: resolution on lobby registration
Replies: 0
Views: 7892

resolution on lobby registration

All, I am pleased to submit to you a report on the work accomplished over the last three months with stakeholders and the Ethics Review Commission relating to lobby registration. The resolution comes to Council Thursday for approval which will send a work plan to the City Manager to craft an ordinan...
by Leslie Pool
Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:14 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Draft Amendment for Item #33 Convention Center Master Plan
Replies: 2
Views: 10893

Re: Draft Amendment for Item #33 Convention Center Master Pl

Mayor Adler, thanks for posting a comprehensive list of issues for us to review. I have two items at this time to add to the mix (one of the bullets on your second page raises these issues, and I reiterate them here for emphasis and to provide greater detail): 1. The hotel. White Lodging has reporte...
by Leslie Pool
Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:05 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Washington Post article :: importance of parks
Replies: 0
Views: 9416

Washington Post article :: importance of parks

Colleagues, one of my Austin friends sent along a link to this September WaPo article that discusses a growing body of research that documents the psychological and physical health benefits of spending time in natural settings - forests or parks - especially for people who live in urban areas. We re...
by Leslie Pool
Thu Oct 29, 2015 9:29 pm
Forum: City of Austin Council Message Board
Topic: Open Space Committee meetings for 2016
Replies: 0
Views: 7087

Open Space Committee meetings for 2016

All, here's the schedule for Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee meetings for next year. I plan to have eight total meetings, with no meetings in the months of March, July, August and December. The November meeting will be held on the third Wednesday that month. It's possible agenda...