City of Austin Council Message Board

Colleagues, I am glad to support this much-needed item (Item 23) to maintain current pay levels and provide stability to our police officers while we wait for APA to resume good faith negotiations with the City of Austin for a labor contract. I intend to offer this amendment tomorrow to specify that...

Colleagues,

I also plan to attend the City of Austin's public apology announcement. I stand in solidarity with survivors and also remain committed to improving our sexual assault response system.

Yours in community,
Vanessa

Colleagues, I've posted version 2 of my Library Card Non-resident Fee IFC (item 68) which includes additional direction to staff to consider developing a comprehensive outreach and promotion plan to inform residents of the ETJ and LTD about the removal of the non-resident fee and to encourage librar...

Colleagues, I want to streamline my committee participation and will seek to roll off the Mobility Committee in the New Year. I intend to remain Chair of the Public Health Committee and remain as a member of the Audit & Finance Committee, along with serving as Chair of the Community Advancement ...

Dear Colleagues, I am posting a revised resolution (version 2) for Item 29, initiating amendments to the Climate Equity Plan and to elements of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, including the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, regarding telework policies. This version includes an affirmation of th...

Dear Colleagues, As you all know, there have been a series of critical safety incidents and near misses at the AUS airport this year. Representing the airport district, I am bringing forward a resolution that endorses several Federal safety reforms and directs local action to implement a centralized...

CM Harper Madison,

We have your back. I join our community in sending unwavering support and an abundance of positive energy. Your strength and resilience are an inspiration to us all.

Yours in community,
Vanessa

Thank you, Council Member Harper Madison, for your leadership on these two important issues. I would like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Yours in community,
Vanessa

Colleagues, Yesterday we heard very loudly and clearly from Austinites about the need to invest in our community. As we continue to deliberate and consider the City Manager’s proposed budget, I remain focused on continuing conversations with the community to ensure we deliver a budget that reflects ...

Thank you, CM Kelly, for calling attention to this issue. The lack of functioning A/C units across City of Austin vehicles is a widespread issue, including in our Austin Resource Recovery collection trucks. We need to be thinking about ALL City of Austin employees during this extreme heat. I am also...

Colleagues, Last summer, the city council unanimously passed a resolution that I brought forward declaring opioid overdoses a public health crisis in Austin and set in motion harm reduction strategies to address the overdose crisis. I want to thank Council Member Kelly and all cosponsors for bringin...

Colleagues,

I've incorporated CM Kelly's proposed amendment and added a minor change to align with CM Ryan Alter's Item 84 into a version 2 of my Item 58 for your consideration:

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 091815.pdf

Yours in community,
Vanessa

Hello Colleagues, I intend to provide direction to Item 40 (Adopt the Austin Public Library long-range Strategic Plan, including a facilities plan outlining initiatives and goals through 2028 in accordance with Imagine Austin) that ensures we conduct community outreach and engagement as we move forw...

Colleagues - I appreciate CM Kelly raising this issue. While I intend to support this need as a co-sponsor, I cannot support the resolution as it is currently drafted. As I mentioned to her yesterday, I am still looking into the issue for myself with AFD and am considering several changes to the res...

Hello Colleagues, I want to thank CM Ryan Alter for bringing forward Item 43 to help ensure we are providing affordable housing options to students. I am bringing forward a friendly amendment to ensure students are aware of existing affordable housing options and that they know how to apply for them...

Colleagues, The ice storm and its aftermath have made it ever more apparent that the city is in critical need of improving extreme weather planning. I want to thank Council Member Kelly and all cosponsors for bringing forward Item 40. I would like to provide a few amendments that reflect concerns an...

Thank you for the update, CM Qadri. On behalf of the Public Health Committee, I welcome CM Vela to our committee and look forward to working together on addressing homelessness and reducing the health disparities our communities face.

Yours in community,
Vanessa

Thank you, CM Vela, for bringing this item forward. I agree that extending our current police contract would benefit all parties involved. Austinites deserve to feel safe and assured that our police are held to the highest standard possible. At the same time, our officers deserve stability as negoti...

Thank you, CM Velasquez. I support your friendly amendment and appreciate your co-sponsorship of this item. Colleagues, I also plan to offer two minor changes to my Childcare Zoning IFC, Item 55. In order to clarify that the new “childcare services” use includes child daycare centers and early child...

As the outgoing Chair of the Austin Water Oversight Committee, I'd like to offer my full support for CM Ryan Alter chairing the committee moving forward. His expertise and the makeup of his district are well-matched to advance the priorities and scope of this committee.

Vanessa

Thank you, CM Vela and CM Harper Madison, for being willing and interested in serving as Chair of Public Safety and Housing. I strongly support and welcome your leadership and perspectives on these committees.

Vanessa

Colleagues, I have served as Vice-Chair of the Public Health committee for the last two years and would like to chair the committee this year. I’m also interested in continuing my service on the following committees: • Audit & Finance • City of Austin / AISD / Travis County Joint Subcommittee • ...

I’m also supportive of additional presentation time.

-Vanessa

Hello Colleagues, Under the current Tenant Notification and Relocation Ordinance, a landlord can evict all tenants and then apply for a zoning change without triggering the ordinance. My resolution (Item 39) seeks to close this loophole and ensure tenants receive proper notification and the opportun...

I also want to thank Mayor Adler for bringing this item forward and for providing further clarification on the goals and intent of this resolution so that our staff has the direction they need to craft policy that ensures we are not choosing between community benefits and housing supply. There is a ...