City of Austin Council Message Board

Council Members-- For decades, the City of Austin has been committed to sustaining and improving the Red River community. Even with commitment, we aren't where we want to be or should be. Now, more than ever, we need to double down on our commitment to support our venues, our musicians, and to prese...

Council Members– I want to provide an update regarding the ongoing discussion at AISD. Texas law gives the parents at Webb and Burnet Middle Schools a powerful voice in what happens to their children. Over the past few weeks, those parents used that power, acted, and made their voices heard through ...

Council Members: As you all know, there have been numerous efforts to preserve the Lions Municipal Golf Course (Muny) for decades. We all love greenspace, we all need greenspace, and now, we have a real chance to preserve existing greenspace. Here's a link to a Watson Wire that I put out today http:...

Council Members – Today, City Council received a briefing on staff’s No Wrong Door program. I was disappointed to miss the discussion, as the goals of No Wrong Door are close to my heart, and I know it is for many of you, too. No Wrong Door was born out of a simple idea – why can’t we all get in the...

Colleagues – Tonight, the Central Health Board of Managers adopted their FY27 budget with a historic investment in mental and behavioral health in Austin-Travis County. The Managers approved a $630 million budget with $127.5 million going towards essential brain health. Of significance, $54 million ...

Council Members--

The work session scheduled for Tuesday, September 8th will be cancelled since there are no prepared staff briefings, and nothing has been pulled by members of the Council.

Thanks,

Kirk
On Behalf of Mayor Watson

Council: Here is my plan for the Council meeting tomorrow. We will begin promptly at 10am. After I call the meeting to order and read the changes & corrections into the record, I plan to begin with an opportunity to recognize and honor Chief Baker as this is his last meeting as our Chief of the ...

Council-- A question has come up about the process going forward now that we have the memo from staff. Please see my previous message board post. My intention from the beginning was to create protections and processes in case someone wanted to place a data center in Austin. My strong recommendation ...

Innovation should align with our community’s values, including the protection of our natural resources and the quality of life of our residents. With this principle in mind, in May, I proposed a framework for preventing and regulating data centers in Austin to assure that the City is a careful and t...

Council Members: This is to outline how we'll proceed tomorrow. As always, with the budget, there are a number of moving parts. I'll work to keep things orderly and consistent with rules and procedures. We have six items on the agenda that are "public hearings". We will open and conduct ea...

Colleagues— Prior to tomorrow’s meeting, I’ve been in discussion with our City Attorney’s office to discuss the rules and procedures regarding setting an election for the November ballot and the lettering for the upcoming bond and charter amendments. Chapter 2-18 of City Code provides the rules for ...

Council Members: I have been working with our professional finance staff to try and achieve the two primary goals I think I've heard from council: 1) create a mechanism for utilizing the $4.7 million we have from the newly certified tax rolls for potential social service funding and 2) create a mean...

Colleagues, Since our sub quorum's earlier post, staff has released its detailed recommendations on social service contract reductions — $5.42 million across 77 of the 155 contracts reviewed. My office looked closely at the contracts that serve Austin's children and families. Two things stand out, a...

Colleagues, I am bringing a proposed amendment to the redline version of Charter Amendment 3(f) to keep the 10% requirement to certify a recall petition, and to add further clarifying language to what was approved from the Independent Charter Review Commission. Please see the attached amendment: htt...

Council Members— On Thursday’s agenda, we have item 141, which is a request from the Hays County Appraisal District (HCAD). It relates to a proposal for HCAD to acquire property, within Hays County, to build a new office facility. State law requires an appraisal district to obtain the approval by th...

Council Members and others: I want to let everyone know that Colleen Pate will be leaving the Mayor's Office at the end of the month. She's taken a great job in the private sector and I'm very happy for her, even as I'm really sad to see her leave. As all of you know from working with her, she's bee...

Council Members: I’m bringing to your attention the special called Audit and Finance Committee meeting for this Monday, July 20 starting at 9:30am. The agenda includes a review of potential amendments to the City Charter for the November ballot. https://www.austintexas.gov/council/2026/20260720-afc ...