CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin, Travis County & Williamson County
BY BEN THOMPSON & GRACE DICKENS
HIGHLIGHTS WILLIAMSON COUNTY The Commissioners Court charged the 2023 Citizens Bond Committee with assessing the county’s need for a road and parks bond election April 4. If the citizens bond committee decides a need exists to call a road and park bond election, the court requested the group recommend a value for a bond election and provide a draft list of projects no later than June 27. Austin City Council will meet May 4 and 18 and June 1 at 10 a.m. at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St., Austin. 512-974-2250 www.austintexas.gov/department/ city-council Travis County Commissioners Court will meet May 9, 16 and 23 at 9 a.m. at the Travis County Administration Building, 700 Lavaca St., Austin. 512-854-4722. www.traviscountytx.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court will meet May 9, 16 and 23 at 9:30 a.m. at the Williamson County Courthouse, 710 Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER
State troopers patrolling Austin AUSTIN Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and special agents are patrolling Austin streets through a new public safety partnership with the Austin Police Department. The operation, which kicked o March 30 and comes at no cost to the city, is aimed at violent crime and tra c enforcement while local police are understa ed and taking longer to respond to calls for service. Mayor Kirk Watson worked with state leaders to start the program and said its goal is making residents feel safer and supplementing local police; APD Chief Joseph Chacon said his o cers will still handle most calls for service. The police department has pointed to success so far with violent crimes, 911 calls and police response times all dropping in the program’s rst two weeks. DPS pulled over more than 4,000 drivers and ticketed about
Austin Public Library plan calls for expansion AUSTIN City leaders have given the thumbs up to a strategic plan for ensuring library access across town and building out more facilities for the Austin Public Library system to keep up with the city’s growth. To expand its system, the Austin Public Library began working on a new long-range plan in 2022, which was adopted by City Council on March 23 to guide a long-term facilities plan. The new plan states more than half of APL’s 20 branches should be expanded to hit the benchmark of 30,000 square feet, which in some cases will require a relocation. Changes for the Northwest Austin area include a new 30,000- to 40,000-square-foot library near the Four Points area, as well as expansions or replacements of the librar- ies at the Little Walnut Creek, Milwood and Spicewood Springs branches. Proposed changes at the Milwood Branch include expanding or replacing the existing library to a size of at least 30,000 square feet, a substantial increase from its existing 8,270-square-foot facility. A similar upgrade to 30,000 square feet was recommended for the Spicewood Springs Branch and Little Walnut Creek branches, which sit at 13,300 and 11,000 square feet, respectively.
RISING RESPONSES
Austin’s police sta ng has trended downward in recent years. POLICE STAFFING BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,959 April 2020 1,806
Due to short-sta ng and long 911 wait times, the Austin Police Department partnered with state law enforcement starting March 30. The APD says response times have dropped since the operation began. April data wasn't available as of press time.
EXPANDING THE SYSTEM To accommodate demand, Austin Public Library has proposed the expansion or replacement of two existing branches in Northwest Austin along with the construction of a new branch near the Four Points area.
Average priority response time
Target priority response time
12
April 2021 1,708
C
Winter Storm Uri
10 11
620
183
AMHERST DR.
BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,809
D
DPS Partnership starts
APD updated its target response times.
April 2022 1,604
0 9 8 /
35
DUVAL RD.
SPICEWOOD SPRINGS RD.
BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,809
MOPAC
April 2023
DESSAU RD.
84.11%
1,490
2222
2020
2021
2022
2023
BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,812
360
A
NOTE: BUDGETED OFFICERS REFERS TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SWORN POSITIONS APD HAS FUNDING FOR EACH YEAR.
Oct. Dec.
Feb.
April
June
Aug.
Oct.
Dec.
Feb.
April
June
Aug.
Oct.
Dec.
Feb.
April
W. RUNDBERG LN.
N
Existing branches:
SOURCE: AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT
Little Walnut Creek Branch • Existing size: 11,000 square feet • Proposed size: 30,000 square feet Spicewood Springs Branch • Existing size: 13,300 square feet • Proposed size: 30,000 square feet C A
Milwood Branch • Existing size: 8,270 square feet • Proposed size: 30,000 square feet B
the operation, and no details on a potential exit strategy have been shared. “We have talked about, just a little bit, how long will this last? And the short answer is, right now we just don’t know,” Chacon said. “We’re trying to give it time to work.” Regular data reports and further council review of DPS work are expected as the operation continues.
1,000 through April 13. Troopers also made more than 150 arrests and seized drugs, guns and vehicles. Several city o cials have raised concerns about who DPS might be targeting, where troopers patrol, and how to address questions about oversight and the program’s future. During an April 18 brie ng on the operation, some council members also said they have seen a disparity in DPS
presence between east and west Austin and aggressive patrolling in their dis- tricts. Police o cials said the APD’s 911 call data alone is guiding patrols, and that more demographic information has been requested from DPS. The terms of the operation also remain unclear. Watson launched the partnership without council involvement or approval, there is no written agreement governing
Proposed branch:
Far Northwest Austin Branch • Proposed size: 30,000- 40,000 square feet D
SOURCE: AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMUNITY IMPACT
HYMEADOW 12611 Hymeadow (512) 506-8401
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
ARBORETUM 10515 North Mopac Expressway (512) 342-6893
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