Dear Neighbors, It is my honor and privilege to continue to serve Austin and District 10 on the City Council. On Wednesday, I took the oath of office, swearing to faithfully execute my duties and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States. As disturbing events unfolded in our nation’s capital, we gathered virtually to mark a peaceful transition to power in Austin. For me, the national backdrop underscored the importance of reaffirming our commitment to lead responsibly and lead by example. The extraordinary voter turnout in Georgia on Tuesday reminds us that democracy can and should empower the best of us as citizens. We live in a complicated world and it is an understatement that we confront many crises, and also many opportunities in 2021. Together, as a council and as a city we must find ways to use this moment as a catalyst to address longstanding challenges in our city. To do so, we will need to be curious, deliberative, collaborative, inclusive, effective, and empathetic. We will need to be innovative, learn from our mistakes, and find common ground. I believe the best days for Austin are in front of us. I invite you to listen to my full remarks by using this link or by clicking the photo below. You can access the full swearing in including the remarks of my colleagues, Council Members Fuentes, Casar, Kelly, and Pool here. | | As I begin my second term, I will be nominating volunteers to each Council-appointed board and commission. I have been so fortunate to have so many talented and dedicated commissioners, and I am looking forward to continuing our work over the next four years. We have several vacancies and opportunities, and we are seeking District 10 residents to serve in these roles: Planning Commission (land use) Zoning & Platting Commission (land use) Urban Transportation Commission Bond Oversight Commission Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Early Childhood Council Commission on Veterans Affairs Construction Advisory Committee Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Committee Building and Standards Commission (Panel 1) Immigrant Affairs Library Commission
If you are interested in serving in one of these roles, please email Kurt.Cadena-Mitchell@austintexas.gov indicating your desired commission and include details on why you wish to serve. If you wish to serve on a board or commission that is not listed above, please email us to express your interest, as appointments can become vacant throughout the year when volunteers roll off or move on to other projects. Though most council members prefer to appoint commissioners who live in their districts, any resident may apply for any board or commission. You can learn more about serving as a commissioner, see current vacancies, and apply to serve here. Austin/Travis County remains in Stage 5 under APH’s risk guidelines and our ICU admissions continue to rise near July levels. Please stay home if you can, wear a mask, wash your hands, and physically distance yourself from others when possible. Our actions have a direct impact on COVID-19 numbers, and with small sacrifices, we can help save lives and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed. Below I have included important information about the COVID-19 vaccine and Austin Public Health’s role in the distribution process as well as additional COVID information. In this newsletter, you also will find information on upcoming citywide reimagining public safety meetings, details on how to file your homestead exemption, and more. Finally, I want to wish you and yours a Happy New Year! I am honored to continue serving as your Council Member. Please reach out to us at District10@austintexas.gov if we can be of assistance. Regards, Alison Alter Council Member, District 10 Subscribe to future newsletters at bit.ly/d10newsletters! | |
COVID-19 & Vaccine Update Reimagining Public Safety Community Conversations TCAD Homestead Exemption Helpline and Webinar Call for Volunteers: Grant for Technology Opportunities Program Art in Public Places Call for Artists – Application Closes Jan. 28 ARR Curbside Composting Collection Expansion Call for Local Podcasts
| | | COVID-19 & Vaccine Update My office has received many inquiries about the COVID-19 vaccine and Austin Public Health’s (APH) role in the distribution process. Please note the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is the only distributor in the state of Texas, and APH is a registered provider. DSHS determines how many vaccine doses each provider in each county will receive; Travis County has over 300 registered providers. To better ensure successful and rapid vaccine administration as more doses become available, APH established a regional task force to develop a draft distribution plan and is part of a local coalition with hospital systems and community partners. Please see this memo to see the draft plan and learn more about the distribution system in Texas.
The Department of State Health Services has begun distributing limited supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine to each of the 254 counties in Texas. Austin Public Health's main role in the distribution is to serve as an informational hub and to provide a safety net for individuals who may not have insurance once the vaccine is available to the public through APH clinics.
Today Austin Public Health (APH) was notified by DSHS that, as part of the State's next allocation of COVID-19 vaccine, APH will receive its largest allocation of doses to date as part of a statewide program to pilot regional COVID-19 vaccine hubs. The doses are to be administered to area residents who meet the State’s criteria for Phase 1A and Phase 1B of vaccination. Please note that not everyone will be able to get the vaccine through this pilot allocation, and APH urges residents to be patient and keep exercising preventative measures to protect themselves and others. The City is working with the State and advocating for more allocations of this magnitude in the future. If you can get your vaccine through your healthcare provider, a pharmacy, or another provider, please help us save the limited allocation APH has received for vulnerable populations in the community hardest hit by COVID-19. Austin Public Health is working diligently to keep up with and manage the rapidly changing guidance and new challenges from the state and federal government, and they have established a dedicated COVID-19 vaccine website that is updated frequently. APH releases a weekly vaccine fact sheet every Tuesday in English and Spanish. Please check this website regularly for new information. Testing Austin Public Health continues to offer free testing prioritized for individuals without health insurance. Those with insurance are encouraged to contact their physician’s office or insurer directly for testing referrals and private options. You can sign-up for a test through the Public Testing Enrollment Form or through the APH Nursing Hotline (512-972-5560). When calling the Hotline press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, 3 for Vietnamese and other languages. Hotline hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. COVID-19 Data and Risk Guidelines Austin Public Health tracks and publishes local COVID-19 data, such as new confirmed cases, case demographics, hospitalizations, and ICU/ventilator usage. Dashboards are available in desktop and mobile versions here. Austin is currently in Stage 5 risk guidelines. Please see below for information on what the public health guidance is at this level. | | | Reimagining Public Safety Community Conversations The City is hosting several community conversations about reimagining public safety in Austin. Residents are invited to attend to join the conversation and share input on this process. We are working to schedule a District 10-specific event that we will share once confirmed. Several citywide conversations are scheduled for January and are open to the public: Citywide session in Spanish*: January 16, 2021 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – RSVP Citywide session: January 23, 2021 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – RSVP Citywide session: January 28, 2021 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – RSVP
If you cannot attend these sessions but still want to provide input, please visit this page to find additional ways to submit feedback. | | | TCAD Homestead Exemption Helpline and Webinar The Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) encourages property owners to file for a homestead exemption on property they own and live in as of Jan. 1. Several types of homestead exemptions exist including a general residence homestead exemption and exemptions for people over the age of 65, people and veterans with disabilities, and the surviving spouses of service members or first responders killed in the line of duty. In order to be eligible for a homestead exemption, a property owner must own and occupy the property as of Jan. 1. The deadline to submit an exemption application is April 30. This year, TCAD has established a new exemption helpline to help property owners with their applications. By calling 512-873-1560, Travis County residents can speak with a customer service representative who can answer their questions about eligibility and documentation, walk them through their application, and help with submitting a completed application. The helpline is staffed Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additionally, TCAD has launched a new webinar series aimed at helping property owners understand the property tax system. Topics that will be covered include types of homestead exemptions, understanding Notices of Appraised Value, and the protest process. The first webinar is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 14 at 11 a.m. and will cover property tax bills, payment options, and appraisal remedies. Property owners can register for the 2021 Property Owner Webinar Series at www.traviscad.org/webinars. | | | Call for Volunteers: Grant for Technology Opportunities Program The Grant for Technology Opportunities Program (GTOPs) is a grant administered by the city’s Community Technology division directed at improving the community’s ability to fully participate in digital society. GTOPs provides awards for local nonprofit groups for projects that create digital opportunities and promote digital equity in innovative ways.
GTOPs seeks volunteer grant reviewers to serve on panels in order to distribute funds. Each panel requires approximately 10-15 hours of work per round. If you are interested in serving as a grant reviewer, learn more and apply here. | | | ARR Curbside Composting Collection Expansion
Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) announced the fourth and final expansion of the Curbside Composting Collection Program to an additional 55,000 Austin households beginning in February. Currently about 152,000 homes receive curbside composting collection service. This final expansion will provide the service to all remaining ARR customers after a four-year phased in approach that began in 2017. Customers included in this year’s curbside composting expansion were mailed a notification postcard in early January informing them of their new service and inviting them to participate in a virtual town hall in late January. For more information about Curbside Composting, how to participate in the virtual town hall, resources and instructional videos visit austintexas.gov/composting. | | | Art in Public Places Call for Artists – Application Closes Jan. 28
The City of Austin/Art in Public Places (AIPP) seeks artists and artist teams living in the United States and/or territories for AIPP's 2021-2023 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool. Artists will be selected for the Austin Art in Public Places program 2021-2023 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool by a jury of arts professionals. Invitations to apply for public art opportunities will be shared with artists in the Pre-Qualified Artist Pool. Selected artists may be contracted to create artwork for eligible projects throughout Austin. Practicing visual artists, artist teams, and visual arts professionals at least 18 years of age who live in the United States and territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) are eligible to apply. Austin and national artists are encouraged to apply! APPLICATION: PublicArtist.org/AustinAIPP – EXTENDED DEADLINE: January 28, 2021, at 5 p.m. | | | Do you host a podcast here in town? Do you have a favorite local podcast you listen to? Share them with us! We want to share some favorite local podcasts for folks to listen to. Please send your local podcast recommendations to District10@austintexas.gov with the title, hosts, a brief summary, whether the host resides in District 10, links to stream episodes, and any other info or photos you would like to share. | |
|
|
