Austin City Council considered an agenda of 53 items with 28 of those items on the consent agenda before any items were removed from the consent agenda either for speaker testimony or further discussion.

Approved items:

  • The city manager was directed to explore options for requiring private employers to follow fair chance hiring practices, with District 8 Council Member Ellen Troxclair casting the only "no" vote.
  • The city manager was directed to find ways to let dogs out of their kennels while at Austin Animal Center and to conduct a report on how to improve the welfare of animals at Austin Animal Center.
  • A home buyout totaling $16.3 million in the Onion Creek floodplain at the intersection of South Pleasant Valley Road and East William Cannon Drive.
  • Austin Police Department is allowed to enter into a 36-month contract with AutoReturn for towing services.
  • The city manager was directed to explore ways to create a fourth taxi cab franchise modeled after a co-op business model. The proposal must be delivered to the Mobility Committee no later than Aug. 4, 2015.

Postponed items:

  • An ordinance that would increase the city's homestead exemption was postponed for a vote until June 4.
  • Mayor Steve Adler said council intends to postpone an item considering Texas Gas Service's proposal to increase customer rates.
  • A proposal to allow Decker Lake Golf LLC to operate a PGA-quality golf course at Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park was postponed indefinitely.
  • Adler noted council's intent to postpone consideration of an appeal regarding construction of Red Bluff Hotel. If the appeal is denied, construction will move forward as planned.

Items moved to committee:

  • Consideration of a contract for maintenance repairs for Decker Creek Power Station and Sand Hill Energy Center and purchase of a spare turbine for Sand Hill Energy Center will be considered in committee before coming back to council May 28. Additional funding for the contract would not exceed $14 million, of which $8 million is for the spare part.
Note: District 2 Council Member Delia Garza was off the dais for the May 21 meeting so her vote was not recorded on any agenda item. Garza gave birth to her daughter, Lourdes Leona Martinez, on May 20. Click here for her public statement regarding her maternity leave.