1. City Council race heads to runoff vote
This year's election season is not quite over. Since none of the four candidates running for District 10 received more than 50 percent of the general election vote, the top two—incumbent Sheri Gallo and Alison Alter—will face each other in a runoff vote Dec. 13.
Monday is the last day for District 10 residents who are not registered voters to register in time for the runoff, according to the Travis County Clerk's office. Early voting will run from Nov. 28-Dec. 9. District 10 includes the 78750 and 78759 ZIP codes within Community Impact Newspaper's Northwest Austin coverage area.
Part of the process in the Connections 2025 service plan will include analyzing existing service and how to accommodate growth.[/caption]2. Capital Metro moves closer to Connections 2025 vote
An update on Capital Metro's Connections 2025 plan is among agenda items for the transportation authority's board meeting Wednesday. Changes to the transit plan, which is updated every five years, would be implemented in phases over the next decade beginning in January. Read more about proposed Connections 2025 updates here.
The board is expected to vote on the final transit plan in December. Wednesday's meeting starts at noon at Capital Metro's office, 2910 E. Fifth St., Austin.
3. City hosts second Bull Creek District Park meeting
The city of Austin hosts the second of two meetings Thursday to gather public comment on a proposed master plan for the Bull Creek District Park in Northwest Austin. The event is from 6:30-8 p.m. in Huffman Hall at St. Matthew’s Church, 8134 Mesa Drive, Austin, near Anderson High School. The first meeting was held Oct. 27. City officials plan to spend $750,000 to develop, design and construct the first phase of park improvements at Bull Creek District Park, located at 6701 Lakewood Drive, Austin, off Loop 360. Funding comes from Austin’s 2012 general obligation bond.
4. Round Rock ISD trustees to vote on middle school boundaries, new high school design
RRISD's board of trustees will have a busy night Thursday. Trustees are expected to vote on a proposal to redraw attendance boundaries for four middle schools ahead of the Austin 2017 opening of Pearson Ranch Middle School. Changes would affect boundaries for the Cedar Valley, Chisholm Trail, Deerpark and Walsh middle schools. No changes are proposed attendance boundaries for RRISD’s elementary and high schools. The proposal has drawn opposition from some parents concerned about the effect it will have on students, but RRISD officials say the changes are necessary to relieve overcrowding and make room for the new middle school.
Trustees are also scheduled to vote on a preliminary design for the district's sixth high school, proposed to be built on Pearson Ranch Road in Austin. The board will begin its public session at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Round Rock High School Lecture Hall, 300 Lake Creek Drive, Round Rock.
5. District of Innovation plan draws ire from school employees union
The Texas State Teachers Association filed a formal complaint last week with Round Rock ISD urging the district to withdraw its recently approved District of Innovation designation. The DOI status allows RRISD to exempt itself from seven provisions in the Texas Education Code, including requirements for teacher certifications and class sizes. TSTA, acting on behalf of Education Round Rock, a local union representing RRISD teachers and employees, argues the district did not follow state code when it developed its DOI plan.
Meanwhile, Austin ISD voted to move forward with its own DOI designation, joining several other school districts in Travis and Williamson counties who are considering similar initiatives.
