Makeup of City Council committees slated for change

Wednesday, January 18, 2023 by Jo Clifton

In addition to their work on City Council, Council members additionally serve on a spread of particular committees, each inside the metropolis and with members from different entities, resembling Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Travis County Commissioners Court.
In a City Council Message Board publish, Mayor Kirk Watson indicated that he could be serving on the identical committees as his predecessor, Steve Adler. Those embody the Public Health Committee, Austin Fire Fighters Relief and Retirement Fund, the Texas Municipal League Board of Directors, Austin Transit Partnership, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization as an alternate, and of course, the Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee (which contains all of Council), amongst others. He won’t be on the Downtown Austin Alliance board, as he famous that the group “has modified its bylaws in order that elected officers not serve on the board.”
Council Member Paige Ellis put in her bid to hitch the Capital Metro Board of Directors. Writing on the Council message board, Ellis mentioned, “I’d additionally like to switch CM (Ann) Kitchen on the CapMetro Board, as CAMPO’s elected official appointee. I’m hopeful the suitable members of the CAMPO Board will take motion on filling this emptiness on the February CAMPO assembly, and I’d be grateful for my colleagues’ assist.”
Ellis mentioned she want to proceed her service on the committees and boards on which she has been serving, together with the Mobility Committee, housing and public security, and a number of other intergovernmental panels.
Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison wrote on the message board that she want to chair the Housing and Planning Committee. “Housing is my high precedence and what I’m most obsessed with. I’ll deliver an excellent deal of data, enthusiasm, challenges and most significantly work with my colleagues in direction of options,” she wrote. She added that she want to step down from her present place as chair of the Public Safety Committee.
Council Member Chito Vela indicated that he would assist Harper-Madison’s transfer to chair the housing committee. He mentioned he want to be chair of the Public Safety Committee, stating that his expertise as a protection lawyer could be helpful to the place. Vela additionally mentioned he want to exchange Council Member Pio Renteria on the Capital Metro board. This wouldn’t battle with Ellis’ want to function a consultant of CAMPO.
New Council Member Ryan Alter mentioned he want to be a part of the Audit and Finance Committee, which has misplaced Kathie Tovo to retirement. The District 5 Council member would additionally prefer to serve on the Housing and Planning and the Austin Water Oversight committees. Alter mentioned he could be focused on chairing the water committee, “ought to that chance be out there. I defer to extra senior Council members who may additionally have an interest, however imagine I’d be effectively suited to work on these points.”
Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who has served as chair of the Austin Water Oversight Committee, mentioned on the message board that she want to step down from that committee, leaving a gap. She mentioned she would assist Ryan Alter’s bid for the chair. The water committee nonetheless wants a further member as a result of Council Member Kitchen’s retirement. Fuentes indicated an curiosity in serving on the CAMPO board and the Mobility Committee and persevering with her service on the Audit and Finance Committee.
Council Member Alison Alter, who chairs the Audit and Finance Committee, mentioned she want to proceed in that place. Council Member Leslie Pool, the vice chair of that committee, additionally mentioned she want to proceed her service there. Alter mentioned she want to discontinue her membership on the Mobility Committee to offer one other colleague the chance. She want to proceed her service on the Austin Water Oversight Committee and the Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee.
In addition to Audit and Finance, Pool indicated she want to proceed as chair of the Austin Energy oversight committee, “and cycle off of Water Oversight. I’m contemplating becoming a member of Mobility to increase on my work with Cap Metro, and probably Public Safety,” she wrote.
New Council members José Velásquez and Zo Qadri had not indicated their preferences on the message board as of Tuesday afternoon. In her publish for the mayor, Watson’s chief of employees, Colleen Pate, mentioned he want to vote on the assignments on the subsequent assembly on Jan. 26.
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