BG Reads | News You Need to Know (August 27, 2021)
[AUSTIN METRO NEWS]
A new Austin Energy rule aims to keep construction workers safe. It could also make homes harder to build. (Austin Monitor)
In response to the death by electrocution of a construction worker and a subsequent lawsuit, Austin Energy has increased the minimum distance between power lines and new buildings, a regulation the utility says will keep workers safer.
A jury in 2019 found Austin Energy guilty of negligence in the death of Jaime Membreno, who was working on the exterior of the OK Corral nightclub. Membreno was electrocuted when metal construction material he was cutting came into contact with a power line, which was closer to the facade than allowed under the National Electric Safety Code. The city of Austin and other guilty parties were forced to pay a portion of the $9.3 million in total damages that the court awarded to the Membreno family.
The rule increases the distance between new buildings and distribution lines (the type of lines seen along many city and neighborhood streets) to at least 15 feet, a 5-foot increase over the previous rules, in order to decrease the risk of electrocution for construction workers.
The development community has fought the new regulation, arguing that it makes new homes harder to build. The Home Builders Association of Greater Austin appealed the decision only for City Manager Spencer Cronk to uphold the rule.
In order to better understand the disagreement between the utility and homebuilders, Planning commissioners requested a briefing from Austin Energy, which they heard Tuesday.
Austin Energy engineer Scott Bayer said the rule aims to avoid future incidents and litigation: “Legally, this is the way we need to ensure public safety.” The rule applies to all new construction, including accessory dwelling units, home expansions and minor work like new porches. Existing buildings will be grandfathered in.
“We’re still trying to work to make things easier for (homebuilders) to be able to do their work, yet keep an environment that protects workers,” Bayer said, telling commissioners that the utility has had many conversations with those in the development industry…(LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin City Council directs city staff to develop a COVID-19 booster shot strategy (City of Austin)
Austin City Council unanimously approved a resolution (Item 110) that calls on City staff to develop a comprehensive COVID-19 booster shot strategy that is both equitable and efficient. President Biden’s booster shot rollout, which was announced on Aug. 18, is scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 20.
“As recommended booster shots quickly approach, this policy ensures we have a targeted strategy in place that takes into account all of the lessons learned from the initial vaccine rollout,” said Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes. “This needs to go beyond fixing the technical issues. We need a plan that is readily available to Austinites, laying out how we’re going to get booster shots in arms while still addressing low vaccination rates, especially in our communities of color.”
“This is a meaner, more aggressive form of the virus than we faced last summer,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “It will require us to improve the distribution of these vaccine boosters, while also continuing to encourage and incentivize the initial vaccine within at-risk communities.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
With ERs full, Bat Fest 'strong-armed' into canceling, organizers say (Community Impact)
Organizers of Bat Fest, scheduled for Aug. 28, said they feel the city has forced them to cancel.
In an Aug. 26 post, organizers said they received an email just before 5 p.m. Aug. 25 informing them that the city denied the music festival's special event permit.
"Therefore, we have been strong-armed into cancelling our event," the post said. "We are shocked and devastated as this is a huge financial blow and harmful to our reputation as event producers. We know it’s also hard on our ticket holders, our vendors, our bands, [et cetera]."
With emergency rooms full and Austin Emergency Medical Services strained, Mayor Steve Adler said the Austin Public Health Authority nixed the large event.
Event organizers said their COVID-19 Safety Plan had been approved by the city, the Austin Police Department and the Austin Fire Department, while Austin Emergency Medical Services medics were scheduled for the event. They also felt "singled out arbitrarily and discriminated against," the post said… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Council solidifies its vow to include child care in all new city developments (Austin Monitor)
Reaffirming its commitment to including family-friendly features in new city-owned and -sponsored buildings and projects, City Council doubled down with a vote to ensure child care facilities are also included.
As part of the resolution brought by Council Member Kathie Tovo, Council also voted Thursday to include on-site child care services in any future city facilities expected to house a sizable number of city employees.
Tovo recalled a previous Council direction to city management to include a child care facility in the new Development Services Department at Austin Community College’s Highland campus. The directive from Council never materialized, however.
“As the plans unfolded, there was not money allocated within the budget for that facility, and I regard that as a missed opportunity,” Tovo said.
While the city has included child care facilities in solicitations for construction proposals, they were inked in as options. Now, child care will be required, with some exceptions, such as the presence of a high-quality child care center within close proximity to the development.
Following brief comments from Tovo and Mayor Steve Adler, Council passed the resolution on a 9-1 vote, with Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison off the dais to attend to a family matter and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly voting no… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS NEWS]
Texas House advances new voting restrictions as Democratic hopes of killing the legislation wane (Texas Tribune)
After months of drama and political resistance, the curtain lowered Thursday on Democratic attempts to stave off a far-reaching rewrite of the state’s voting laws coveted by Republicans seeking to retain their hold on power in a changing Texas.
One week after finally regaining enough members to conduct business, the Texas House slogged through a 12-hour floor debate before signing off on a slightly revised version of the Republican legislation that first prompted Democrats to stage a nearly six-week absence from the Capitol. The late night 79-37 vote on Senate Bill 1 moves the state closer to enacting new voting restrictions, including limits on early voting hours and other measures opponents say will raise new barriers for marginalized voters, especially voters of color, who tend to vote Democratic, and those with disabilities.
The House is expected to give the bill final approval on Friday, leaving the House and Senate to resolve their differences before the legislation heads to Gov. Greg Abbott… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Dallas approves $72 million regional plan to place 2,700 homeless people in apartments by 2023 (Dallas Morning News)
Dallas elected officials on Wednesday approved a $72 million regional effort to help more than 2,700 homeless people move into apartments by 2023. The rapid rehousing program, which starts in October, is believed to be the largest investment in North Texas’ homeless population. The Dallas City Council unanimously backed three agreements: One supports funding for the program; another allows the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance to lead the plan; and the third designates the North Texas housing authority, DHA, as the administrator for rental subsidies that will go toward the homeless. Dallas County commissioners will vote on the plan Sept. 7.
The program, called the Dallas R.E.A.L. Time Rapid Rehousing Initiative, calls for providing 2,000 people with a year of rental subsidies. More than 750 emergency housing vouchers will be given to families, domestic violence victims and people who have long-term physical or mental health issues who may not qualify for the rapid rehousing model. City officials say the initiative is meant to aid people currently in transitional shelters as well as some staying in homeless encampments. Those in Dallas and Collin counties are eligible for the program, but only through a service provider. Furniture will be provided to people in the program, and about 100 caseworkers will be hired to help them transition and stay sheltered. Several dozen people experiencing homelessness, as well as others, spoke in favor of the plan Wednesday. Many mentioned that despite the support, they felt more needed to be done to increase affordable housing in the city and to boost other resources to help people obtain and maintain shelter. Jimmy Freeman said he has been living in a transitional shelter at The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center in downtown Dallas since April. He’s been homeless off and on for the past five years and has stayed in encampments when he had nowhere else to go. He hopes he’ll be accepted into the rapid rehousing program… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Biden says deadly attack won't alter US evacuation mission in Afghanistan (The Hill)
President Biden on Thursday said the U.S. would carry out its plans to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by the end of the month in the aftermath of bombings that killed at least a dozen Americans, while vowing to carry out strikes against the group responsible for the attacks.
“We can and we must complete this mission and we will,” Biden said in prepared remarks from the East Room of the White House. “And that’s what I’ve ordered them to do. We will not be deterred by terrorists. We will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuation.”
Press secretary Jen Psaki, asked a short time later if that meant getting all U.S. forces out by Aug. 31 as previously planned, said “nothing has changed on that timeline.” She cited ongoing terrorist threats and assessments of military leaders as reasons for sticking with the timetable… (LINK TO FULL STORY)