W.A.N.G. NEWSLETTER JAN 2023 !
PO Box 5722, Austin, TX 78763-5722
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PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
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by Holly Reed
President
Dear Neighbors,
We hope you’ve had a joyful holiday season. Please join us for the first 2023 meeting of the West Austin Neighborhood Group, on Monday, January 9, 6:00 PM at the Lions Municipal Golf Course clubhouse: 2901 Enfield Rd. Austin TX 78703.
We’d love to wish you a Happy New Year in person, and welcome all neighbors to join us at our monthly meetings.
It was a very busy December. WANG was delighted to have representatives from HEB attend our December 12 meeting to give a presentation on the new Lake Austin Blvd. HEB store, and to announce their grand opening date: FEBRUARY 15, 2023!
Over 60 neighbors joined us for the meeting at Lions Muny, and were treated to True Texas BBQ and delicious sides. HEB staff also answered neighbor questions about parking and transportation, the loading zone, drive through pharmacy, and store hours. For those who were not able to attend the meeting, HEB has kindly offered to answer questions about our neighborhood store.
Do you have questions for HEB or want to find out more?
Please email Albert Mendiola, Public Affairs Manager at mendiola.albert@heb.com with questions about the Lake Austin Blvd. store.
HEB GRAND OPENING FEBRUARY 15!
On December 13, Austin had a runoff election for Mayor, and for Council Districts 3, 5 and 9. Kirk Watson was elected Mayor and Jose Velasquez, Ryan Alter and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri won D3, D5 and D9 Council seats, respectively. WANG hopes to welcome the new mayor and Council members this January, and to express our hopes and concerns for our growing city.
During my time as president of WANG, I have seen our City grow progressively more divided, with Council members at times basing their decisions primarily on how an issue would affect the area within the boundaries of their district. Changes to the Land Development Code in particular, impact different parts of our city in different ways. There is no change that can be applied to the entire city in a “blanket” manner, without causing serious consequences for transportation, affordability, neighborhood character, property owners’ rights, parks and open green space, historic homes and buildings and Austin’s environment. Council Members need to join together with respect and understanding for how new city ordinances affect each area of the city differently.
My hope for this new Mayor and Council is that they come together to embrace ALL areas of Austin and REACH OUT to neighborhood associations, citizen organizations, and the people who live within Austin, BEFORE pushing changes that greatly impact our communities, just for the sake of growth. Starting with stakeholders when trying to find where to build greater density, or add more affordable homes, or increase public transportation should be their priority! Additionally, I hope the Mayor and Council will LISTEN to their community and neighborhood associations concerning preservation of our public green space and environment. Austin would not be Austin without our treasured parks, trails and open recreation spaces. We need our Mayor and Council’s support to keep green space as a top priority within this rapidly growing city, for our citizens’ mental and physical health and wellbeing.
I challenge our Mayor and new Council to START WITH THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN! Find better ways to reach out, respect and listen to public comment and advice concerning growth in Austin. We are here to help our unique and individual parts of Austin grow in a way that we can all live with.
WANG would also like to encourage our neighbors to reach out to our new Mayor and Council members, and let them know your concerns. Our elected officials serve the entire city, and if we are to work together, all Council members should get to know their constituents throughout the city.
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Why I voted against the austin energy base rate case....
Dear Neighbors,
On December 8th, a majority of my colleagues voted to approve new base rates for Austin Energy customers. While I voted against the rate change, I want to share the final proposal and the implications of these changes with you. Throughout our deliberations, advocates, Austin Energy staff, and the Austin City Council attempted to address various, and at times, competing priorities: stabilize the fiscal health of the utility, incentivize conservation and energy efficiency, maintain reliable service in a dynamic energy landscape, and mitigate rate shock to our most vulnerable customers and those who are grappling with the financial consequences of inflation and COVID-19. The final proposal was presented on the evening of December 8th shortly before we were asked to vote and included various changes to our rate design and tier structure.
Leading up to the vote, I spent hours working with Austin Energy staff and pouring over the rates, tiers, and various scenarios to mitigate the impact and rate shock and to deliver the best possible outcome for the ratepayers, the utility, and our conservation goals. Through these efforts, I offered changes that allowed us to advance various community priorities, like providing small business relief, expanding the Customer Assistance Program and not rewarding energy over-consumption.
While I believe the proposal improved significantly through our deliberations, in the end I voted against the final rate increase and rate design supported by the majority. I simply could not justify burdening our community with higher rates without assurances that the final proposal would sufficiently fortify the long-term health of our publicly-owned utility.
The rate increases and updated rate design will go into effect with your March 2023 bill. An inside-city residential customer with a typical use of 860 kWh will see an $8.87 increase to their monthly bill beginning in March of 2023, though there will be variation to that increase based on a customer’s actual energy use. The average customer impact is over $6 less than AE’s initial proposal.
The approved proposal includes:
Increasing Austin Energy’s base revenues by $29.5 million to offset increased costs.
Raising the Customer Charge gradually over three years — initially by $3 to total $13 in 2023, up to $15 total in 2025.
Reducing residential tiers from five to four and setting new levels. For 2023, the tiers for inside-city residential customers are:
Tier 1: 0-300 kWh at 4.100 cents.
Tier 2: 301-900 kWh at 5.100 cents.
Tier 3: 901-2,000 kWh at 7.307 cents.
Tier 4: >2,000 kWh at 10.564 cents.
Specific base rate changes for commercial and industrial customers vary based on their customer class.
If you have other questions regarding the base rate review process, I encourage you to read Austin Energy’s 2022 Base Rates Review FAQ webpage and to read material I shared in my April and November newsletters. You also may contact my office with any questions that are not addressed by Austin Energy’s online resources.
At our December 1st meeting, I sponsored a resolution initiating a review and revision of our 2030 Austin Energy Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan, which will include a new retirement date for the Fayette Power Project plant. I, and my colleagues, Council Members Tovo, Pool, and Vela and Mayor Adler, advanced this item together with members of our Electric Utility Commission, Resource Management Commission, Sierra Club, and Public Citizen because the generation choices that we make have potentially great impacts on our rates and our ability to achieve our climate change goals. This resolution will allow us to adjust to the new technologies that are emerging and to adapt to shifts in the energy market, as well as position ourselves to take advantage of new federal funding opportunities. Thank you to the many constituents who wrote to me and my colleagues in support of this update.
I know that these rate changes will impact households of varying financial means differently, which is why at our December 1st meeting I co-sponsored Mayor Adler’s initiative to expand the Customer Assistance Program to better serve our community’s families who will be most impacted by these rate changes. I intend to stay apprised of these efforts to ensure that the program is accessible to all who are eligible.
I also want to take this opportunity to make sure you are aware of the various utility bill relief programs that are offered by Austin Energy. Please click the links below to review eligibility guidelines and apply for each program.
The Customer Assistance Program provides utility discounts to income-eligible households.
Financial Support Plus 1 assists those who are experiencing temporary financial challenges, such as job loss, and are in need of utility bill relief.
The Medically Vulnerable Registry serves those with a long-term disease or critical illness in which someone is on life support, being treated for a serious illness that meets the eligibility criteria, or has an illness that is impacted by changes in temperature.
The City’s weatherization assistance program provides free home energy improvements that can help reduce your utility bill.
I would like to conclude by congratulating my new colleagues: Mayor-Elect Kirk Watson and Council Members-Elect José Velásquez, Ryan Alter, and Zo Qadri. I also want to thank Mayor Steve Adler and Council Members Kathie Tovo, Ann Kitchen, and Pio Renteria for their service. It is an honor to serve with all of you.
Best wishes,
Alison Alter
Mayor Pro Tem
Council Member, District 10
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SAVE MUNY
THE HISTORIC LIONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE
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UPDATE:
We sincerely hope that this will be the year that we SAVE MUNY, a treasured historic public golf course and open green space in the heart of Austin, FOR GOOD! As the first integrated public golf course in the southern United States, Muny is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is played and revered by people of all ages, demographics and incomes throughout the year. Muny is NOT just a West Austin golf course. It is a national historic treasure. Yet Muny remains in danger of being closed and commercially developed by the land owner, the University of Texas. An agreement MUST be reached whereby all 141 acres of Muny is preserved forever, or Austin will suffer an irreparable loss of history and treasured green space, for the sake of money.
A recent survey of the area revealed that a great majority of our CITIZENS WANT MUNY PRESERVED as an 18 hole historic public golf course and open green space, with plans for additional amenities like a history museum honoring the integration of the course, a walking trail, park days and farmers markets, movie nights, and more. The Muny Conservancy (a 501c3 non profit organization) is working to raise funds for the acquisition and preservation of Muny as a public golf course, for people to enjoy forever. Please support the Muny Conservancy by signing the petition to the University of Texas President and Board of Regents, at www.savemuny.com
And here’s a great fun way to support saving Muny! The Muny Conservancy is hosting the second annual IMAGINE MUNY event at the ACL Live Theater on February 19, 2023 with music guests Asleep at the Wheel, Lyle Lovett, Charley Crockett, Jack Ingram and Jimmie Vaughan! Please visit this link for tickets to Imagine Muny II:
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3A005D90FCE38B35
Join in the effort to SAVE MUNY FOR GOOD in 2023!
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We Are Muny, The Voices of Lions Municipal Golf Course
“Come on over to to Muny Saturday mornings BEGINNING JAN. 14 any time between 9 AM and 12 PM and tell your stories about what Muny means to you, for a new video campaign by our Muny Conservancy!
You Are Muny, and we need your voices to help Save Muny, For Good!
We Are Muny! Filming at Lions Municipal Golf Course, 2901 Enfield Rd. Austin TX 78703
Saturday mornings, 9 AM - 12 PM
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ADOPT A MEDIAN PROGRAM
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Or SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO HELP US MAKE IT BETTER
RE-NEW NOW AND EXTEND YOUR MEMBERSHIP THRU NOVEMBER 1, 2023
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WANG Board of Directors & Committee Members
Organized 1973......"To preserve our neighborhood and protect it from deterioration"
- President: Holly Reed President@westaustinng.com
- Secretary: Cathy Kyle Secretary@westaustinng.com
- Assistant Secretary: Blake Tollett AsstSecretary@westaustinng.com
- Treasurer: George Edwards Treasurer@westaustinng.com
- Past President: Cathy Kyle PastPresident@westaustinng.com
All Current Members (click on name to send email)
- Holly Reed ............................member since 2015 (President)
- Cathy Kyle ............................member since 2010 (Secretary)
- Blake Tollett .........................member since 1994 (Asst Secretary)
- George Edwards ..................member since 2004 (Treasurer)
- Mary Arnold .........................member since 2006 (Muny Tract)
- Michael Cannatti .................member since 1999 (CWANPCT)
- Joseph M Bennett ...............member since 2001 (Membership/E-Newsletter)
- Craig Lill ...............................member since 2017
- Joyce Basciano ...................member since 1999
- Bob Hamilton........................member since 2020
- Sarah Hawthorne Cain.........member since 2020 (Advertising)
- Heidi Gibbons.......................member since 2020 (ANC Liason)
Honorary Committee Members
- Honorary Mayor Steve Adler
- Honorary Alison Alter
- Honorary Kathie Tovo
CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES
Contact your City Council Representatives:
(click on name to send email)
- Mayor: Kirk Watson 512-978-2100
- District 1: Natasha Harper Madison 512-978-2101
- District 2: Vanessa Fuentes 512-978-2102
- District 3: Jose Velasquez 512-978-2103
- District 4: Jose "Chito" Vela 512-978-2104
- District 5: Ryan Alter 512-978-2105
- District 6: Mackenzie Kelly 512-978-2106
- District 7: Leslie Pool 512-978-2107
- District 8: Paige Ellis 512-978-2108
- District 9: Zohaib "Zo" Qadri 512-978-2109
- District 10: Alison Alter 512-978-2110
Email All of the Council: Entire Council and Mayor
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Click on the link City Stage photo above
(Austin Center for Events)
for more info of everything happening around Austin !!!!
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DON'T MISS THE PHOTOS BELOW SENT IN FROM OUR NEIGHBORS
"Around the neighborhood"
Gorgeous Sunset
Redbud Isle
Deep Eddy Pool (monthly cleaning)
MUNY Bulldogs Putting Tournament
Getting into the Holiday Spirit at Mozart's
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS for "AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Emergency Numbers:
Fire......................................................911
Ambulance (EMS) .............................911
Police Dept.......................512-975-5000
SCHOOLS:
Casis Elementary School.............512-414-2062
Austin High School.......................512-414-2505
O.Henry Middle School...............512-414-3229
Utilities:
Texas Gas Service.............................1-800-700-2443
Grande Communications...................512-220-4600
AT&T (new service)...........................1-800-464-7928
Time Warner Cable (Cust. Svc)...........512-485-5555
Austin/Travis Hazardous Waste.........512-974-4343
Redbud Isle