https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2011-04-26/tdh-4-26-11/

TDH: 4/26/11

By Wells Dunbar, April 26, 2011, 11:29am, Newsdesk

Between their Tuesday morning work sessions and additional get-together going over the city budget, this week's just one big City Council meeting. That said, the main event is this Thursday; below the fold, see where the Holly power plant decommission, digi-cams for cop cars and and a whole mess of legal fees sit on the agenda.

Highlights from City Council's April 28 agenda:

Item 3: Returning after a recent postponement, an item expanding Austin Energy's lease at their Barton Springs building, $12.4 million for 72 months.

Item 11: The controversial Holly Street Power Plant demolition contract. TRC Environmental is, once again, the staff recommendation, bidding $11.5 million in a rebooted contracting round, well below their intial bid of $24.9 million.

Items 13, 14: Creating the a public/private partnership with the Waller Creek Conservancy to help finance and manage projects resulting from the creek's tunnel construction.

Items 16, 17: A whole mess of legal fees in the city's various open meetings lawsuits: $110,000 to defend the city and council from the Austin Bulldog, and several amendments to ongoing contracts with outside legal counsel.

Items 18, 19: Funding digital cameras in police cruisers, at a cost of $11.9 million.

Items 39, 40: The first item gives Texas Disposal Systems up to 40% of the city's recyclables, should they agree to a contract. The latter gives up to 100% to competitor Balcones Resources, which they may receive if TDS can't reach an agreement; if TDS agrees, then Balcones is expected to take 60%.

Item 43: New regulations for pedicabs, largely laying out operating boundaries and requiring insurance.

Item 47: From lead sponsor Chris Riley, an item amending conflicts of interest, seemingly standardizing rules for city officials serving on the boards of nonprofits, and better defining nepotism guidelines.

Item 48: Having the City Manager prep that omnibus charter election.

Item 49: Lee Leffingwell proposes the Night of the Bat returns.

Item 51: Lead sponsor Randi Shade “requests fundraising recommendations” to create a African American Youth Resource Center.

Item 56: The morning's briefing is on changes to the city's Historic Preservation Program.

Items 62-64: The world's briefest zoning agenda.

HEY! Sign up for the Hustle's weekly e-mail newsletter, recapping news, politics and more every Friday. Don't worry, we'll never spam or sell your address. Visit here, enter your info, and click 'City Hall Hustle.'
Got something you wanna show the Hustle? Email it to wells [at] austinchronicle.com, tweet it @CityHallHustle, drop by the Hustle's Facebook or Tumblr page, or leave a comment in the section below.