The Long, Hot Battle

Only the salamanders would know for sure if the job was done right. Discussion on the council dais veered toward the absurd when members threatened to scrap a $2.2 millionBrown & Root contract for the design and construction of the Waller Creek Tunnel on the basis that the company didn't have enough local involvement and expertise, and their work would therefore be less able to "reflect the nature and character of Austin" (a new city politics buzzword which seems to mean, "Let's make sure this thing looks cool"). By approving the contract, the city awarded the engineers at Brown & Root their biggest project since the South Texas Nuclear Project made the relationship between the city and the firm primarily a litigious one.

It was Councilmember Willie Lewis who reminded the council of Brown & Root's involvement in the STNP, the city's most famous boondoggle in recent memory. The city has worked with B&R since, but not on a project of this profile or magnitude, and the company's representative told the council that they were going to do right by Austin and put that nasty Nuke mess behind them. Then the discussion veered to the topic of just how prepared B&R is to execute a project that adequately "reflects the nature and character of Austin." Anticipating just such a discussion, representatives from local outfit Carter & Burgess were on hand to provide the council with information on their team, which includes Janna McCann and Emily Little. Though he said he did not object to the council's selection of Brown & Root, Clif Davis told the council that a strong Austin-based team would benefit the project.

The council ultimately approved the Brown & Root contract 7-0, but with the stipulation that the contractor get public input for the design of the project, which has as its major feature a large hole in the ground and underground concrete pipe.

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Challengers Circling

Two council challengers -- Chad Crow, who has announced his candidacy for the office, and Dewayne Naumann, who may soon throw his hat into the ring -- skulked around the council chambers Thursday night, trading riffs on the nature of free speech and the campaign finance system. Crow, an aide to U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, has been very successful raising money. The Statesman reported last week that his campaign was the richest among council challengers, with over $5,000 in the bank, which he attributed to his diligent block walking. He says his campaign has turned into quite the grassroots affair, with contributions flowing in from the people he meets on the street. When asked if Crow favored the $100 contribution limit passed in November of 1997, which has prompted much of the flesh-pressing among candidates, the libertarian recoiled. He and Naumann (who says he is still weighing personal considerations but would likely decide on a council run in the next two weeks) agreed that contribution limits curb free speech, and that unlimited spending with full disclosure is the fair way to go. If an honest person wants to use his cash to make a favored candidate famous, so be it, they said. "If I someday have enough money to influence an election, I will," said Crow.

This Week In Council: The council will not meet this week. As predicted, the Forum PUD was postponed to February 25. The council is expected to vote on the proposed "mitigation" policy at its next meeting, February 4.