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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
Mayor of Austin; former State Senator; former Founding Dean of the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs
Austin, Texasaustintexas.gov/department/may…Joined January 2010
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Mayor Kirk Watson’s Tweets

Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
Here's a table summarizing client exits broken down into two periods: the first covers The Salvation Army’s February 17th closure announcement through March 8, when an update was provided to the Public Health Committee meeting. The second covers progress through March 16. (3/3)
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
...and stay open, so the City’s Homeless Strategy Division and other community partners can place their remaining clients. I appreciate the hard work of the Homeless Strategy division and partners to find placement options for clients affected by the closing. (2/3)
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
Update on the relocation efforts for clients of The Salvation Army’s downtown shelter. As of 3/17, 26 clients remain. Of the 26 clients remaining, 6 have relocation plans in place for next week. I’ve pushed from day one that The Salvation Army fulfill its responsibility... (1/3)
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
Customers do not need to call 311 for the final citywide pass. Crews are driving all streets & picking up debris properly set at the curb. As of March 20, crews have collected over 166,000 tons of debris & over 23,000 truckloads.
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City of Austin
@austintexasgov
Austin Resource Recovery has started its second pass through the city to collect storm debris from customers + expects completion later this week. 🌳 Crews will then begin a final citywide pass to be completed by the end of April. 📌 Learn more: bit.ly/3JyYKzQ
Piles of tree limbs and brush line both sides of a residential street.
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
🗓️Tomorrow from 4-7PM:
@ATP_org
is hosting a #ProjectConnect open house at the Austin Central Library to update folks on Austin Light Rail. It’s a come-and-go event, so you can stop by and learn what’s happening directly from the ATP team. More info:ProjectConnect.com/Get-Involved
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Austin Transit Partnership
@ATP_org
Join us at the #AustinTransitPartnership open house for updates on Austin Light Rail. Come and go on Tuesday, March 21 between 4 – 7 p.m. at the Austin Central Library (710 W Cesar Chavez Street). We hope to see you there! Go to ProjectConnect.com/Get-Involved for more information!
Rendering artwork of a light rail train running next to UT on Guadalupe, with pedestrians and cyclists
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Mayor Kirk Watson Retweeted
Austin Emergency Management
@AustinHSEM
UPDATE: From
@NWSSanAntonio
- Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for areas near Travis County, TX and Williamson County, TX until 10:15 p.m. Seek shelter and maintain personal safety.
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Austin Emergency Management
@AustinHSEM
Hay una advertencia de tormenta severa para el norte del condado de Travis hasta las 9:15 p.m. Se esperan tormentas en el área de Austin pronto #SpringFestATX twitter.com/AustinHSEM/sta…
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
It is unacceptable that our officers who have worked overtime hours haven’t been paid in a timely manner. As noted, this has been going on for over a year. However, we are resolving this issue right now.
It is unacceptable that our officers who have worked overtime hours haven’t been paid in a timely manner. As noted, this has been going on for over a year. However, we are resolving this issue right now. Allowing this critical HR function to languish during the pandemic and beyond is one more example of why City Hall needed a big shake-up. As we learn of inherited problems, we will fix them. And we will focus on restoring quality basic services to our community.
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CBS Austin
@cbsaustin
While many rank-and-file officers in the @Austin_Police are working overtime, they’re not always seeing that reflected on their paychecks. The Austin Police Association says missing and delayed overtime pay has been a problem since the mid-pandemic. cbsaustin.com/news/local/sig
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
Grateful for the collaboration across our state to bring these arrests forward. As
@TxDPS
Director Steve McCraw rightly stated: “This is not just a local problem. This is a significant threat to the public, and it won't be tolerated in Austin and anywhere in the state.” (1/2)
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Austin Police Department
@Austin_Police
Austin Police Department announces arrests of multiple suspects involved in Citywide Reckless Driving 'Street Takeover' Incidents - mailchi.mp/austintexas.go
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
.
@NWS
has forecasted a 40% chance of showers & thunderstorms before 4PM + windy conditions with gusts as high as 30 mph.
@austintexasgov
departments are preparing for the impact of the potential storm and the community is also urged to be aware, get ready, and stay safe.
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Austin Emergency Management
@AustinHSEM
⛈️Severe weather forecasted today. The City is preparing, and it is time for you to prepare as well! More info: austintexas.gov/news/possible-
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Mayor Kirk Watson Retweeted
Austin Energy
@austinenergy
⛈️ Spring storms can bring more than just flowers. Possible severe weather starting Thursday could lead to localized outages. ⚡Outage Map outagemap.austinenergy.com 📱Sign up for Text Outage Alerts austinenergy.com/go/alerts 🔋Keep your phone charged 📞 Report outages 512-322-9100
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NWS Austin/San Antonio
@NWSSanAntonio
Below to well below normal temperatures are expected through this weekend, except above normal on Thursday. Showers and storms, some possibly strong to severe, are expected Thursday into early Friday, otherwise only a few light rain showers are possible each day.
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
.
@ATP_org
is hosting a #ProjectConnect open house next week to update folks on Austin Light Rail. March 21 from 4-7PM at the Austin Central Library. It’s a come-and-go event, so you can stop by and learn what’s happening from the ATP team. More info:ProjectConnect.com/Get-Involved
Quote Tweet
Austin Transit Partnership
@ATP_org
Join us at the #AustinTransitPartnership open house for updates on Austin Light Rail. Come and go on Tuesday, March 21 between 4 – 7 p.m. at the Austin Central Library (710 W Cesar Chavez Street). We hope to see you there! Go to ProjectConnect.com/Get-Involved for more information!
Rendering artwork of a light rail train running next to UT on Guadalupe, with pedestrians and cyclists
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
The Homeless Strategy Division & community partners have identified alternative shelter or housing for ~50 remaining clients. Salvation Army's local advisory board agreed to extend its downtown shelter ops for up to 30 days. Clients will be accommodated in a variety of settings
While the destination of individual people will be determined in the coming days, we anticipate that remaining Salvation Army clients will be accommodated in a variety of settings which are likely to include: Other local shelters, including Northbridge, Southbridge, the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH), and the Austin Shelter for Women and Children. Apartments already secured by a service provider, with support to include rental assistance and case management Transitional housing programs. Board and care homes. Hotel stays arranged through a nonprofit partner (in cases where only short stays are needed before another placement) Finding resolution to this crisis in such a short period of time has only been possible through the dedication, collaboration and creativity of our community partners, with over a dozen organizations offering bed capacity, funding, and other resources and support.
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
🧵I truly appreciate that folks from our Homeless Strategy Division and
@AusPublicHealth
have stepped in to help the residents with compassion and urgency to ensure everyone has a safe space to stay. Update on The Salvation Army Downtown Shelter austintexas.gov/edims/pio/docu
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
"I’m disappointed that it’s taken this long for The Salvation Army to live up to the promise they made in January to take care of each and every resident that they’re displacing." Full press release: austintexas.gov/news/city-work
Austin Interim City Manager Jesús Garza announced Wednesday that the City is actively working with The Salvation Army on options to ensure guests at the organization’s downtown shelter have somewhere to go, despite The Salvation Army’s plans to close the shelter on March 15. The Salvation Army announced on Feb. 17 that the shelter would be closing. The news came as a surprise to shelter residents and partner organizations in the homeless response community. To address the situation, the City will announce detailed plans later this week on how the current guests of the downtown shelter will be assisted. “This is a vitally important issue to Council and to the community,” Garza said. “We are exploring all options for placement and will have a solution by the end of this week that ensures each Salvation Army resident is provided for and able to stay here in our community if they wish to do so.”
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Mayor Kirk Watson
@KirkPWatson
— March 9-19: we’re enforcing our No Refusal Program. If motorists are suspected of being intoxicated and refuse to submit to a blood or breath test, we will obtain search warrants. — Specialized units focusing on human trafficking and gun crime will also be out in force
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