Milwood Neighborhood Assoc.

School is officially back in session.  That means there will be a lot more traffic in the neighborhood as people drop their kids off at school.  Please use extra caution during your morning and afternoon commute.

• Today the Capital Metro Board of Directors began a process that may lead to a fare increase effective January 2010. The board directed the agency to begin public outreach regarding the proposed fares.
• Under the proposal, Capital Metro's planned August 2010 base fare increase would be accelerated to January. At the same time, some fares and passes would have additional increases.
• Local bus fare would become $1 per ride, and disability fare card holders and seniors (65+) would pay $0.25 per ride. Likewise, fares for premium services, such as Express bus and MetroRail service, would increase between 25 – 33 percent more than what the Local Government Approval Committee approved.
• The fare increase is one component of Capital Metro's draft FY2010 budget. Capital Metro is pursuing a combination of administrative cuts, service reductions, and a fare increase to help develop a balanced budget in challenging economic conditions.
• Capital Metro, like the City, is projecting a five percent decrease in sales tax revenue during FY2010, about $9.9 million less than the current year.
• Capital Metro is not alone in this situation. A recent survey by the American Public Transportation Association found that 90 percent of transit systems nationwide are increasing fares, cutting services or both.
• The fare proposal, in addition to Capital Metro's budget, will go through a rigorous public outreach process before being formally considered by the Capital Metro board on Sept. 28.

Read the full news release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
August 19, 2009 Jill Mayfield, Public Affairs Office
City of Austin Water Utility
(512) 972-0150; pager 802-8959

Austin Water Utility To Enact Stage 2 Watering Restrictions
Austin – ”Beginning Monday, Aug. 24, the Austin Water Utility (AWU) will enact Stage 2 Mandatory Watering Restrictions because of the exceptional drought in Central Texas and recommendations made by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).
Stage 2 Watering Restrictions are in line with the 2009 Drought Contingency Plan authorized by Council earlier this year.  The plan states the City Manager may order additional water restrictions when the combined lake storage levels of Lakes Travis and Buchanan is less than 900,000 acre-feet. That level was reached on Aug. 12.

Stage 2 Mandatory Water Restrictions

• Requires residential and commercial water customers to follow a once-per-week watering schedule.
• Limits automatic irrigation systems to operation between the hours of midnight and 10 a.m. on designated days.
• Limits residential vehicle washing to designated days and times and prohibits charity car washes.
• Automatic fill valves for pools or ponds should be turned off.
• No outdoor fountains should be used except to provide aeration for aquatic life.
• No water to be served at restaurants unless requested by the customer.
• No washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas or other paved areas except to alleviate an immediate health or safety hazard.

To ensure that restrictions are followed, the AWU Water Conservation staff will begin stepped-up, around-the-clock enforcement and take a zero-tolerance approach to violations of the restrictions. Violating mandatory watering restrictions is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500. To report water waste, residents should call 3-1-1. For more information on water conservation visit www.WaterWiseAustin.com.

A car was broken into overnight or early in the morning of August 10/11, 2009 in the area of Ganymede Drive and Europa Lane. Police were notified.

We have heard of other incidents, including possible burglaries recently as well, and would like to remind the neighborhood to keep an eye out for anything or anyone suspicious. Alert your neighbors to watch your house if you are traveling; ask someone to bring in or hold any mail, flyers, newspapers or anything that may indicate you are not at home for a period of time.

If you see something or someone suspicious or witness a crime, please call 311 (non-emergencies) or 911 (emergencies) as appropriate.

We have asked the Austin Police Department’s District Representative (Officer Dunn) to add extra patrols to our neighborhood, which began immediately upon request. If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact the District Rep office main number at 974-5743 or Officer Dunn’s direct line at 974-5553 (he is on vacation until Aug 25 and other officers are filling in for now).

If your block or area of the neighborhood is not a part of the National Neighborhood Watch Program, please consider taking charge and starting the program on your street and adjoining streets. The National Sheriff’s Association began Neighborhood Watch back in 1972 to help neighborhoods and law enforcement prevent crime. You can get additional information at their web site to see how to get started.

On a personal note, a couple of years ago, we had a rash of vandalism on many blocks throughout the neighborhood, starting (most unfortunately) with my own house. Thanks to our Neighborhood Watch program, we were able to alert out block captain who in turn notified everyone on our block and the adjacent streets immediately. With nightly vigils and a lot of communication between our neighbors and the police, we caught the culprit who was tried and convicted and spent time in jail as a result. The program works.

Cap Metro posted their most recent update on Friday, with some milestones, but no target start date.

the details can be found here.