• Link to REGISTER FOR ON-LINE Meeting on April 13
• APRIL Agenda - by Holly Reed
• Presidents Message (re-print) by Holly Reed
• WANG Board Contacts
• District 10 News by Council Member Alter
• City Council Contacts
• Muny Conservancy
• Travis County Commissioner Shea, Precinct Two

Remember to click on photos to enlarge or get link....

West Austin Neighborhood Group is inviting you to a scheduled "ZOOM" meeting.

Topic: West Austin Neighborhood Group - April Board Meeting

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.

When: Apr 13, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

REQUIRED: Register in advance for this meeting:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vJIvce2rpzkriKr47QZNCsSjAUL_vtoUBQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

how to join a Zoom meeting.

Before the meeting, please register in advance by clicking the registration link (above), and when you receive a conformation email with a meeting link for joining the meeting, please click the meeting link so that you can download a copy of the Zoom application and set up your computer audio and video before the meeting starts

Since you will need an audio/video link, please use a computer or phone which has a camera on it.

Board of Directors Meeting Agenda

April 13, 2020 6:30 PM

Zoom Meeting ID: 162 623 921

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by Holly Reed, President

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this finds you and your family safe and well. At this time, the City of Austin has confirmed 642....now 774 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Travis County, and the daily count continues to grow. The City has created a website for the Coronavirus Disease to provide updates to citizens:

http://www.austintexas.gov/COVID19

The CDC website is also a vital source of information on how many cases have been confirmed, their location, and where to get help of you think you are sick:

www.cdc.gov

Mayor Adler issued an Order to the City of Austin on March 17, 2020 which prohibits any public or private community gatherings (defined as any indoor or outdoor event that brings together 10 or more people in a single room or space) until May 1, 2020 in an effort to stave off the spread of COVID-19. This includes religious services, weddings, conferences, parties and sports events.

The Mayor’s order does not apply to airport facilities, transit, government buildings providing essential services, schools, institutes of higher learning, grocery stores and pharmacies, hospitals, medical offices and facilities.

Restaurants have also been ordered to close common dining areas to the public until May 1, 2020. Restaurants may provide take out or no contact delivery food.

Bars are ordered to close public spaces until May 1, 2020.

The City’s critical infrastructure (communications, emergency services, energy, transportation systems, water and wastewater, are ordered to continue operating.

Please note PARD facilities that are closed to the public:

https://austintexas.gov/page/pard-facilities-closures

We realize that these orders will financially impact our treasured community businesses, but understand that we must all make a valiant community effort in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Our daily choices during this critical time may save lives. In the long run we will all be better and healthier if we follow the advice of our health care professionals and city leadership now.

Although WANG has postponed our monthly meetings until the City of Austin orders for public gatherings are no longer in effect, we will continue to provide our members and neighbors with information on neighborhood issues.

WANG will be sharing these updates via our E-Newsletter.

As always, if you have an emergency please call 911!

Court Upholds our Right to Protest Citys Rezoning Plan a Victory for the Austin Community

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As of Friday evening, there are 690 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Austin/Travis County. There have been nine deaths from the virus.

The city of Austin released the new numbers on its COVID-19 website -- it said 128 people have recovered and 89 remain hospitalized -- with 47 in intensive care and 31 on ventilators.

It is believed there is sustained person-to-person spread of the virus in the community.

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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)
• August "Happy" Harris.........member since 2005 (Transportation)
• Michael Cannatti .................member since 1999 (CWANPCT)
• Joseph M Bennett ...............member since 2001 (Membership)
• Haidar Khazen .....................member since 2004 (Web Master)
  
• Craig Lill ...............................member since 2017
• Joyce Basciano ...................member since 1999
• Brady Pedneau ................... member since 2019 (ANC Liason)
• Bob Hamilton........................member since 2020
• Sarah Hawthorne Cain.........member since 2020
• Heidi Gibbons.......................member since 2020

Honorary Committee Members

• Honorary Mayor Steve Adler
• Honorary Alison Alter
• Honorary Kathie Tovo

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IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW... MORE THAN EVER.....

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by Council Member Alter

Dear Neighbors,

Sometimes repetition is valuable. This is one of those times.

As your representative, I am asking you to STAY HOME, STAY SAFE. This is not a drill. The choices each of us make over the next few weeks are truly a matter of life and death. We need everyone who can to stay home and refrain from activities outside the home that are not essential. We have a window to slow the spread of COVID-19, and each of us needs to recognize our duty to help.

Today we received word of our community’s first COVID-19 related death. The deceased was a woman over the age of 70 with significant underlying health conditions. As we mourn this loss and share condolences with her loved ones, I ask that each of us reflect on what we individually can do to prevent further deaths.

Really truly, we have the power to influence the trajectory of the pandemic in Austin. Whether we succeed or not depends on our ability to reduce physical contact considerably.

To better understand the importance of our actions, please review the new University of Texas study projecting the demands on our healthcare system under different COVID-19 spread scenarios.

Yesterday, we demonstrated social distancing at our first council meeting. I participated remotely via Webex along with five other colleagues and the city attorney. The city manager, mayor, and four council members attended in chambers. We heard from dozens of citizens who dialed in to speak to us remotely. We also heard from staff remotely and in chambers. I anticipate we will conduct our next several meetings in a similar manner.

This is what my screen looked like and how chambers appeared.

We had a full agenda addressing both COVID-19 related items and other city business. We took several steps to help small businesses, workers and residents, and I encourage you to check out the section below my letter to read details about each COVID-19-related item Council approved yesterday.

The agenda was followed by a very informative briefing on COVID-19 and city actions. We were briefed by Dr. Mark Escott (EMS System Medical Director, Interim Health Authority and Public Health Medical Director, City of Austin-Travis County), Stephanie Hayden (Austin Public Health Director), Veronica Briseño (Economic Development Director), Juan Ortiz (City of Austin’s Homeland Security Management Office Director), and Jon Hockenyos (an economic advisor to the city). Other staff responded to council questions as needed. I encourage you to view the briefing for yourself.

In this newsletter, I have included many COVID-19 related links along with some new ways for our community to help those most vulnerable.

As always, please reach out to us at district10@austintexas.gov if we can be of assistance.

Stay Safe.
Best wishes,

Alison Alter

Council Member, District 10

Table of Contents

• March 26th COVID-19 Council Action
• UT Austin Pandemic Modeling
• All Together ATX Fund
• Easy Tiger 10,000 Loaves Community Challenge
• The Other Ones Foundation Mobile Hygiene Clinic
• Austin Asian American COVID-19 Relief Fund
  
• Coronavirus Information from Austin Public Health
• Other Ways to Help and Donate

UT Austin Pandemic Modeling

Led by District 10 constituent Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, a team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has released a public report showing preliminary results from their analysis of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Austin-Round Rock area. These projections make it clear how important strict social distancing is with respect to the number of severe cases we could see.

The models show multiple scenarios of varying social distancing levels, from no social distancing to reducing non-household contacts by 90%.

Please take a moment to look at the report and the models, and let's be especially vigilant about social distancing and heightened hygiene practices so that we can best protect our community.

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The Austin Community Foundation and United Way for Greater Austin have partnered to create the All Together ATX Fund to support communities experiencing economic and health-related hardships caused by COVID-19. This community-led philanthropic fund will provide flexible resources to nonprofit organizations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the economic consequences of the outbreak.

To learn more about this fund or to donate, please visit United Way's website.

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Easy Tiger is partnering with Drive A Senior, Central Texas Food Bank, Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Keep Austin Fed to help feed those severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

Easy Tiger is committed to baking 10,000 loaves of bread to donate to the community over the next 60 days, but they need your help!

How You Can Help:

• Order Curbside or Delivery and add bread to your order. Easy Tiger will match every bread purchase with a loaf for the community (up to 2,000 loaves).
• Donate a "Community Loaf" for $3 from the bread menu; add as many as you like.

Check out Easy Tiger's recent highlight in the Statesman.

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The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) has launched a Mobile Hygiene Clinic (MHC) to respond to the growing needs of those experiencing homelessness as many of their usual resources shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The MHC will travel the city offering the following services:

• showers and toilets
• hygiene items/toiletries
• new clothes
• first aid supplies

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Several local Asian Pacific American organizations are teaming up to save lives by supplying local medical professionals with N95 masks. The organizers of the Austin Asian American COVID-19 Relief Fund have the ability to secure masks from certified manufacturers that can be shipped in a week, and 100% of donations go directly to the purchase and delivery of N95 masks for frontline healthcare workers in Austin.

To donate or learn more, check out their GoFundMe page.

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The City of Austin is updating Austin Public Health's COVID-19 page daily. Visit austintexas.gov/COVID19 for the latest updates or click the blue boxes below to find information on each listed topic.

In previous newsletters I've highlighted several local ways to donate time, money or other resources to help those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, you'll find a list we've compiled of opportunities to help.

• Drive A Senior West Austin

• Central Texas Food Bank

• We Are Blood
  

• Banding Together ATX

• Stand With Austin

• H-E-B/Favor Food Delivery Partnership for Seniors

• AISD Crisis Support Fund

• AISD Food Services

• AISD Learning at Home

• Personal Protective Equipment Drives

512-978-2110

district10@austintexas.gov

Resources and Information from Government Agencies

• Centers for Disease Control Coronavirus Website

• CDC document on Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission

• City of Austin Press Conference (March 17 at 12 p.m.): Temporary Restrictions for Community Gatherings, Restaurants & Bars
  

• City of Austin Press Conference (March 13 at 6 a.m.): Two Positive Cases of COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County News Conference

• City of Austin Local Disaster Declaration

• Austin Public Health COVID-19 Resource Page

• State of Texas Press Conference (March 13 at 12 p.m.): Texas Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration, details state efforts to fight Coronavirus

• Governor Abbott's Disaster Declaration

• Texas Department of State Health Services webpage: Find up-to-date info on the state's efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

• Austin Independent School District Coronavirus Information

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Contact your City Council Representatives:

(click on name to send email)

• Mayor: Steve Adler 512-978-2100
  
• District 1: Natasha Harper Madison 512-978-2101
  
• District 2: Delia Garza 512-978-2102
  
• District 3: Sabino Renteria 512-978-2103
  
• District 4: Gregorio Casar 512-978-2104
  
• District 5: Ann Kitchen 512-978-2105
  
• District 6: Jimmy Flanigan 512-978-2106
  
• District 7: Leslie Pool 512-978-2107
  
• District 8: Paige Ellis 512-978-2108
  
• District 9: Kathie Tovo 512-978-2109
  
• District 10: Alison Alter 512-978-2110
  

Email All of the Council: Entire Council and Mayor

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Travis County Residents,

Our community is going through an unprecedented experience from the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that a stay-at-home order can cause great difficulties such as job loss, severe economic stress, potential mental health concerns, and numerous other disruptive issues. However, we also know social distancing is the most effective tool we have available to fight the pandemic and save lives.

In an effort to ensure you are as informed as possible of available guidance and resources in our community, please see below for a compilation of links you may find to be helpful and important; please feel encouraged to share these links with anyone who you think might need it.

Stay safe and stay strong. We will get through this, and I believe we will learn important lessons to improve our community along the way.

Best,

Brigid Shea
Travis County Commissioner Precinct Two

• Travis County COVID-19 Information
• City of Austin COVID-19 Information
• Travis County Justices of the Peace – non-essential court proceedings, including evictions, off until after May 8
• Report concerns/complaints about the order from the County Judge related to COVID-19
• Governor Abbott’s Executive Order No. GA-14

• Central Health COVID-19 Information – if you are uninsured and have COVID-19 symptoms, call 512-978-8775
• Google’s COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports – is social distancing working? (Search by county, state, or country)
• UT Austin’s COVID-19 Healthcare Demand Projections –graphs how social distancing reduces virus spread
• CapMetro & COVID-19
• NextDoor

• Texas Workforce Commission COVID-19 Resources for Job Seekers – Call Center 800-939-6631; 7 AM – 7 PM, seven days per week starting April 13th
• Workforce Solutions Capital Area
• US Small Business Administration COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application

• In-home child care support for Texas frontline workers from Care.com – caregivers can waive fees on this portal
• Texas Education Agency COVID-19 Support and Guidance
• Austin Independent School District COVID-19 Updates

• All Together ATX Fund

• “Day Trips & Beyond: Daytripping in the Age of a Pandemic – Stay home, stay safe, and still scratch that travel itch" – links for virtual day trips by Gerald E. McLeod for The Austin Chronicle

As of April 10, 2020

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