Courtesy of Bill McCann
Consultants for the Travis County Commissioners Court will host two listening sessions to gather public input on the Facilities Master Plan for the County's downtown campus. The listening sessions will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2010 and at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday May, 13, 2010. Both sessions will be held at 314 W. 11th Street.
While Travis County has facilities in south Austin, Del Valle, and on Airport Boulevard, the majority of the County's facilities are located in downtown Austin. There are currently 33 County offices and departments housed in buildings that are at capacity. A Strategic Needs Assessment has been completed and the consultant team has launched the planning process for the Facilities Master Plan. Public input is being sought since voters will likely be asked to approve a bond program to fund new facilities.
According to the consultant team, the comprehensive Facilities Master Plan will:
– Ensure that any new buildings, as well as existing buildings, are the right size, form, quality, image, and location for the proposed functions and that the tenant mix will work well.
– Achieve consensus among officials on shared goals and objectives through a cohesive plan.
– Create a phasing plan to spread costs out responsibly over many years based on estimates which are accurate and understandable.
– Prepare a major bond program through a planning process that includes public input.
