Thursday Council meeting

[Malcolm Yeatts]

At this Thursday Council meeting there are two items that impact trails groups. Agenda item 50, sponsored by Council members Leffingwell and Martinez, directs the City Manager to allocate resources to help the South East Austin Trails and Greenways Alliance (SEATAG) to convert drainage easements along Country Club Creek to recreational easements. Also, I will be speaking before Council during the Citizen’s Communication at noon. I will be speaking in support of agenda item 50, and also for funding a permanent position to help trails groups obtain easements. My presentation will explain that the small investment that the City will make in terms of staff time will create a large return on investment in terms of volunteer labor and donations from private sources. Members of all trails building groups in the City should send emails to Council members asking that this position be funded in the next fiscal year budget. By showing that there is widespread support for this position, we can convince Council that this is a good idea.