FixAustin, Neighborhoods File Suit
October 1, 2007 —
BREAKING NEWS — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUSTIN, TX - On Monday, the City of Austin's controversial plan to relocate Austin's animal shelter from downtown to a lot in East Austin hit a major roadblock: the affected neighborhoods from both East and West Austin, along with advocacy group FixAustin.org, sued the City in a Travis County District Court to block the move.
The lawsuit alleges that the City's plan violates the Texas Open Meetings Act by failing to have a public, properly noticed, democratic process to determine the new shelter's location. As evidence, the group pointed to an e-mail from Animal Advisory Commission Member Babette Ellis to Council Member Betty Dunkerley, asking her to "cement the [East Austin] site" as quickly as possible before "the community there" is "'awakened' to any issues."
According to the lawsuit, the Ellis e-mail and other documents reveal a pattern of deception by those attempting to move the shelter. FixAustin.org President Ryan Clinton said, "That e-mail is undemocratic and terribly offensive. I hope each City Council Member will denounce the obvious, concerted effort of some persons to avoid the democratic process in order to move our animal shelter."
The lawsuit presents two main claims: first, that the City Council failed to post any proper notice to move the shelter from downtown; and second, that the City Council failed to post any proper notice to amend the Govalle/Johnson Terrace neighborhood plan—which calls for affordable housing on the site where City staff wants to move the shelter.
In November 2006, Austin voters approved a $12 million bond to build a new animal shelter, but the bond ballot's language did not specify whether the shelter would be rebuilt or moved. Local and national animal-welfare advocates say that moving the shelter away from downtown will lead to more animals being killed at the shelter each year. The City currently kills approximately 12,000 dogs and cats annually—more than half the pets it shelters.
Neighborhoods and Animal Advocates Unite, File Suit to Stop City's Illegal Plan to Move Austin's Animal Shelter
Coalition of
East and West Austin neighborhoods, along with animal-welfare advocacy
group FixAustin.org, will hold a press conference at 10am Tuesday at
Austin City Hall to discuss the lawsuit.
AUSTIN, TX - On Monday, the City of Austin's controversial plan to relocate Austin's animal shelter from downtown to a lot in East Austin hit a major roadblock: the affected neighborhoods from both East and West Austin, along with advocacy group FixAustin.org, sued the City in a Travis County District Court to block the move.
The lawsuit alleges that the City's plan violates the Texas Open Meetings Act by failing to have a public, properly noticed, democratic process to determine the new shelter's location. As evidence, the group pointed to an e-mail from Animal Advisory Commission Member Babette Ellis to Council Member Betty Dunkerley, asking her to "cement the [East Austin] site" as quickly as possible before "the community there" is "'awakened' to any issues."
According to the lawsuit, the Ellis e-mail and other documents reveal a pattern of deception by those attempting to move the shelter. FixAustin.org President Ryan Clinton said, "That e-mail is undemocratic and terribly offensive. I hope each City Council Member will denounce the obvious, concerted effort of some persons to avoid the democratic process in order to move our animal shelter."
The lawsuit presents two main claims: first, that the City Council failed to post any proper notice to move the shelter from downtown; and second, that the City Council failed to post any proper notice to amend the Govalle/Johnson Terrace neighborhood plan—which calls for affordable housing on the site where City staff wants to move the shelter.
In November 2006, Austin voters approved a $12 million bond to build a new animal shelter, but the bond ballot's language did not specify whether the shelter would be rebuilt or moved. Local and national animal-welfare advocates say that moving the shelter away from downtown will lead to more animals being killed at the shelter each year. The City currently kills approximately 12,000 dogs and cats annually—more than half the pets it shelters.