Support Your Austin Races and Events
Posted: March 26, 2009
The City Council is about to vote on proposals that will limit and curtail races and events in Austin. Contact your city council members today to voice your support of races and event in Austin and opposition to City Staff plans. There is a potential meeting scheduled for April 2nd. It will be very important to have lots of runners at this meeting if happens. It is equally as important for you do contact the council members so below is a letter and a link that allows you to send it to all of them at once.
Finally, we need the support of the Charities in town that will be the ones that lose as much as we will if this happens. If you work with a charity group or volunteer with a charity group please let them know this is going on. As soon as we verify that this meeting will be April 2nd we will post the date, time and location.
To keep up on the lastest join http://www.keepaustinrunning.com
Where to submit: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm
Subject: In support of races and events in Austin and against City Staff recommendations
Dear City Council Members and Mayor,
I'd like express my support for races and events in Austin, downtown and throughout the city and the many charities and business that benefit from them. I'd also like to voice my disapproval at the current recommendations you are considering for the planning of races and events the following reasons:
1. The current plans ignore some key proposals from the downtown special events task force including an office of special events.
2. The current plans lead to a further increase in the cost of races. A number of races have already been canceled in the past two years with a negative impact to local charities. The Right of Way Management Office continues to change it's interpretations of regulations in a manner inconsistent with other cities in the state and country.
3. The current plans will eliminate a larger number of races in Austin, unless the races are treated as exceptions. This will either eliminate the races or increase the burden in managing this process.
4. The current plans discriminate against moving events by restricting street closures specifically for them even though these be managed to reduce their overall impact relative to fixed events.
5. The city staff has not effectively engaged the community to solicit input and kept it updated on proposals.
I hope you will show support for the events and races that are a large part of the character of Austin and enjoyed by tens of thousands of Austinites and others yearly and not vote to approve the current recommendations for handling events.
Best Regards,
