The Student Government assembly unanimously gave its final approval to a resolution calling for alterations to the city sound ordinance in its current state.
After officials from the Austin police and fire departments informed students the ordinance would be more strictly enforced on the West Campus party scene, SG and the Interfraternity Council began working with City Council member Chris Riley to revise the ordinance. At a City Council meeting Oct. 2, the Council passed a resolution allowing the city to begin looking at defining a “private party” in the city code.
Robert Svoboda, co-director of SG’s City Relations agency, said SG and IFC will meet again with Riley to work on the issue.
“That’s just really an opportunity for all stakeholders who are involved in that issue to come and talk,” Svoboda said.
Austin mayoral candidate Steve Adler spoke at the meeting about the cost of living and transportation. Adler presented his platform items and answered questions from SG members. Adler said the cost of living in Austin is too high for the average person to live in the city.
“We’re bringing in more jobs than anyone else, but 60 percent of the jobs we’re bringing in don’t pay minimum wage,” Adler said. “A city can’t sustain itself like that.”
Adler said high living costs will make living in Austin difficult for students after they graduate. He said city officials must preserve the affordable housing options currently available.
“I think what we need to do is to ensure that the housing stock that we have that is reasonably priced, or accessible, doesn’t get torn down or remodeled into things that cost more,” Adler said.
Adler said he supports an increase in staggered work hours in the downtown area to reduce traffic and is also in favor of mass transit lanes along I-35 to reduce traffic.
“When people find themselves sitting in traffic for an hour when they’re on I-35, and they’re watching the buses, some of those people are going to get out of those cars and into the buses,” Adler said.
Also at the meeting, SG President Kori Rady updated the assembly on the progress of SG’s efforts to open the Flawn Academic Center on a 24/7 schedule, create a centralized student tailgate and extend Thanksgiving break.
According to Rady, the FAC could open on a 24/7 basis as soon as Nov. 3. Rady also announced he has presented the idea of a centralized student tailgate to Men’s Athletic Director Steve Patterson and Steve Hank, chief revenue officer for athletics. He said that there could be a contract for the tailgate as early as next semester.
“It seems that athletics is being pretty receptive to the idea, and we’re looking for a housing option on campus for the student tailgate,” Rady said.
While the Faculty Council approved a proposal in September to extend Thanksgiving break to start the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Rady said the SG Executive Committee and the Faculty Council are reexamining the initial proposal to determine the best day to make up the extra day of Thanksgiving break.
