Austin has named interim Director Gail McCant to run the Office of Police Oversight — one of the highest profile offices in the city. And it has done so without public notice.

Created in 2018, the office oversees police policy, conduct and discipline. Essentially, the department is tasked with holding police accountable. Farah Muscadin, who started in 2018, ran the department until last September when she stepped down.

Then City Manager Spencer Cronk promised the city would begin a national search for a new director. When Jesús Garza was appointed interim city manager after Cronk was fired, he promised the same.

“[We] will be conducting a thorough national search,” he wrote in a memo to the mayor and council members in May.

But that did not happen.

On Friday, Garza sent an internal memo naming McCant to the position permanently. She became interim director in June. The appointment was made without public engagement and without notifying employees in the oversight office… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

New data released on Austin homeless numbers (FOX 7 Austin)

It's been more than two years since Texas passed a law banning camping targeted at homeless people.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 1925 in 2021.

It makes encampments in public areas unlawful and could cost a person up to $500 in fines.

Since then, the Downtown Austin Alliance said it's seen a change in the number of homeless people.

"The number is down significantly from what it was back then," said Bill Brice, the senior vice president of investor relations for the Downtown Austin Alliance… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Jockeying to replace Feinstein ramps up as Newsom faces pressure to act (Politico)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s death set off furious behind-the-scenes jockeying Friday as Gov. Gavin Newsom faced pressure to quickly name her replacement amid the spending standoff in a bitterly divided Congress.

Behind a thin veneer of respect for the Feinstein family, a contest for power began instantly… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Congress tees up votes in last-minute scramble to avert shutdown (CNBC)

Lawmakers return to Congress on Saturday with no clear path to resolving a squabble that appears likely to close wide swaths of the federal government, from national parks to financial regulation, in less than 18 hours.

Infighting among Republicans who control the House of Representatives has pushed the United States to the brink of its fourth partial shutdown in a decade, as the chamber has been unable to pass legislation that would keep the government open beyond the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Next Week at the City of Austin:

➡️ Tuesday, October 3 @9AM: Austin City Council Work Session Agenda

➡️ Thursday, October 5 @10AM: Austin City Council Regular Meeting Agenda