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Austin leaders issue proclamations honoring women-owned businesses, cooperatives, trees, code officers and retirement security
Summary
At a ceremonial session, Austin City Council members presented proclamations recognizing National Women’s Small Business Month, National Co‑op Month, Arbor Day & Monarch Appreciation Day, Code Compliance Month and National Retirement Security Month; department leaders accepted and shared local programs and event dates.
Vanessa Fuentes, mayor pro tem of Austin, read a proclamation declaring October 2025 as National Women’s Small Business Month and urged residents to support women‑owned enterprises across the city. “Women in Austin not only increase business inclusiveness and diversity, but they also empower other young women to challenge policies that limit access,” Fuentes said.
Anne Eaton, assistant director of Austin Economic Development, accepted the proclamation and highlighted national data on the economic role of women business owners. According to Eaton, women own about 42% of U.S. businesses, employ more than 9,000,000 people and generate over $2 trillion in annual revenue. She thanked city leaders for the recognition and encouraged continued efforts to remove barriers for women entrepreneurs.
Fuentes also presented a proclamation recognizing National Cooperative Month and spotlighted a pilot grocery co‑op in Del Valle she said is the city’s first. “Cooperatives are people‑centered enterprises built on the values of democracy, equity and solidarity,” she said, describing co‑ops as models that embed workplace democracy into business operations.
Anthony Sewetta, interim director of Austin Economic Development, accepted the co‑op proclamation and noted the department’s partnerships with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Texas Rural Cooperative to provide technical assistance for people launching co‑ops in Austin.
Council Member Ryan Alter read a proclamation naming Oct. 9, 2025, as Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day in Austin and noted the city’s long record of participation in the national Tree City USA program. “Austin has achieved Tree City USA recognition for 34 years,” Alter said, urging continued protection of the tree canopy and pollinators to bolster climate resilience and quality of life.
Amani Looper, urban forestry team coordinator, described the city’s Roots and Wings Festival — scheduled across roughly Oct. 18 through Nov. 2 — which will offer events and educational experiences about trees and pollinators.
Council Member Chito Vela presented a proclamation recognizing October as Code Compliance Month, thanking the code compliance officers who inspect properties, enforce local codes and respond to neighborhood health and safety concerns. “They are the ones that come in… to make sure that properties are in good condition,” Vela said.
Keith Myers, director of Development Services, accepted that proclamation on behalf of the department and praised code officers’ public‑service mission to keep neighborhoods safe and properties well maintained.
Paige Ellis read a proclamation declaring October 2025 as National Retirement Security Month in Austin, noting the city’s retirement resources for public employees and the role of financial educators and HR staff in helping residents plan for long‑term security.
Nathan Blake, chair of the Deferred Compensation Committee, accepted the retirement proclamation on behalf of the committee and acknowledged committee members Debbie Fleming, Gail Ray and Diana Thomas, saying the committee’s top priority is helping City of Austin employees retire with financial security.
The proclamations were ceremonial; council members and department representatives posed for photos after several presentations. No formal council votes or policy actions on these items were recorded in the session.
