Residents urge council to restore transparency and change vegetation‑management spending

Several residents told the council on April 9 that recent agenda decisions have eroded public trust and that the city should improve transparency and oversight in contract and environmental work.

"Taxpayers deserve representation and our government exists to serve us first and foremost," said Jen Robicheaux, who urged council to revisit amendments to the lobbyist ordinance and to publish community‑engagement tracking so residents can see who is influencing local policy. "Amendments to the lobbyist ordinance were short sighted and counterproductive, and your constituents want to know who has your ear," she said.

Bill Bunch, attorney and executive director of Save Our Springs Alliance, criticized multiple consent items tied to vegetation management and erosion control, including an alleged emergency ratification of a $7.3 million contract for Little Walnut Creek and an $81,000 addition to a $5.8 million Barton Creek stabilization project. Bunch said excessive mowing and unnecessary tree removal risk long‑term damage to parks and riparian habitat and urged the city to review vegetation management across departments.

Jeffrey Bowen and other commenters also pressed the council for clearer backup materials on consulting contracts. Bowen said the amount for some consulting work was hard to find in the published Q&As and backup and said one consultant package totaled $53 million with $22 million already approved in prior actions.

City staff and councilmembers acknowledged the comments during consent discussion and referenced ongoing audit and budget review processes. The transcript does not record a formal council directive to reopen any specific ordinance or contract; commenters asked the council to take those next steps.