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good news on Austin TX prairie bonds, sort of

Thank you, Everybody! Those comments and emails GREATLY aided our fine cause, and prairie acquisition got a specific verbal mention in the City staff's presentation today to the Council, much to our surprise. That is QUITE an accomplishment! We went from totally dropped from consideration to that high visibility nod of recognition. Wow.

It's not all prairie roses yet.

As to actual money for prairies, The proposal for Tallgrass prairie acquisition with $5 million was NOT mentioned in the actual proposed bond election language. It was instead converted into a reference to Open Space acquisition for North/East Austin.

Now to make it all more interesting, also dropped was a specific mention of a $5 million "destination park" for North Austin which the Austin Parks Department had fought hard for. Since it is that department which will be in charge of spending this "Open Space" money if it is approved by the voters, we can expect them to hew in the direction of purchasing a destination park. I think the definition of "open space" would allow that. Luckily, one of the prairie sites which were found by Jason & Lisa Spangler, Scott Lenharth and Coby Dinges (did I leave anyone out?) is in the general area in which the Parks Department would like to see a new destination park. Perhaps the two interests can be merged successfully. Better for part of a prairie to be under basketball courts and parking lots than all of the prairie to be a subdivision or shopping center.

There is other light as well. Recently Travis County passed a bond election approving acquisition of open space and apparently some of that money is not earmarked already for specific sites. NPAT will be meeting with County staff soon to share with them our information on these prairie locations and see how ALL our interests might mesh :-)

Thank you thank you thank you. It may not be over yet. There are two council members leaving office today and two new ones coming on board. I believe the vote today might have only been the first of a series. We will keep you posted.

In the meantime, celebration is in order! This is a HUGE victory for us :-D

Kunda Lee Wicce

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