AUSTIN, Texas — Thursday is set to be a busy day for the Austin City Council, with members expected to vote on several major items.
Settlement of sexual assault lawsuit
Among those items was whether to approve the settlement of a sexual assault lawsuit. Back in 2018, a group of sexual assault survivors filed a lawsuit against the City of Austin, Travis County and the Austin Police Department. The survivors alleged that there were failures with the local justice system when it came to the handling of sexual assault cases and investigations.
"They didn't do any of the protocol," said Heather Sin, sexual assault survivor. "They didn't test for drugs, even though I was drugged."
Sin said they didn't do a DNA test either.
Sin was sexually abused seven years ago. She said this settlement will provide some closure, but there's still a lot that needs to be done.
"The police were much more devastating to me than the men who did something to me," said Sin.
A 2019 audit by the Texas Department of Public Safety revealed a significant number of rape cases were mishandled by the APD. In December 2021, Police Chief Joseph Chacon updated the city council on how APD is handling sex crimes moving forward, saying that the department has increased staffing within the Sex Crimes Unit and has added two dozen counselors to help respond to the scenes of those crimes alongside police officers.
RELATED: Austin police chief gives update on how department is improving its handling of sexual assault cases
On Thursday, the city council voted to approve a settlement with the 15 survivors. The settlement comprises a payment of $825,000 to be shared among the 15 plaintiffs and an additional $50,000 to the plaintiffs' attorneys. The City will also issue an official apology to the plaintiffs.
Lawyer Jenny Ecklund, one of the attorneys who represented the sexual assault survivors, was happy with the decision.
"We are celebrating the end of a four-year journey to seek more justice and more resources and understanding for survivors of sexual assault," said Ecklund.
In a press release sent out after the council's vote, the City noted that it has "transformed significant elements of its policies and procedures to ensure that, in the future, survivors of sexual assault who come forward will be treated seriously, will be communicated with effectively, and will have their claims investigated thoroughly."
“No one should experience sexual assault. Let’s start right there. And no one should experience sexual assault and then spend years fighting to be heard,” Mayor Pro Tem Alison Alter said.
The City said that all told, in addition to the payments approved as part of the settlement, it has spent $3.5 million since 2019 to approve APD investigations of sexual assaults and it has earmarked another $862,000 for future improvements.
“We have taken important steps to improve how law enforcement handles sexual assault reporting, processing, investigations and prosecutions, and we are committed to continue improving,” City Manager Spencer Cronk said. “All survivors should feel safe, heard and have confidence in every step of the process.”
To read the City's list of specific reforms implemented by the APD since 2019, click here.
Thursday's settlement comes after Travis County agreed on a $580,000 settlement with 14 women in June 2021.
Austin airport expansion
Another major item the council considered on Thursday is a $46 million measure to expand the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The money would be used to add three new gates to the Barbara Jordan Terminal to help accommodate all the new flights the airport is getting and to help avoid major impacts during future expansion projects.
The council voted to approve the contract for the expansion at its Thursday meeting. Now that the measure has been approved, the new gates would have to be built in about two years.
Wage protection resolution
Also on Thursday, the council was set to vote on a resolution addressing wage protection. The resolution aims to help employees file complaints about unpaid wages.
It would require employers to take action to ensure employees are paid the wages they're due and to work with law enforcement to address allegations of wage theft, especially for construction workers. City officials say one in five construction workers are victims of wage theft.
This item was eventually pulled Thursday by Council Member Mackenzie Kelly
Austin Opera House revival
One other major item on the council's agenda Thursday was related to the revival of the Austin Opera House. A group of developers wants to reopen the venue as part of a proposed mixed-use development near South Congress Avenue. The council discussed the development proposal during its meeting but voted to push final decisions about the project to future meetings.
Some people who live in the area are asking the council to scale down the plan. One neighborhood group has raised concerns about the planned revival of the venue, saying it would bring heavy traffic, noise and parking issues.
Richard Weiss, an architect leading the planned project, says all neighborhood parking and traffic concerns have been addressed.
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