Negotiations on the property for the east side parking lot property will begin. The council carried a motion approving East Side parking lot feasibility.

City Engineer Jon Erichson updated the council with a preliminary plan for the construction and expansion of the a city parking lot on 4th Avenue NE with an estimatec cost of $99,030.

The total includes costs for poverty acquisition, environmental review, environmental abatements, demolition and parking lot construction. The construction is a 2003 project that the city has budgeted at $100,000.

In other business

– The council welcomed Jim Davis, the interim president at Riverland Community College. Davis commended the council for the reliability of the college's facilities.

Davis, who postponed his retirement to take the job at Riverland, said he is excited to be in Austin and even though he will only be in the community for nine months he will work hard to get the community involved with the college.

"The college has great facilities and the community should be using them too," Davis said. From his previous experience, Davis said that studies show that if a community can keep students for two or more years, providing some sort of education, 80 percent of the students will stay in the community.

"We are here for you to tell us what we, the college, can do to help out," Davis said. According to Davis, the college and the community must find ways to keep updated in the technological and education

engine and be able to keep people and businesses and attract others.

– The council accepted the city election results held on Nov. 5 in a 7-0 vote.

– A resolution granting off-sale liquor licenses, club on-sale and wine on-sale licenses to seven local business that complied with all provisions of the law was approved.

– After recommendations of the Public Works Committee two motions for "no parking" signs at 5th Place SE and 8th Avenue NW were carried by the council.

– The city's public works department received a letter from a local school bus driver expressing his concern on the three-way intersection on 5th Place SE at the intersection with 6th Avenue SE and 9th Street SE. Because of parked vehicles on the right side of 5th Place, the bus must swing into the other lane. Students on their way to Ellis Middle School are often walking in that area creating the potential danger.

As for the 8th Avenue NW location, parked cars limit visibility for incoming traffic in the area, the letter said.

Roxana Orellana can be reach at 434-2214 or by e-mail at roxana.orellana@austindailyherald.com