Austin voters rejected Proposition I, a proposed mandate for recurring independent assessments of city government operations, by a 10-point margin.

The details: Despite the failure of the Save Austin Now-backed measure, an existing multi-year comprehensive efficiency review authorized by City Council remains in progress. The program is taking place under a $5.23 million contract with Public Works LLC, and the firm has started its preliminary reviews of Austin's government:

• Year 1: General fund departments providing public-facing services, including public safety, public health, homeless strategy, housing and planning, parks, library, animal services, and arts and culture

• Year 2: Enterprise and support services departments, including aviation, transportation and public works, watershed protection, convention center, financial services, City Council and city management

• Year 3: Utility departments, including Austin Energy, Austin Water and Austin Resource Recovery

Initial public reporting from Public Works is anticipated during a January presentation to council members.

Austin ISD is exploring Senate Bill 1882 partnerships for Dobie Middle School and Linder and Pecan Springs elementary schools, according to a district calendar notice.

In an SB 1882 partnership, an outside nonprofit, charter or university runs a campus. In exchange, the district gets extra state funding and a two-year pause on state intervention, according to the Texas Education Agency.

What’s happening: AISD held feedback meetings at Linder and Dobie this week. A virtual information session for all three school communities is set for 11 a.m. Oct. 31. Any partnership would need trustee approval and TEA’s sign-off.

The backstory: This is the district’s second SB 1882 effort this year. TEA denied benefits for an earlier partnership with the Texas Council for International Studies at Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools in May. The deal ended in July.

Why it matters: Under state law, a fifth consecutive failing rating requires the education commissioner to close the campus or replace the elected school board. Burnet and Webb each received a fifth straight F in August.

The history: The office supply company Office Depot was founded in Boca Raton, Florida in 1986 by F. Patrick Sher, Jack Kopkin and Stephen Dougherty. The co-founders opened the first location in Fort Lauderdale before expanding to three locations by the end of the year.

What they offer: Office Depot offers school, office and art supplies, computers, electronics and furniture. Other services include packing, shipping, furniture assembly and printing services for items such as:

• Custom projects like invitations and wrapping paper
• Resumes
• Yard signs
• Business cards

The celebration: The brand is celebrating its 40th anniversary with free customer appreciation events at individual stores featuring treats, networking and product deals.

Staying local: In Austin, the local team celebrated on Oct. 30 with an Austin Chamber ribbon cutting, a coffee cart and free food from Crepe Crazy at 907 West 5th St., Ste. 101.

Austin ISD trustees approved improvement plans for struggling campuses Oct. 29 and heard early options for cutting at least $60 million from the 2027-28 budget, including reductions to turnaround school funding and arts and PE staffing.

What parents should know: Trustees approved six turnaround plans, four targeted improvement plans and 16 local improvement plans due to the Texas Education Agency by the end of November, district staff said.

Families can follow progress at these campuses on a public dashboard the district launched Sept. 15 to track academic and staffing data at schools with unacceptable state ratings, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Budget explained: Payroll makes up 89.9% of the budget, compared with a national average of 81%-83%, Chief Financial Officer Katrina Montgomery said.

Reserves would end the year at 13.77%, below the 15% minimum Singh said board policy requires. Reaching 15% would take about $10 million in additional cuts, Montgomery said.