Here are three government stories affecting the Lake Travis-Westlake area. 

1. Bee Cave announces new dispatch provider for area emergency services
After two decades of partnership, an agreement has been approved for the city of Bee Cave to transition police dispatch services from the city of Lakeway to the city of Marble Falls, as stated in a news release.

The city of Bee Cave’s police dispatch costs have doubled in the last seven years with an increase from $285,000 in fiscal year 2018-19 to almost $570,000 in FY 2025-26, according to the news release. Read more.

2. Local cities call mayor, council seat elections for May 2
Bee Cave, Lakeway and West Lake Hills will have seats on the ballot in the upcoming May 2 election. Read more.

3. $29M grant brings high-speed rural internet access
The Texas Broadband Development Office awarded the Lower Colorado River Authority a $29 million grant that will expand high-speed internet access and improve flood-monitoring infrastructure throughout Central Texas. Read more.

Westlake-based PBL Wealth Management and Mission Wealth announced a strategic merger in January.

Under the merger, PBL Wealth Management will become part of Mission Wealth, and PBL founder Adam Broughton will join Mission Wealth as a partner and senior wealth adviser.

"Joining Mission Wealth provides our clients access to a broader platform while preserving the personalized, fiduciary approach that defines our practice," Broughton said in the news release. "This partnership further strengthens our ability to deliver coordinated strategies across tax, investment, and long-term planning."

Diving in deeper: PBL offers advisory services, portfolio management, tax modeling, compensation guidance and retirement income planning. Its Austin team will continue to serve clients locally, according to the news release.

Mission Wealth is a registered investment adviser that oversees over $14.1 billion in assets, according to the news release. The business offers financial planning, investment counsel, estate planning and asset protection.

• Mision Wealth Austin office: 901 S. MoPac, Bldg. V, Ste. 250, Austin

Check out the top 6 most-read stories from Feb. 9-12 in the Austin area. 

1. Unofficial voting results show Na’Cole Thompson wins race for Leander mayor

2. Round Rock officials weigh neighborhood compatibility for Skybox data center

3. True Texas BBQ brings brisket and more to Bastrop H-E-B

4. Twice the Ice changes ownership in Georgetown

5. Portion of Gilleland Creek Trail in Pflugerville to close

6. From tacos to trims: Check out 9 Liberty Hill business updates

Austin is readying for the arrival of teledriving vehicles, or cars remotely controlled by humans, that'd join several autonomous vehicle operations as emerging mobility technologies that have become commonplace on city roadways.

The details: The city is currently in negotiations with a company seeking to bring its teleoperations to Austin in the coming months. The cars would be controlled via the cellular network and could face local oversight, unlike AVs.

City staff are actively working to establish basic operating standards for the new vehicles once they arrive. Due to competitive issues and proprietary information, the company now under consideration can't be revealed as of mid-February.

Teledriving could officially launch in town this spring or summer once an initial civic agreement with the business is finalized, likely with a smaller fleet in a small footprint like downtown. Staff are also planning to develop a new city ordinance for City Council consideration covering basic rules and guidelines for the technology.