Chances are, if you've stumbled across Channel 6 (the City of Austin's C-SPAN, if you will ...) and paused for a while, you've seen her. Poised at the mic, addressing the city council or dais full of county commissioners, this elegant woman presents data with a calm and certainty that makes even the driest civic-speak seem like engaging spoken word. She's soft-spoken, even when the issues flying around get hot. She's Alice Glasco, our city's Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department director. Annexation, urban design, permits, census info, historic preservation, smart growth, that's all in her purview. And since taking the position in the restructured city department five years ago, she has earned a rep for coolheaded efficiency, turning what was a wild bureaucratic ride into a more smoothly operating ship. You've heard the old saw: "Build it, they will come ..." In Austin, there's a slight variation: "Present your proposals to build it, Alice Glasco and her crew will look it over, then you might be able to build it, and see if they will come ..."
