urn:taro:aushc.00037 Austin (Tex.). City Council. Mark Spaeth Records An Inventory to the Collection Finding aid prepared by Kathryn Garvey. Austin History Center, Austin Public Library October 13, 2009
810 Guadalupe, PO BOX 2287, Austin, TX 78768
 Finding aid encoded by Kathryn Garvey on October 13, 2009 Overview of the Collection Austin History Center, Austin Public Library,
810 Guadalupe, PO BOX 2287, Austin, TX 78768
 Spaeth, Mark Austin (Tex.). City Council. Mark Spaeth Records 1980-1985 1983 .8 linear feet (2 boxes) Mark Spaeth served as member of the Austin City Council from 1983-1985. The records are arranged into one series and contain correspondence, creative works, financial and legal records, printed materials, photographs, clippings, and maps from his term in office. AR.2009.060 The records are in English. Biographical Note

Mark Spaeth was born in Madeira Beach, Florida in 1940. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in the late 1950s, but had to leave high school to do so. In 1960 he began working in real estate in Miami, and he continued working in real estate when he moved to California in 1961. After living in California for 10 years, he moved to Austin in 1971. Here he owned his own business, Mark E. Spaeth Co., a rental agency.

Spaeth claimed he was ready to leave Austin in the early 1980s, but he changed his mind and decided that he would rather stay and help the city instead. He believed the experience he gained running his own business would benefit the council and ran with the campaign slogan, “A Decision Maker for Austin.” Spaeth promised while in office to include tax breaks for the elderly, improve traffic by building an east-west thoroughfare, control growth, and improve child care options in Austin. Spaeth ran a successful campaign and won Place 4 on the Austin City Council in a run-off against George Humphrey in 1983. Due to an ongoing illness, Spaeth missed many council meetings during his two-year term. His declining health kept him from seeking a second term in office.

Mark Spaeth died at age 45 due to complications from illness on May 27, 1985 at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas.

 Scope and Contents

The records are arranged into one series and contain correspondence, creative works, financial and legal records, printed materials, photographs, clippings, and maps from Mark Spaeth's term as an Austin City Council member. The bulk of the files are from his first year in office, 1983. Records pertaining to growth and development projects make up a large portion of the records. Spaeth's personal notes and notations can be found throughout the records.

Arrangement

The records are arranged into one series, and the folders are arranged alphabetically by topic.

 Related Material

AF Biography File: Spaeth, Mark

 Separated Material

City reports and publications were removed to the General Collection.

 Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Persons: Spaeth, Mark. Organizations: City of Austin. Places: Austin (Tex.). Subjects: City planning--Texas--Austin. Community development--Texas--Austin. Government - Austin - City Restrictions on Access

Open to all users.

 Custodial History

Records transferred from the Office of City Clerk.

 Preferred Citation

Austin (Tex.). City Council. Mark Spaeth Records (AR.2009.060). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas.

 Acquisition Information

Donor #: Office of the City Clerk

Donation Date: 2005

 Processing Information

Finding Aid and Encoding: Kathryn Garvey/2009 October

 Detailed Description of the Collection Working Files, 1980-1985 1 1 Austin Community Access Television, 1983 1 2 Barton Creek Portfolio, 1983-1985, undated 1 3 1983 Bond Issue, 1983, undated 1 4 Budgeting – FY 83-84, 1983, undated 1 5 City Self Insurance Health Fund, 1983, undated 1 6 Council, 1983, undated 1 7 Councilman Mark Spaeth, 1983, undated 1 8 East Austin Chicano Economic Development Corporation, 1983 1 9 East Austin Industrial Development Plan, 1983 1 10 Harlem Taxicab Company, 1983 1 11 Hemphill Park, 1983 1 12 Human Services Funding FY 83-84, 1983 1 13 Hyde Park Moratorium, 1983 1 14 Junior League of Austin, 1983 1 15 Lost Creek Drive-In Bank Case, 1983, undated 2 1 Northeast Library Site-Carrington, 1980-1983, undated 2 2-3 Planning and Zoning, 1983, undated 2 4 Rosewood and Givens Park Issue, 1983 2 5 Round Rock – Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Annexation, 1983, undated 2 6 Social Policy Advisory Committee Final Report on Transportation for the Elderly, 1983 2 7 Southern Union Rate Case, 1983 2 8 Texas Municipal League Legislative Report, 1983 2 9 Ullrich Water Treatment Plant, 1983, undated 2 10 Water Distribution Plan Oak Hill Annexation Study, 1983 2 11 Waterloo Counseling Center, 1983 2 12 Wendler, 1983, undated 2 13 Woods of Westlake Park, undated 2 14 Y, 1983 2 15 Z, 1983, undated