Former Council Member Bill Spelman died last Thursday at the age of 68 after a series of illnesses including Covid, according to his wife, Niyanta.
Spelman, who served on the Austin City Council from 1997 to 2000 and then served again from 2009 to the end of 2014, was well known as the teacher on the dais, a man who did his research and shared it. Spelman also taught courses in applied math and statistics, urban policy and public management at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. He is still listed online as a professor emeritus.
Spelman is survived by his wife, sons Jasiel and Ronan, and sister Janice. Niyanta Spelman told the
Austin Monitor
that in a conversation with his doctor, the doctor asked Bill how long he wanted to live and what he wanted to do. Bill said he wanted to keep living “because I want to make the world a better place.” She added, “He was constantly thinking about how to make the world a better place.”
Those we spoke with all agreed that Spelman was the ultimate teacher, a man who did his research and was willing to share his knowledge. Mayor Kirk Watson told the
Austin Monitor
via email, “Bill was my friend. He was a deeply dedicated Council member and city leader. I enjoyed serving with him.
“But my strongest memory and feeling when I think of Bill will always be how he taught us. He was a teacher to his core. Not just at the LBJ School, although his reputation as a prof was great. On any issue that we faced on the dais, he taught. He wasn’t confrontational. He didn’t get hot. Instead, he always educated to make his point. He was smart, smart. And we all benefited from that intellect.
“I learned a great deal from him. He made a big difference. Austin and I thank him for all the good he did,” Watson concluded.
Jesús Garza served as city manager from 1994 to 2002. He later returned as interim city manager in February 2023 and retired a second time in May 2024, when Council hired T.C. Broadnax. He said, “I think Council Member Spelman really was very analytical from a policy standpoint. And he wanted to think through policies and issues in complex ways to land on the right policy decisions. At his heart he was always worried about people, making sure we were able to help individuals who couldn’t help themselves. And . . . always very even keeled, a calm force on the Council. I think he served the community well and we’re going to miss him.”
Prior to his joining UT Austin, Spelman was a senior research associate with the Police Executive Research Forum in Washington D.C. from 1979 to 1988 and then executive director of the Texas Institute for Public Problem Solving from 1997 to 2005.
Heidi Gerbracht, who served as his policy director at City Hall, told the
Monitor
via email, “Bill found joy in solving problems on behalf of the community. He spent his career championing much needed reforms in policing, and as an Austin Council Member he also put his best effort into making progress on all the most difficult issues that cities face – clean water, service provision, the budget, affordable housing. He made a lot of impact in Austin and nationally. He was a lifelong public servant, a friend, and a mentor, and he will be missed.”
Council Member Ryan Alter said, “I was so sorry to hear of Bill Spelman’s passing. Bill was a thoughtful and affable policymaker and beloved professor who served Austin from both the dais and the classroom. He leaves behind an impressive legacy and generations of public servants who benefitted from his wisdom and kindness.”
Former City Manager Toby Futrell told the
Monitor
she had fond memories of Spelman on the dais sharpening his pencil and questioning staff about the budget. She said most of them consulted calculators when answering his questions. She said.” I think part of his legacy on the Council was how much work he put in on police strategy… not the number but the quality.”
There will be a private service for the Spelman family this week but Niyanta Spelman said she would let the
Monitor
know when there might be a public gathering in his honor.
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