Austin Energy has asked customers for input in its update to the utility’s Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2030. The goal of that plan is to keep up with customer demand while also pursuing the city’s climate protection and sustainability goals in its 437-square-mile service territory. Increasing price volatility within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the move toward more carbon-free energy production, and the need to diversify sources of energy production are some of the main components of the plan’s update, which City Council called for in a late 2022 resolution. An in-person community input session will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Austin Energy Headquarters on Mueller Boulevard, with a pair of virtual sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled a virtual community meeting for 6 p.m., Sept. 19 to provide updates on the effort to conduct DNA and isotopic analysis of the unidentified remains discovered in 2016 during construction work at Oakwood Cemetery. The analysis work is being conducted free of charge by archaeology teams from the University of Texas and the University of Connecticut in the hopes of learning more about the life experiences, diets and regions of origin of the remains. The researchers’ work is expected to continue for two more years, and those who think they may have familial connections to the deceased may submit a saliva sample for DNA analysis. More information on the Oakwood Cemetery project and registration for the online meeting are available online.

Right now, the city is proposing “connectivity enhancements” to the Shoal Creek Trail, and they’d like a little public input to help them decide how to move forward. The enhancements would span the last major gaps between West 24th and West 34th streets. This Saturday, community outreach folk will be at the intersection of Shoal Creek and North Lamar boulevards from 9 to 11 a.m. and again on Saturday, Sept. 16, across from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. If you can’t make it out in person, though, anyone is welcome to share their feedback through the project web page or virtual survey, which will be open until Sept. 24.

Downtown Austin Alliance has scheduled an “Issues & Eggs” breakfast panel for Sept. 26, looking at the current state of homelessness in Austin and how to address it. The event will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Eighth Street. Discussion will focus on the $65 million recently awarded by the city to nonprofits working to address homelessness and how those organizations are working to help the local unhoused population. Mayor Kirk Watson will make opening comments before the discussion with panelists Chris Baker, executive director of The Other Ones Foundation; Jo Kathryn Quinn, president and CEO of Caritas Austin; and Kirkpatrick Tyler, chief of government and community affairs for Urban Alchemy. Registration is free; more info is available online.

The city’s Bicycle Advisory Council and Pedestrian Advisory Council are both looking for new members, so if you are a bicyclist or pedestrian who would like to opine in a slightly more official capacity, get your application in before Sept. 10. Each council meets monthly and advises City Council on pedestrian and bicycle facilities and issues, with meetings usually focused on “briefings, recommendations to local agencies and community announcements,” according to an announcement by the Transportation and Public Works Department. Interested persons can find an application to the Bicycle Advisory Commission here and an application to the Pedestrian Advisory Commission here.

Employers encouraging mobility options for their workers can apply for $7,500 GoGrant awards available from the Movability nonprofit. The awards are available to fund planning assistance, infrastructure like bike racks and lockers, and programs like transit passes and vanpooling. Eligibility is limited to businesses located in Austin or the extraterritorial jurisdiction, with the application window open from Aug. 21 until Sept. 15. More information is available online.

Central Health, Travis County’s public hospital district, is looking for a new president and CEO. The incoming executive “will lead a growing taxpayer-funded organization” that provides health care for about 11 percent of low-income county residents. As part of the hiring process, Central Health is soliciting feedback from the community. That feedback will be used by the district’s board of managers in the recruitment and interview process, according to a news release. Let your voice be heard in the official survey here.

Here’s your opportunity to help shape a piece of Austin transit: The city is looking for community feedback on its Red Line Trail project. A virtual open house is available in English and Spanish through Aug. 31, and the city has opened up an online survey. There also will be two in-person events where people can offer their thoughts to the project team: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Balcones District Park and 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at Kramer Station.

The 1.7-mile urban trail would connect Northern Walnut Creek Trail to Braker Lane, as well as connect to Capital Metro’s McKalla and Broadmoor stations. “The project is in the design phase. At this stage, the project team is determining the trail route, construction cost, and key trail features while the community has a chance to weigh in,” according to a news release. Get more info here.

Austin Energy will hold its annual Community Connections Resource Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Del Valle High School. The free, family-friendly event is intended to help the utility’s moderate- and low-income customers learn about assistance or programs available to help them meet their basic needs. In addition to demonstrations and presentations, local entities, including Austin Fire, Austin Police Department and Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, will be on hand to answer questions. There will also be service providers available to discuss medical assistance, veterinary services, food services and housing assistance. More information is available here.

Get more involved with health care in Travis County this month, as Central Health hosts a series of conversations on its proposed 2024 budget. There will be three options to attend: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Asian American Resource Center (8401 Cameron Road), 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Pflugerville Community Center (15822 Foothill Farms Loop) or 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 28 at the Southeast Health & Wellness Center (2901 Montopolis Drive). Free transportation will be provided for MAP and MAP Basic members, according to the hospital district. RSVP for one of the events here.