The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) is seeking public input on its Regional Safety Action Plan, a comprehensive effort to enhance roadway safety across Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Travis and Williamson counties. The plan aims to address traffic safety concerns and develop strategies to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities in the region. Residents can share their feedback through Friday, March 14, by participating in an online open house and attending any of the seven upcoming public engagement events. Information on these events and links to related materials are available online. In addition to in-person events, CAMPO is offering an online survey where community members can provide input on roadway safety issues and review key elements of the plan. The survey is available at campo-rsap.com.

City Council is accepting applications for the five-member Municipal Civil Service Commission, which oversees appeals of disciplinary actions for covered city employees. The open position will fill an unexpired term through May 2027, with potential consideration for a full three-year term through May 2028. Commissioners typically commit 20 hours per month to their duties in the volunteer position, with hearings scheduled twice per month and lasting a full business day. To qualify, applicants must be:

• A city of Austin resident
• A qualified voter of the city
• Preferably experienced in human resources, labor relations or labor/employment law

Ineligible applicants include current city of Austin employees and those required to register as lobbyists under city code. Interested candidates can apply online through the city of Austin Boards and Commissions portal. Applications remain open until the positions are filled, and selected candidates may be interviewed by the City Council Audit & Finance Committee. For more information on the Municipal Civil Service Commission, visit the city’s website.

The Red River Cultural District has named Nicole Klepadlo as its executive director, solidifying her leadership after serving in the role on an interim basis since 2022. Klepadlo, who played a key role in establishing the district in 2013 while working for the city of Austin, brings more than a decade of experience in community development and economic planning. Over the past year, Klepadlo led efforts to secure a multiyear city contract providing sustainable funding for the district, which contains more than 40 businesses including live music venues, bars, restaurants and hotels. “As Downtown Austin undergoes dramatic transformation, our mission to preserve and nurture the city’s vibrant cultural heritage and music economy is absolutely critical,” Klepadlo said in a statement. “We’ve laid a strong foundation, and I’m energized to lead the Red River Cultural District forward.” Jon-Erik Garcia, president of the Red River Cultural District’s board and co-owner of Barbarella and Swan Dive, praised Klepadlo’s leadership, citing her deep commitment to small business owners and the district’s longterm sustainability.

Austin’s city manager is hosting a series of town hall meetings under the banner “Your Budget, Your Priorities: Community Conversations with T.C. Broadnax,” with the intent to gather community input on city budget priorities before Broadnax develops his first budget for Austin. Broadnax will present his proposed budget to City Council in mid-July, when it will go through review and changes before City Council adopts it in mid-August.

Town hall dates, times and locations:

• 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 – McNeil High School, 5720 McNeil Drive
• 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 – South Austin Recreation Center, 1100 Cumberland Road
• 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 24 – Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road
• 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 29 – Learning and Research Center, 5202 E. Ben White Blvd., Suite 500
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3 – Northwest Recreation Center, 2913 Northland Drive

Interpretation services for American Sign Language and Spanish are available, and services for other languages can be requested by calling 311 or 512-974-2000 no later than 72 hours before the town hall. Beyond the town halls, feedback can be submitted at austintexas.gov/budget.

On Wednesday, the Hearst Corp. announced it has agreed to acquire the Austin American-Statesman from Gannett Co. Inc. The acquisition, expected to finalize by March 31, includes the Statesman‘s community publications – Bastrop Advertiser, Lake Travis View, Pflugerville Pflag and Round Rock Leader – as well as digital platforms like Austin360 and Hookem.com. The Hearst Corp., which is privately held, also owns the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News, along with a variety of other publications and television assets. The Austin Business Journal notes that the sale comes a few months after the paper’s management finalized a two-year contract with the union representing its newsroom, following several years of negotiation and staff turnover. Founded in 1871, the Statesman has undergone multiple ownership changes in recent years, with its business and editorial operations moved to a business park in Southeast Austin to allow for the redevelopment of its former location downtown on property along Lady Bird Lake.

The Parks and Recreation Department has significantly reduced its cost estimate for the proposed pocket park at Spicewood Springs Road and Old Lampasas Trail, bringing it down from an initial $2.8 million to approximately $982,800. The revision follows a detailed evaluation of the site’s acreage, proximity to major roadways and the Bull Creek Greenbelt, neighborhood access and the appropriate scale of planned amenities. The proposed park, outlined in City Council Resolution No. 20240829-140, would include a pavilion, playground, community garden, fenced dog park, basketball and pickleball courts, plus an extensive trail network. Infrastructure improvements such as parking, bike racks and lighting are also planned. The cost decrease reflects a reassessment of the scale of amenities, with adjustments made to ensure feasibility within the available space and budget constraints. The new estimate does not include ongoing maintenance costs, which would need to be considered separately. If the project moves forward, PARD will engage the community to finalize the design and development plan.

The Downtown Austin Alliance will host its next Issues & Eggs breakfast event, focusing on the future of East Sixth Street, at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 25, at St. David’s Episcopal Church. The discussion will center on the ongoing revitalization efforts of the entertainment district, addressing topics such as safety, economic development and preservation. Panelists for the discussion include: Eddie Garcia, assistant city manager; Paul Bodenman, senior vice president of Stream Realty; and Blake Thompson, co-founder of State Street Properties. They will share insights and updates on the push to turn East Sixth Street into a more vibrant and secure area. Stream Realty Partners has acquired over 30 properties in the district, initiating renovations to transform the area from a nightlife-centric scene into an all-day destination. Plans include introducing new restaurants, retail spaces and mixed-use developments, such as the six-story, 232-unit Grant Building project approved in July 2024. Also, the city recently opted toward widening sidewalks and modifying traffic patterns to enhance pedestrian safety and overall accessibility.

This date of the breakfast has been corrected.

City Council Member Mike Siegel of District 7 is scheduled to speak at the “Save Our Services Rally” planned for today as a way to protest mass layoffs and cuts in public services as directed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The family-friendly rally is open to all and is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at Republic Square (406 San Antonio St., Austin, TX 78701), with federal workers and community members joining in a national call to action by the Federal Unionist Network, an informal association of federal unionists and allies. “Federal workers send out Social Security checks to our seniors and provide health care through Medicare and Medicaid; they organize emergency assistance during disasters and ensure all of us can access vital public services. Billionaires like Elon Musk won’t feel the negative effects of these brutal cuts and layoffs, but working people will. That’s we need to organize locally – to build power, push back against the DOGE attacks and protect the American people,” Siegel said in a news release. Find more information at bit.ly/SOSaction.

Three days later, at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Austin is hosting a town hall to “take questions from constituents and share the latest about what’s going on in DC and Texas,” his office said. For logistical details, constituents can RSVP at: bit.ly/ATXTownHall2025.

The Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers has unveiled the 2025 Texas Infrastructure Report Card, assigning the state’s infrastructure an overall grade of C. This mirrors the grade from the 2021 report and surpasses the national average of C-minus reported in 2021. The assessment encompasses 16 categories, with aviation and roads showing improvement, while there were declines in the categories of drinking water, energy, levees, solid waste, transit and wastewater. Notably, four new categories – broadband, hazardous waste, ports and rail – were evaluated for the first time. In Austin, roads and water infrastructure have received significant attention in recent years, with Austin Water initiating design and construction projects at plants, reservoirs, pump stations and lift stations to improve resiliency and expand capacity. Additionally, the “My ATX Water” program aims to modernize the system by replacing over 250,000 analog meters with digital ones connected to a wireless network, enhancing monitoring and efficiency. Looking ahead, the city’s proposed sustainability bond aims to fund projects targeting climate change mitigation and infrastructure resilience. Potential initiatives include land acquisition, water conservation efforts, mobility enhancements, emission reduction project and green infrastructure updates, all designed to address the city’s growing infrastructure demands.

Adam Haynes, who filed complaints against City Council Member Mike Siegel and AURA President Zach Faddis, has told the Austin Monitor that he will be refiling after the city’s Law Department acknowledged that notice was not sent to the correct email address (which was listed on the paperwork he submitted). Haynes alleged Siegel and Faddis committed campaign finance violations at the city’s Ethics Review Commission. The cases were heard at a Feb. 6 meeting of the commission but, due to Haynes’ absence, were dismissed without prejudice. An email from Assistant City Attorney Caroline Webster says that the preliminary hearings could be held as soon as March 26, depending on when Haynes files.

Shield Ranch and the city have agreed to the creation of a 202-acre conservation easement in southwest Travis County and northern Hays County, as part of voter-approved open space protection efforts included in the 2018 bond election. A portion of the appraised value of the easement was purchased using funds from the Water Quality Protection Lands Bond, while the Shield-Ayres-Bowen family donated the remainder of the land’s value. The land is part of the 6,600-acre Shield Ranch, which contains roughly 10 percent of the Barton Creek watershed. The easement prohibits commercial development while allowing agricultural and recreational uses, as well as limited residential development under specific restrictions. The agreement aims to protect water quality, hydrologic function and biodiversity in an area that has been under increasing development pressure. The easement will be monitored by the city of Austin, with annual site visits to ensure compliance. It is the third conservation easement on Shield Ranch, with the first established through the Nature Conservancy in Texas in 1998. The 2018 bond provided $72 million for land conservation across Barton Springs’ recharge and contributing zones. The funding has now been fully allocated, securing more than 6,800 acres of protected land.

The Housing Department recently celebrated the opening of Parker Lane Apartments, a new affordable housing community in Southeast Austin’s District 3. The development, managed by the nonprofit organization Foundation Communities, offers 135 units designed to support individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The unit mix includes 25 one-bedroom, 68 two-bedroom and 42 three-bedroom apartments. Of those, 14 units are designated for families with children facing homelessness. Ten units are reserved for households earning at or below 30 percent of the area’s median family income, 58 units are for those at or below 50 percent MFI, and 53 are for those at or below 60 percent MFI. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs contributed $15 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits toward the project, while the city provided approximately $9.7 million using funds from 2022 general obligation bonds and Project Connect’s anti-displacement initiatives. Additional financial support came from Wells Fargo, St. David’s Foundation, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas. Located on property from the former Parker Lane United Methodist Church site, the project saw church leaders enter into a 99-year lease agreement with Foundation Communities to bring affordable housing and community services to the neighborhood.