Since the city lost a battle with the Save Our Springs Alliance and its executive director, Bill Bunch, over how much time members of the public should get to address City Council, members of the public have been given three minutes per item, regardless of how many items they wished to address. Council seems likely to adopt new rules today, giving speakers two minutes per item.

When Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle ruled in favor of SOS and Bunch, she ordered the city to allow speakers three minutes per item and placed no limits on the number of items a speaker could address. The ruling will remain in effect until July 1 or until the parties agree on a different regulation. This week’s agenda includes a modification that gives speakers two minutes per item. However, Council Member Chito Vela is slated to offer the following amendment: “Prior to or at the start of each meeting, the presiding officer shall announce the amount of time allotted to speakers per item, but at no time will the speaking time be reduced to less than two minutes per agenda item. The presiding officer may also cap the total amount of time a speaker has to address all items on the agenda if the time limit is reasonable.” Presumably, this will keep individuals from picking 20 items at random and trying to address Council for 40 minutes. SOS said in an email to supporters, “We are disappointed that the proposed ordinance diminishes the importance of public speaking by reducing the time limit from the established 3-minute rule. Nonetheless, this is still a win for good government and the residents of Austin.” On Wednesday afternoon, Council Member Alison Alter informed her colleagues via the City Council Message Board that she intends to offer an amendment that would remove any item from the consent agenda if six or more members of the public have signed up to speak on it.

Organizations focused on fostering healthier communities and increasing access to health care in Central Texas are eligible for $18 million in support from St. David’s Foundation’s Community Driven Change and We All Benefit funding opportunities. They will provide one-time, unrestricted grants, and previous, current and new grantees are all eligible. The Community Driven Change open call will award up to $10 million to groups focused on building healthier communities in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties. Eligible organizations must have an annual operating budget of at least $250,000 and demonstrate evidence in efforts to improve individuals and families’ health and wellness. The We All Benefit open call will award up to $8 million to increase access to quality, responsive care by organizations currently enrolling Central Texans in health insurance benefits via Medicaid, CHIP or ACA, or otherwise supporting people in the enrollment process for those benefits. This open call is in response to the recent Medicaid disenrollment, which has resulted in the loss of health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Central Texans, many of whom are children. To apply, organizations can submit an initial letter of intent by June 28. Once they are invited to participate in a streamlined application process, their applications would be due Aug. 9.

For the first time since 2017, a free outdoor concert series will once again be held on the Texas Capitol Mall in front of the Bullock Museum. Texas artists will perform at Music Under the Star in the new Capitol Mall Amphitheater starting at 6 p.m. on a handful of summer Fridays, with headliners playing at 7:30 p.m. Music Under the Star began in 2003 and took a hiatus for construction of the Texas Capitol Mall.

• June 14 – Kamica King opening and the Peterson Brothers headlining
• July 19 – Chayito Champion and Keli Rosa Cabunoc opening and Max Baca and Los Texmaniacs headlining
• Aug. 9 – The South Austin Moonlighters opening and Guy Forsyth headlining

Parking is available for $15 in the Bullock Museum’s underground garage. Parking is free for museum members with a Music Under the Star parking voucher. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at all Music Under the Star concerts. Guests can purchase band merchandise through the Bullock Museum Store at the events. Program sponsors KUTX 98.9 will also be on hand to support the event. For more about the artists and their musical styles, visit TheStoryofTexas.com/muts.

A mosquito pool has tested positive for the West Nile virus in the 78744 ZIP code, though no human cases of the virus have been identified. According to Austin Public Health, in 2023 Austin-Travis County saw one death from the virus and three probable cases. Statewide, 913 positive pools and 90 confirmed cases were reported. West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the country. According to a press release from APH, “Approximately 20 percent of people infected with West Nile virus develop symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. Of those infected, few develop further serious illnesses, usually affecting the central nervous system. People over 60 years of age are at greater risk of developing serious disease, as are those with medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension or kidney disease. Organ transplant recipients are also at risk for more severe forms of disease.” The health authority is encouraging residents to drain standing water to prevent breeding, apply an EPA-registered insect repellent, wear pants and long sleeves when outside and to be aware that mosquitoes (like vampires) are most active from dusk until dawn.

On Friday, work on the Waterloo Greenway reached a milestone with the opening of a new 142-foot suspension pedestrian bridge over Waller Creek. The bridge is part of phase two of the project, known as The Confluence, and it is the first of three that will be erected south of Cesar Chavez Street. According to a press release from Waterloo Greenway about the new bridge, “The design of the bridge allows for minimal impact on the surrounding ecological environment through the use of small foundations and a unique Vierendeel truss system. This bridge will provide connectivity and access to natural beauty while remaining resilient to weather events and a high volume of pedestrian and bike traffic.” Work on The Confluence has been underway for about a year. When completed, it will also feature a boardwalk under Cesar Chavez, public green spaces and extensive landscaping. The entire undertaking is the result of a partnership between Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and the city’s Watershed Protection and Parks and Recreation departments. It is funded by a combination of public funds and donations.

According to a post on the City Council Message Board, Mayor Kirk Watson has sponsored an ordinance that will increase the property tax exemption for senior and disabled homeowners in Austin from $124,000 to $154,000. Council will have to act by May 30, the date of this week’s City Council meeting, in order for the exemption increase to take effect. Council Member Alison Alter, who responded to the post, called it “an important piece of our efforts to allow our seniors to age in place.”

In an effort to ease its ongoing capacity crisis, Austin Animal Center is limiting intake hours to 11 a.m. through 1 p.m., starting today. A press release about the new policy makes exceptions for animals showing “extreme signs of distress or injury, such as heat stroke, young litters that would need to be bottle fed, and animals showing obvious signs of injury.” The press release also explains that the shelter has been boarding animals off-site because the shelter is over capacity and faces an ever-increasing demand for its services. “As AAC limits intake even further and continues working to increase outcomes, the goal is to re-open once all the dogs in boarding have returned to the shelter and animals are safely housed in permanent kennels,” states the release. In order to address capacity issues, the shelter has waived adoption fees, offered financial incentives for rescue organizations that can take larger dogs, and increased its outreach to get the word out about adoptions. Austinites are encouraged to adopt, foster or volunteer if they can.

This month kicked off a number of groundbreaking and construction ceremonies for projects funded by 2022 bonds. Williams, Cook, Wooten and Harris elementary schools and the Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy are now undergoing modernization projects funded by the historic $2.44 billion in bonds. The money will also go toward improving safety, technology, buildings and athletic facilities across the district, with 25 campuses slated for modernization projects. “By modernizing these schools, we’re making a tremendous impact on the learning environment and improving the experience of students for generations to come,” said Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura in a statement to the press. “Every campus will be uniquely designed by and for the communities they serve. It has been amazing to see such hands-on involvement to customize the needs of these schools.” More information about the 2022 bond program can be found at www.AISDFuture.com.

The Lower Colorado River Authority has approved its business and capital plans for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins July 1, authorizing about $1.32 billion in energy, water and public service projects and a $577 million business plan. In addition to affirming a commitment to a new “peaker” plant that will come online with electricity when the grid is maxed out, the LCRA board plans to invest more than $3.9 billion in transmission facilities over the next five years in order to increase reliability and meet projected demands for electricity in the future. In addition, LCRA will invest around $146 million in data transmission to enable smart technologies, $174 million on water supply projects and $38 million in dam rehabilitation projects over the next five years. “We electrified the Hill Country in the 1930s and ’40s, and now we are taking a lead role in investing in dispatchable generation that can be called upon quickly when needed,” LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said in a statement to the press. “We are well positioned to serve Texans and our customers for many years to come because while LCRA’s services have evolved over the past 90 years, we continue to help Texans respond to significant population growth by staying true to our mission to enhance the quality of life of the people we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service.” LCRA does not collect taxes or receive state appropriations and is funded by its own business revenues. Fiscal Year 2025 business and capital plans can be found here: www.lcra.org/about/financial-highlights/business-plan.

Austin ISD will provide free summer meals to children 18 and younger (as well as students with disabilities who are younger than 21) through its Summer Food Service Program. Children do not need to meet income requirements or be enrolled in AISD to be fed, and there are no registration or identification requirements. Families can find meal sites by calling 211, texting FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304, or checking out the Summer Food and Austin ISD websites. According to a press release from the district, these campuses will serve summer meals:

The program feeds children who rely on school meals over the summer through a U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition program.

In response to the severe storms and flooding in Houston and Hays County, Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) is on the ground providing real-time relief and support. The nonprofit network of about 200 Austin-area churches and trained volunteers is seeking additional volunteers as well as donations of money and supplies. People interested in supporting survivors and distributing supplies can join ADRN’s volunteer efforts by signing up here. In-kind donations can be made through this Amazon wish list or through donations to Hope Family Thrift Store. Financial contributions to sustain disaster relief operations can be made here and will cover things like clean-up buckets, hygiene kits and survivor care kits, which are critically low. The Austin-based nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing physical, emotional and spiritual care to disaster survivors.

On Tuesday, May 28, construction intended to improve safety will begin at Stassney Lane and First Street. The intersection was targeted using Vision Zero planning tools and is funded by the 2018 mobility bond. The project is aimed at reducing crashes and improving things for pedestrians and cyclists. According to the Planning and Transportation Department, the improvements will include:

• Extended and widened medians for access management and motorist safety
• Upgraded pedestrian infrastructure including restriping of high-visibility crosswalks and new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible curb ramps
• New protected bike lanes and sidewalks
• Improved access to transit through the construction of a new far-side bus stop serving eastbound routes on Stassney Lane
• Driveway modifications to improve safety for drivers turning in and out of driveways