The issue of how to fund climate projects has been a long-standing conversation, and this week Austin Outside, a coalition of nonprofits and businesses advocating for healthy and lively outdoor spaces, has weighed in with a letter on its stance. The coalition wrote to the mayor and City Council members to throw its support behind the environmental impact plan recommendations made by the Joint Sustainability Committee, the Office of Sustainability and Council Member Ryan Alter’s office. The letter emphasizes maximizing the bang for the city’s buck regarding the “$1.7 billion backlog of authorized but unissued general obligation bonds from prior elections,” asking for “a thorough return-on-investment analysis” plus a “comparison and ranking of each project’s urgency based on its ability to reduce CO2 emissions and its ease of implementation.” It pointedly asks, “Which projects are ‘shovel ready?’ Which projects can use funding mechanisms that are more readily available to the City? Which projects will need anti-displacement strategies to protect current residents?” Ted Siff, board president of Austin Outside, signed the letter, which was endorsed by the coalition’s board.

The Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse Rehabilitation Project at Barton Springs Pool got another funding boost last week when Barton Springs Conservancy contributed an additional $450,000, bringing the conservancy’s total amount of private contributions to $3,834,000. Pooling donations from One Skye Foundation, Powell Foundation, Still Water Foundation and Susan Vaughan Foundation, the funding will support the Parks and Recreation Department’s construction contract for the bathhouse project. On Thursday, City Council members Paige Ellis, Ryan Alter and Leslie Pool participated in a check presentation ceremony.

The Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo, which will take place in Austin in December, is seeking submissions for potential panel discussions. The three-day event at JW Marriott Austin is expected to draw more than 1,200 decision-makers and local leaders from across the country, with a focus on addressing ways to make communities safer, smarter and more sustainable. Prospective panels should target digital transformation, urban operations, mobility, infrastructure, community engagement and innovation. The 2023 program guide is available to demonstrate past panels that were selected. Panel submissions are due by July 26.

The city is offering $3,000 grants to individuals and organizations working to positively impact communities around the city facing challenges related to food, climate change and overall resilience. The Food and Climate Equity Grants program builds off of last year’s Food Justice Mini Grants and the Resilience Mini Grants programs, which gave $150,000 to 51 community-driven projects. The Office of Sustainability and the Office of Resilience are collaborating on the new program to make it easier for groups to apply and access any needed support. “By combining our grant programs, we’re hoping to create a more efficient process for those working on food and climate change solutions,” said Zach Baumer, Austin’s chief sustainability officer. “This program aligns with our city’s Climate Equity Plan and its strategy of prioritizing local community initiatives.” The application deadline is July 18.

Two public input sessions are scheduled for this Wednesday, June 12, on accessibility at county buildings and parks. Travis County is asking to hear about the preferences and priorities of county residents with disabilities, employees who work with the disability community and local advocacy organizations. The feedback will shape how Travis County prioritizes needed changes identified in its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan, which addresses access issues and solutions, as well as who will be responsible for removing barriers to access, a timeline for barrier removal and a cost reference for planning purposes. Both sessions on Wednesday will be held at the Travis County Administration Building at 700 Lavaca St. Austin, TX 78701:

• 2:30 p.m. (Registration link to join virtually for those who can’t attend in-person: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IwpaM0EwRUuiDQOoyBNsrA)
• 6 p.m. (Registration link to join virtually for those who can’t attend in-person: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xquQdvjAS_uqcizHD1R4Ww)

Both sessions will provide an overview of the ADA requirements for existing facilities and parks, discuss factors other counties and cities have considered in setting priorities and share examples of inaccessible items being addressed in the transition plan. To see a digital copy of the county’s site-specific ADA Transition Plan, email pio@traviscountytx.gov.

Motorists and pedestrians should prepare for road closures in portions of East Austin this Saturday, June 15, to accommodate the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade and Festival. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m., which means roads will be closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. along the route that runs along East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard beginning at Leona Street, turns right on Chicon Street, left on Rosewood Avenue and left again on Chestnut Avenue, finishing at Rosewood Neighborhood Park. Staging needs mean MLK Boulevard will be closed from the Interstate 35 frontage road to Comal Street, as well as Comal Street between East 20th Street and East 14th Street, also 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Only local traffic will be allowed within one block of streets that cross the parade route. Rosewood Avenue will undergo closure from Chestnut Avenue to Walnut Avenue between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. Additional street closures near the festival site may be implemented by the Austin Police Department as required. A complete map of closures and the parade route is available online.

The West Nile virus has now been found in two pools in the 78744 ZIP code, and Austin Public Health is continuing mosquito abatement and outreach to the community. According to a press release from the health authority, the same mosquito trap that captured the first positive pool in May was used to discover the second pool. Austin Public Health has administered larvacide in the area and distributed flyers and repellent to residents. “Our teams continue to monitor mosquitoes in the area and take actions to alert and educate residents on the threat and prevention methods,” APH Director Adrienne Sturrup said in a statement to the press. “While the positive pools have only been seen in 78744, I encourage everyone in Austin and Travis County to follow best practices and protect themselves from mosquitoes through the rest of the year.” More information about how to prevent and identify West Nile virus can be found here and here.

Six more pools and the temporary bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool open today. Civitan, Kennemer, Metz, Parque Zaragoza, Stacy Wading and West Austin pools open today, joining a whole bunch of other pools and splash pads across the city that were already in operation as a way to beat our already-in-progress heat. A list of pools and their operating status can be found here. The Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse at Barton Springs is closed for renovations until spring 2025.

The city’s Green Workforce Accelerator will host a showcase on June 13 at the Central Library to introduce the community to organizations that deploy, train and place residents in green jobs. The free event is sponsored by the city’s Innovation Office, the Office of Sustainability, the Parks and Recreation Department, Austin Resource Recovery and Blue Sky Partners. The accelerator was created to help local organizations create or expand programs that result in the creation and placement of green jobs. Participants in the latest cohort received $15,000 grants plus technical assistance to assess their best plans for growth while participating in the program. Industries highlighted in the 2024 cohort included energy efficiency and alternative energy, water management and conservation, waste management and resource recovery, transportation, plus lands, parks and urban agriculture. Those interested in attending the showcase can register online.

David King, a longtime neighborhood advocate and frequent voice at City Council meetings, died Sunday after a lengthy illness. King, who was retired from the state, was active in the Austin Neighborhoods Council and other community causes. King was known for his kindness and generosity, as well as his ability to quickly immerse himself in a number of policy issues before Council. He briefly served as president of ANC before stepping down to serve on the Zoning and Platting Commission as an appointee of Council Member Ann Kitchen. ANC’s Mary Ingle said her friendship with King extended beyond City Hall and ANC meetings as she would often join King and his husband, Luis Guerra, for dinner and drinks and lots of laughs. “We always had the best time,” she said. “David’s ebullience and his passion for issues was unlimited. And it was unstoppable. We will all miss him.”

As of midweek, the Music and Entertainment Division had received 111 completed applications for the second iteration of the Live Music Fund, with the 397 draft applications suggesting there will be many more applicants ahead of the June 18 closing. City staff gave a progress report on the application process at Monday’s Music Commission meeting, with almost no technical or other issues reported. The division had also held two online workshops to explain and provide assistance for applicants looking to receive grants ranging from $15,000 to $30,000 for performers and promoters, and $30,000 to $60,000 for venues. This year, the grant program – which is funded with Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue – will provide $4.5 million total. Artists and event promoters will receive $3.5 million total, with venues eligible to receive some of the $1 million recently added to the program.