Central Health is holding a conversation about its newest plans for serving the community today. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both in-person and online. The event is an opportunity to ask Central Health leadership questions and hear from Central Health Board Chair Ann Kitchen and CEO Dr. Pat Lee about newly launched programs centered on things like gastroenterology, pulmonology, nephrology and palliative medicine. Kitchen and Central Health Board members Shannon Jones, Amit Motwani and Cynthia Valadez will hold a listening session for attendees following the official presentation. Lunch, coffee, tea and snacks will be provided for all (in-person) attendees.

Travis County GOP Chair Matt Mackowiak has declared his intention to head the Republican Party of Texas. Mackowiak, who has chaired the county Republican party since 2017, is also well-known as the co-founder of Save Austin Now, a group that notably led the charge to reinstate Austin’s ban on camping for homeless people and unsuccessfully pushed a ballot proposition that would have mandated more police in Austin. He pulled no punches in last week’s statement about entering the race. “The most important election in our lifetimes is 5 months away, and due to incompetence, mismanagement, laziness, and shady associations our outgoing State Chairman and his endorsed successor Abraham George are risking President Trump’s margin in Texas, Senator Cruz’s re-election, and everything we all care about. The state party has only 5 paid staff, a Victory chair who just quit, was $500,000 short of the minimum budget for the convention which begins in six days, and couldn’t organize a two-car funeral,” he said. “Today I am announcing my candidacy for RPT Chairman, not because this will be easy, but because the task ahead is too important to leave it in the hands of children. We will make RPT great again and we will save Texas.” Mackowiak thanked and endorsed fellow contenders Dr. Dana Myers, Mike Garcia and Ben Armenta, but said that his goal is to make sure former Collin County GOP Chair Abraham George does not win the race. Weston Martinez is also in the running to be chair.

Tonight, the Central Texas Food Bank is holding the first gallery night for its Feed Creativity Youth Art Competition. The event will highlight the nearly 100 pieces submitted in the competition by students, as well as unveiling the grand prize winner, whose art will be displayed on a 26-foot distribution truck. In addition, the evening will highlight the work of the food bank, which will continue to provide 6,000 meals and snacks to students this summer when they are out of school. The gallery night is free and open to the public at the Central Texas Food Bank at 6500 Metropolis Drive, with check-in starting at 5:30 p.m. and programming at 6 p.m.

On Wednesday, May 22, the Development Services Department will offer limited services in its usual work helping homeowners, business owners and contractors ensure compliance with applicable city and building codes when they build, demolish, remodel or perform any construction. Starting at 11 a.m., appointments and in-person payments may be unavailable because of the department’s annual awards and recognition event. Standard operations will resume on Thursday, May 23. Additionally, there might be slight delays in inspections from May 22 to May 29. If an appointment must be rescheduled, inspectors will reach out with details. The Permitting and Development Center will remain open for other departments located in the building and Event Center activities. For immediate assistance or inquiries during the temporary closure, visit DSD’s website or call Austin 311.

The short-lived glory of being a top-10 city has passed. Austin broke onto the list of the top 10 largest American cities last year, but has now been edged out by Jacksonville, Florida, and pushed back to the 11th position once again. Though Austin’s population did grow, its population is 979,882 people, compared to Jacksonville’s 985,843 people. “For decades, the red-hot regional economy coupled with a relatively lower cost of living yielded substantial population growth in Central Texas,” city demographer Lila Valencia said in a statement to the press. “However, with volatility rattling the tech sector, housing costs rising post-pandemic, and more opportunities for remote work, it’s not surprising to see population growth slowing and Austin slipping back into position as the 11th largest city.” According to a press release from the city about the news, “Austin’s growth rate during that period – 0.42 percent – was just shy of the national growth rate of 0.5 percent. However, it was in line with population growth trends among large cities since the pandemic.”

Austin Water is hosting open houses over the next few weeks as a way for customers to learn about their water and wastewater system, planned investments and how these investments may impact rates in the coming year. Rate increases for water and wastewater have been forecast in 2025, which Austin Water chalks up to costs of improving system resiliency and tracking a growing population. A cost-of-service rate study is being conducted now, with a goal of balancing affordability with maintaining critical utility infrastructure for extreme weather. Attendees can ask staff questions and share their feedback at the following times at these Austin Public Library locations and community centers:

• 4–7 p.m. Thursday, May 23: Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 South Fifth St.
• 4–7 p.m. Wednesday, May 29: Howson Branch, 2500 Exposition Blvd.
• 4–7 p.m. Thursday, May 30: Hampton Branch, 5125 Convict Hill Road
• 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, June 1: Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Lane
• 4–7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4: Pleasant Hill Branch, 211 E. William Cannon Drive
• 4–7 p.m. Wednesday, June 5:  Spicewood Springs Branch, 8637 Spicewood Springs Road
• 8:30–11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 8: Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, 808 Nile St.
• 4–7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11: North Village Branch, 2505 Steck Ave.
• 6–7 p.m. Thursday, June 13: Virtual meeting on Zoom
• 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, June 15: Menchaca Road Branch, 5500 Menchaca Road
• 10 a.m.–1 p.m.Saturday, June 22: Montopolis Recreation & Community Center, 1200 Montopolis

For in-person open houses: No formal presentation will be made. Customers can drop in at any time to view materials and speak with Austin Water officials. For the virtual open house: Austin Water officials will explain the need for the rate study and potential rate impacts. Attendees can ask questions and provide feedback. Click here for information about the meeting and a Zoom link to attend.

For more in-depth conversations, Austin Water is seeking 30 customers to attend two focus groups – up to 15 at each session – on Thursday evening, May 30, or Friday morning, May 31. For language interpretation assistance, contact Austin Water at AWPublicInformation@austintexas.gov. A summary of all feedback will be made available at Austin Water’s website and to customers upon request.

The city of Austin has officially launched a national search to find its next police chief. The position was posted on Wednesday and will remain open until June 10. Austin has not had a permanent chief since September, when then-Chief Joseph Chacon left his position. New City Manager T.C. Broadnax, who started his job last week, identified finding a new head of the Austin Police Department as a priority when he began. “Public safety is of paramount importance, not just to me and the Mayor and City Council, but to Austin as a whole. My commitment to this community is to find the absolute best candidate for this critical role,” Broadnax said in a statement to the press. “I want to ensure that I bring forward someone who will build trust and foster a culture of transparency and accountability.” The search will be conducted with the help of Mosaic Public Partners, who also assisted in the city manager search. The firm will gather input from the public through a survey. In terms of a timeline, a press release said the city intends to identify candidates “shortly after” the position closes on June 10.

After receiving a $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the city of Austin has announced its intention to fund a local artist (or artist group) as the “Our Future 35 Artist in Residence.” The city will match that money to fund the position. Our Future 35 is an initiative that will attempt to mitigate the impact of the expansion of Interstate 35 downtown with public spaces over the highway. According to a press release from the city, “The Artist in Residence will work closely with the Our Future 35 planning team over the course of two years, producing and integrating art into public engagement events and culminating with a capstone or showcase event. The artist will also potentially generate temporary installations or activations along construction corridors, pending the program’s status in Spring 2026.” Updates to the artist in residence program will be available online here.

UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum will unveil its Historic Preservation, Expansion and Unification Plan on Wednesday, May 29. What’s a Historic Preservation, Expansion and Unification Plan, you ask? According to a press release from the parks department, “The plan is the vital first step for the Austin art institution to improve access and expand use of the 5.86-acre sculpture garden, museum and grounds, while preserving and incorporating the adjacent 1.93-acre site that includes the historic home of Angeline and Charles Umlauf, their private sculpture garden, and the artist’s studio.” Specifically, the plan recommends strategies for preservation and more public access and programming in addition to finding a way to display more of the museum’s collection. The presentation of the plan will take place at the museum at 5:30 p.m.. The event is free and open to the public, who can RSVP to the event here.

With the added enticements of maps, coffee, snacks and group rides, commuting by bicycle is encouraged this Friday, May 17, for Bike to Work Day. Austin Transportation and Public Works (TPW) and partner organizations Get There ATX, Ghisallo Cycling Initiative, Movability and MetroBike will offer bike trips, educational information and a morning at Austin City Hall. Looking for high-comfort bike routes? The live, interactive Austin Bike Map can be found online here. Don’t have a bike? You can rent a MetroBike for free using promo code B2WD2024. Ghisallo offers free consultations to help riders find a safe route – just email kari.kuwamura@ghisallo.org. Cyclists can find fueling stations featuring coffee, snacks and more or join a group ride from locations throughout the city. An 8 a.m. National Bike to Work Day celebration at Austin City Hall will feature free coffee and tacos, swag giveaways and booths from community partners focusing on mobility. And at the end of the day, the official Bike to Work Day After Party will be at Central Machine Works (4824 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78702) from 6 to 8 p.m.

On Bike to Work Day, and every other day, the best way drivers can support bicyclists is giving them the space they need on the road – at least 3 feet of space when passing. Drivers can keep themselves and bicyclists safe by taking extra time to check for bicyclists in intersections or dark conditions. In morning or late evening hours, cyclists can be safe by wearing reflective clothing and using a white front and a red rear light.

This piece has been updated with the correct promo code.

Rewild ATX, which describes itself as a citywide network of volunteers working on climate mitigation, water protection, biodiversity and keeping parks open for all, has issued a press release raising concerns about Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department’s nonprofit policies. According to Rewild ATX, those policies “feature blanket and unexamined agreements with The Trail Conservancy and other park non-profits.”

The group expressed particular concern about the appointment of Kimberly McNeeley, who announced her departure as director of PARD shortly before The Trail Conservancy revealed her selection as chief executive officer of the conservancy.

According to Rewild ATX, “PARD agreements with parks non-profits, initially billed as a way to fund park projects, appear to have been lucrative for the non-profits and the executives who run them.”

Rewild ATX says that it sponsored “a forensic financial study that calls into question the degree to which the city’s non-profit partners – specifically The Trail Conservancy, Austin Parks Foundation, and Waterloo Greenway – serve the public good rather than their own interests. Under outgoing PARD Director McNeeley’s term 2019-2024, just these three non-profits had amassed $44 million in unspent funds as of 2022.” The group says their study “revealed that a relatively small amount of funds raised by the three non-profits goes to park maintenance, restoration, or new park acquisition.”

Rewild ATX is now asking the city to do an independent audit of the three nonprofits.

In celebration of famed 19th century artist Elisabet Ney as well as today’s women enriching Austin’s arts, sciences and diverse communities, the 10th annual Ney Day is set for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25, on the grounds of the Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 E. 44th St. The free afternoon celebration presented by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department will feature artist-led activities, interactive demonstrations, games and attractions, plus music by Gina Chavez, the Latin Grammy-nominated artist and 12-time Austin Music Award winner. There will be booths presented by KUTX, ATX Gals, the Refugee Collective, Lady Cans, Girls Empowerment Network and the Austin History Center, and Ney Day is free and open to all ages. RSVP to the Ney Day celebration.