As anticipated by those carefully watching the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and affiliated nonprofit organizations, The Trail Conservancy has announced the appointment of Kimberly McNeeley as its chief executive officer. Earlier this month, McNeeley submitted her resignation as director of PARD, indicating that she would assist the city with its transition plan during the month of May. The conservancy is dedicated to enhance the experiences of those using the 10-mile-long Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, which runs along Lady Bird Lake. The conservancy’s announcement says that McNeeley will start her new job on June 10. She has been director of PARD since August 2019, having started as a lifeguard manager and then becoming an assistant director.

According to a statement on the conservancy’s website, Claire Hempel, who chairs the board of the conservancy, said, “Kimberly’s appointment as CEO of The Trail Conservancy comes at a pivotal time. Kimberly’s dedication to public service and proven track record of fostering community and enhancing green spaces uniquely positions her to lead our organization. We are confident that her visionary leadership will propel The Trail Conservancy into a new era, deepening our commitment to making the Butler Trail accessible and enjoyable for all.”

According to their website, The Trail Conservancy (previously the Town Lake Trail Foundation), a 501(c)(3), was formed in 2003 to enhance the trail. Since that time, it has invested more than $13 million in various improvements to this public asset, most notably the Boardwalk on the south side of the lake. The foundation raises money for these improvements through fundraising and via contracts with the city. The city gave the foundation authority over the trail in 2021.

Though it doesn’t have a permanent chief or long-term contract in place, the Austin Police Department does have a new five-year strategic plan, which can be read in its entirety online now. The plan has been in the works since 2022 and includes focus areas, goals, strategies and ways to measure progress. According to a press release about the plan, the focus areas are:

• Protect Austin
• Engage our community
• Develop our workforce
• Foster leadership excellence
• Enhance organizational capacity

“I am confident the Austin Police Department Strategic Plan 2024-2029, APD and our community have developed together will provide us with a clear roadmap to achieve our goals and fulfill our mission,” interim Chief Robin J. Henderson said in a statement to the press. “All the input and feedback we have received has been helpful in fostering continuous improvements, shaping our future accomplishments, celebrate our collective successes and continue to engage our workforce and community to make Austin the safest city in America.”

The city has embarked upon a historic resource survey of Downtown Austin and is looking for help to complete the “comprehensive snapshot” of the area, which will document the history and heritage of the neighborhood through documentation, research and oral histories. On Monday, May 13, the city’s Historic Preservation Office will host a virtual meeting to share information about the survey. Those wanting to participate can also take part in an online questionnaire that will close on Sunday, June 16. Those wanting to attend Monday’s meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m., can register here.

Three Travis County taxpayers filed suit against Central Health in 2017, claiming that the health care district did not have authority to transfer $35 million a year to the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School for education, research and administration. Attorneys for the three taxpayers will be in court today, along with the attorneys for Central Health and CEO Patrick Lee. Central Health’s attorneys will argue that the plaintiffs do not have standing to file the suit and that as a governmental entity, Central Health is immune from such claims. Plaintiffs’ major contention is that the $35 million in taxpayer money transferred to the medical school each year should be spent on health care for low-income people. The suit was filed on behalf of Rebecca Birch, Richard Franklin III and Esther Govea. The original lead counsel on the suit was Phil Durst, a well-known attorney who died in 2019. Attorney and activist Fred Lewis and Manuel Quinto-Pozos are representing the plaintiffs, and Beverly Reeves, Sinead O’Carroll, Daniel Richards and Clark Richards are representing Central Health. The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the new Travis County Civil and Family Courthouse, 1700 Lavaca St., in the 201st District Court courtroom.

The city has released its budget survey tool to help prepare for the upcoming budget season. The tool is pretty simple, asking residents to pick their top three priorities out of a list of departments like Austin Public Library, Forensic Science and Housing. “Our residents are at the heart of everything we do, and their input is invaluable in shaping the priorities of our city,” new Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax said in a statement to the press. “We encourage all residents to take advantage of this opportunity to share their perspectives and help shape the future of Austin.” The survey will be online and available through May. Those who would like to participate on a more robust level can check out the upcoming timeline, which has the proposed budget presentation on July 12, with opportunities for public comment on July 24 and Aug. 1 prior to a budget adoption process that begins on Aug. 5. More information on the budget process can be found here.

Transportation Security Administration PreCheck and CLEAR screening are now consolidated to the same checkpoint at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, which the city calls an effort to streamline the process for all travelers, regardless of which screening service they use. As of May 8, each TSA checkpoint is designated for the specific screening services listed below.

Checkpoint 1

• General screening
• Known crew member screening
• Priority/premium screening
• ADA screening

Checkpoint 2 East:

• General screening

Checkpoint 2 West:

• TSA PreCheck
• CLEAR for passengers with PreCheck and CLEAR or CLEAR with no PreCheck
• ADA screening for passengers with PreCheck and those using general screening in need of accessibility accommodations.

TSA Checkpoint 3 is closed through 2026 for the West Infill and TSA Checkpoint 3 Expansion. Passengers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with checkpoint locations before their departure using the AUS digital interactive map. Booking a Passenger Support Specialist can provide travelers with assistance through the checkpoints. The service must be booked at least 72 hours in advance by completing the TSA Cares form or calling TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227.

Lockhart Independent School District could be annexed to the Austin Community College District. The issue will be put before Lockhart ISD voters this November after ACC trustees certified a petition signed by 1,013 residents on Monday. If voters approve the annexation, residents would pay property taxes to the district and would have access to much lower (potentially free) tuition and fees at the college and job-training programs. The ACC Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on the annexation and its proposed service plan on Tuesday, June 25, at the Lockhart ISD Performing Arts Center. The hearing will also be livestreamed.

This Saturday, May 11, a new bilingual exhibition called “Carros y Cultura: Lowriding Legacies in Texas” opens at the Bullock Museum in celebration of lowriding culture in Texas. In Spanish and in English, it highlights lowriding communities through artifacts, interactive experiences and lowrider cars and bicycles from San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Laredo, Pecos and more. The exhibit, which will be on view through Sept. 2, includes a pristine, gold-plated ’63 Chevy Impala and a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme customized with an image of famed Mexican ranchera singer Vicente Fernández, plus a 1972 Schwinn Fastback customized as an homage to Whataburger. It will trace the origins and elaborate artistry of lowriding, beginning with the Mexican American community in California after World War II, and follow its ties to the Chicano civil rights movement. Today, lowriding competitions and car clubs are found all over the world. Programs and events celebrating lowriding culture in Texas will be offered throughout the run of the exhibition, including talks with experts, children’s activities and teen workshops. On July 7, H-E-B Free First Sunday will be a day for free exhibit admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and lowrider-themed activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit TheStoryofTexas.com/lowriders.

To celebrate his first official day, new Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax released a list of priorities. Topping that list is the finalization of a new police contract and the hiring of a new, permanent police chief. Broadnax also plans to focus on emergency preparedness, homelessness and affordable housing in Austin in addition to the upcoming presentation of the city budget. “Together, we will address these and other challenges with collaborative, transparent, inclusive, and equitable approaches,” Broadnax said. “As the City continues its rapid growth, we must grow in our unique roles as devoted City employees, boldly responding to challenges with creativity and compassion.”

Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai announced Monday that they are joining forces to form the Texas Passenger Rail Advisory Committee in an effort to advance passenger rail service in Central Texas. The committee is the first of its kind, plans to meet the first Monday of every month and will work to explore rail service options along the Interstate 35 corridor and beyond. “I look forward to engaging with industry leaders on how we can best support the expansion of passenger rail service in this corridor and beyond,” Brown said in a statement to the press. “The fastest-growing metros must leverage this moment to build a modern transportation system to serve the economic, environmental, and public safety needs of all central Texans.” According to a press release about the committee, its members are:

• Peter Sakai, Bexar County judge
• Henry Cisneros, former United States secretary of Housing and Urban Development and mayor of San Antonio
• Melissa Cabello Havrda, San Antonio Council Member, District 6, and chair of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
• Dottie Watkins, president and CEO for Capital Metro
• Jeff Davis, rail division director for Texas Department of Transportation
• Todd Stennis, government affairs director for Amtrak
• Amy Rister, committee director, Texas House Transportation Committee
• Joe Black, senior vice president for WSP Transit and Rail Operations & Service Planning
• Ross Milloy, president of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council
• Clay Anderson, dxecutive director of Restart Lone Star Rail District
• A.J. Bingham, founder and CEO of the Bingham Group
• Jay Crossley, executive director of Farm & City
• Veronica Davis, director of Cities Program at AtkinsRealis
• Gavin Martin, director of Rail & Transit at AtkinsRealis
• Karen Kennard, co-managing shareholder for Greenberg Traurig
• Peter LeCody, president of Texas Rail Advocates
• Bill McCamley, executive director of Transit Forward
• Sandy Guzman, CEO, Austin Area Research Organization
• Meg Merritt, principal for Movitas Mobility
• Jerry Smiley, vice president and senior program manager for AECOM
• John Kleinheinz, CEO of Kleinheinz Capital Partners and board member of Texas Central Partners
• Andy Jent, private equity and special situations for Kleinheinz Capital Partners
• Husein Cumber, chief strategy officer of Florida East Coast Strategies
• Javier Dominguez, executive analyst of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council

East Austin’s Green & White Grocery is an official historic landmark now. City Council unanimously approved historic zoning for the shop on Thursday. The store, which was founded in the 1930s, was known for its tamales in the 1960s and transformed into a botanica in 1993. “Shockingly few Mexican American landmarks are protected by historic zoning in Austin, and we’re committed to working with community partners to shift that status quo,” Preservation Austin Executive Director Lindsey Derrington said in a statement to the press. “(Owner John) Cazares has generously shared his family’s legacy as part of our East Austin Barrio Landmarks project, and during our inaugural Legacy Business Month last year. His stewardship sets a really powerful example for others to follow.”