City Council on Thursday approved contracts for design and enhancements for the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant that will begin in 2025. In all, the contracts total more than $1 billion. The plant currently can treat 75 million gallons a day, and the expansion will allow that capacity to expand by 25 million gallons, in addition to modernizing the plant with things like moving away from the use of chlorine chemicals and reducing the amount of nutrients that flow into the Colorado and spur algae growth. The project will also include $120 million in plant protection projects designed to guard it from high water flow and flooding. Save Our Springs Executive Director Bill Bunch spoke against the contracts at Thursday’s City Council meeting. He objected to the lack of information posted and the lack of discussion by Council on such an expensive plan.

The city’s Housing Department will host a “Black Land Matters” symposium on June 14. The event will focus on efforts to prevent displacement and ways to “promote, secure and preserve landownership among Black Americans” and help families maintain their property and close the racial wealth gap, according to a press release from the city. “We are thrilled to host this symposium for a second year in Austin. These conversations are important to have as we seek to reduce displacement of families by highlighting the challenges of Black land loss and sharing information on the tools and resources available to keep their homes,” Mandy DeMayo, interim director of the Housing Department, explains in a statement to the press. “These discussions can also help us identify where to focus potential resources for future programs and services.” This event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be provided. Anyone interested in attending can RSVP here.

With the search for Austin’s next police chief officially underway, the city is now seeking input from community members through an anonymous survey facilitated by executive search consultant Mosaic Public Partners. The survey (which is available in both English and Spanish) closes on June 10 and is a way for residents to share their preferences and priorities for Austin’s next chief. The position was posted on May 15 and also will remain open until June 10, with the hopes of identifying candidates soon afterward. After a series of interviews and a public meet and greet, City Manager T.C. Broadnax will select a finalist, with their employment dependent on City Council’s confirmation.

With warmer temperatures firmly in place, worries about toxic algae are, once again, on the minds of dog owners across the city. These concerns are shared by the city, which will continue its $300,000, five-year pilot that aims to reduce the dangerous algae blooms on Lady Bird Lake. The pilot uses lanthanum-modified clay, which binds to phosphorus in the lake, making it an unusable source of nutrients for the algae – depriving it of a primary food source. According to a press release from the city, the first application of the clay will take place in June, with additional applications in July and August. A contractor will be treating areas near Red Bud Isle, the north-shore boat ramp just west of Interstate 35 and the north shore of the lake between I-35 and the Festival Beach Boat Ramp (roughly).

Also according to the press release, the results of the first three years of the pilot have been “mixed.” It continues, “At Red Bud Isle, there has been a reduction in the amount of harmful algae after each application in June. The July and August applications appear to hold the line without achieving any further reduction of the algae. By the time following June and the first application of the year rolls around, the algae has generally returned. This year, the City of Austin observed a recurrence early in the spring, but the rains over the past two months have reduced its presence. There was not much present on the lakes in mid-May. East of I-35, the lanthanum-modified clay does not appear to be having any effect. This may be because new sediments from upstream areas are covering up the clay and bringing in more nutrients.” The press release notes that reducing the amount of nutrients that enter the lake “would likely be the most effective solution” and that Austin residents can help by avoiding or limiting fertilizers and landscaping with native vegetation, as opposed to lawns.

Each year on the first Saturday in June, people can fish on any public waterway in the state without a fishing license. Free Fishing Day returns this Saturday, June 1. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers multiple resources for anglers of all skill levels and all ages, like covering the basics of fishing with tips and a variety of videos on the TPWD Learn to Fish webpage, finding a place to fish close to home with the Lake Finder and TPWD’s Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes that provide urban angling access – including two in the Austin area. To learn more about Free Fishing Day, visit TakeMeFishing.org.

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.