Unlike the Board of Adjustment and Public Works ex-officio positions, the Austin Independent School District position has been unfilled on the dais since the Planning Commission reincorporated ex-officio members several years ago. According to the City Charter, the AISD position must be filled by the AISD Board of Trustees. Board President Gina Hinojosa has asked to appoint another member to take her place, but previously, staff has said that would not be allowed under City Charter. Since then, however, AISD and City Legal minds got together and came to an agreement that it could be done if the Planning Commission amended its rules to recognize an AISD representative. “The Planning Commission has wanted for a very long time to get the AISD rep here,” said Chair Danette Chimenti. She then quoted from a letter from Assistant City Attorney Brent Lloyd, who wrote that, after thinking about the issue further, City Legal didn’t see a problem with the new solution, “as long as it is not regarded as a delegation in the legal sense.” Chimenti said she wanted to get the ball rolling with a conversation at the commission’s next meeting, and other commissioners agreed. “I’m fine with discussing it. I just think we are on shaky ground,” said Commissioner James Nortey.

There appears to be a little City-envy at Travis County Commissioners Court. During a Tuesday briefing from County Attorney David Escamilla on the requirements of the Texas Open Meetings and Public Information acts, talk surfaced of adopting a public message board similar to the one embraced by Austin’s new 10-1 City Council members. Judge Sarah Eckhardt asked Escamilla about the new system her staff is working on to build Commissioners Court agendas with her colleagues. It works similarly to the Council board but isn’t available to the public. Escamilla was explaining to commissioners the potential legal landmines involved with that system when Commissioner Brigid Shea brought up Austin’s alternative. “I’m a big advocate of it,” Escamilla said while extolling its legal benefits. “I’m interested in utilizing it,” Shea concluded.

The City of Austin will host the annual kickoff reception and opening of the 2015 People’s Gallery on Friday. Each year the city showcases work by regional artists by hanging their works throughout City Hall. Visitors to the building can vote on the People’s Choice, an artwork that the city will purchase from the artist as part of the city’s permanent art collection. All of the artworks will be on display at City Hall for an entire year. Voting instructions and guidance to the exhibition are available on the first and second floor, and ballots are available in the second floor lobby. This year, District 5 City Council Member Ann Kitchen is also hosting a special exhibition in her office, showcasing District 5 artists from Thornton Road Studios. Those artists include: David Bear, acrylic on canvas; Greg Davis, photography; Ava Sharifian, oil on canvas; Christine Gilbert, watercolor; Mindy Graber, mosaic; Rita Marie Ross, copper sculpture; Rick Van Dyke, clay art; Sandy Ball Muckleroy, bronze sculpture; and John Robert Franklin and William K Stidham, who have each contributed giclee limited edition prints. (Giclee is a term for fine art digital prints made on inkjet printers.) The 2015 exhibition features more than 100 artists as well as special exhibits from United Way for Greater Austin, AISD Creative Learning Initiative students, and Art in Public Places. The exhibit begins at 6 p.m., and the People’s Choice will be announced at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. The People’s Gallery is a project of the Economic Development Department.

District 6 City Council Member Don Zimmerman is holding a town hall meeting Saturday in his Northwest Austin district. Zimmerman says he will discuss his first months in office as well as items he is working on, and also help constituents process any issues or concerns they need to have addressed. He will also answer questions regarding city operations and be joined by pets from the Austin Animal Center in recognition of February’s “Love-A-Pet” Month. For questions, contact Zimmerman at (512) 978-2106 or district6@austintexas.gov. The meeting is set from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Fire Station #38, 10111 Anderson Mill Road.

Total January passenger traffic at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was up 6 percent compared to January 2014. Officials say 779,481 passengers passed through the airport. That makes 60 out of 61 months that ABIA has shown year-to-year gains in passenger traffic. Most of the major airlines serving ABIA, including Southwest, United and Delta, saw passenger growth in January, while American/US Airways and JetBlue saw a modest decrease. Overall, air cargo was up 3 percent, while thanks to British Airways daily service, international cargo grew 175 percent.

Former City Council Member Chris Riley, long a policy wonk while he served on Council, will be pursuing a master’s degree to continue planning as a profession. Riley said Tuesday that he has been accepted as a graduate student at the Pratt Institute in the Urban Placemaking and Management program, starting in September. The Pratt Institute, which is in Brooklyn, offers what it calls a “professionally oriented education to a student body with diverse cultural, educational and professional backgrounds.” The institute focuses on community engagement while stressing a “multidisciplinary approach to the development, design and programming of public space,” according to its website. Riley was attending Tuesday’s meeting of the Central Texas Democratic Forum, where he won a door prize. Ironically, his prize was a Hillary Clinton bumper sticker. Riley rather famously has no car and prefers to travel by bike.

The city’s Small and Minority Business Resources and Aviation departments are collaborating to inform small-business owners about upcoming projects around Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and to meet with companies that support airport operations. Business owners are invited to attend “Runway to Opportunities: Doing Business With Austin-Bergstrom International Airport” this Thursday. Attendees will hear about projects such as the terminal expansion, parking garage and ABIA retail expansion. The meeting will outline what it takes to do business at the airport and provide information about the steps required to get involved in the process. Participants will also have a chance to network with contractors and consultants who are looking for small businesses in all areas of work in and around ABIA. To RSVP, click here or call (512) 974-7677 or (512) 530-6302. The session is from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Hilton Austin Airport Hotel, 9515 Hotel Drive.

Due to predictions of more winter weather conditions, all City of Austin and Travis County offices and facilities will open at 10 a.m. today. Most Central Texas governments and school districts are delaying their opening to at least 10 a.m., as well.  That includes Austin Municipal Courts and the Downtown Austin Community Court. Travis County Commissioners Court will convene an hour late at 10 a.m. The regularly scheduled City Council work session will begin at 10:30 a.m. The city will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as they become available. The most up-to-date information about City of Austin operations can be found on Twitter (@austintexasgov) or Facebook (facebook.com/austintexasgov).

For Austin residents considering renting their home to visitors during South by Southwest, the deadline to acquire a short-term rental license is approaching. The city requires everyone who leases their property as a short-term rental to acquire a license through the Austin Code Department’s Short-Term Rental Licensing Program by Feb. 28. The Austin Code Department is encouraging the community to utilize social media for questions regarding short-term rentals. Experts are available to answer questions at Twitter handle @Austin_Code using hashtag #ATXSTR. For more information, visit www.austintexas.gov/STR.

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation are holding an open house to seek community input on possible mobility improvements to MoPac Boulevard from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane. Opinions from the open house will be incorporated into an environmental study to address traffic congestion on the 8-mile stretch of MoPac. Attendees will have the opportunity to review and comment on the preferred mobility improvements, talk with planners and engineers, ask questions and submit comments. No formal presentations will be given, and attendees are invited to come and go at their convenience. The open house is planned for 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hill Country Middle School Cafeteria, 1300 Walsh Tarlton Lane. Those unable to attend may provide input online at a Virtual Open House set for Feb. 27 through March 9 at the project website, www.MoPacSouth.com.

Qualifying businesses can earn up to $1,800 in rebates by starting, expanding or improving recycling, composting or other zero waste programs. To prepare Austin businesses for the next phase of the Universal Recycling Ordinance, Austin Resource Recovery has implemented the Zero Waste Business Rebate program. Qualifying businesses can create new zero waste programs such as recycling, composting or other waste diversion procedures. Contract for recycling and/or composting services and receive up to $900 for startup costs and 50 percent off monthly service invoices up to $150 per month. They can also improve and expand existing recycling, composting or waste diversion programs to help increase the amount of materials diverted from Austin landfills. By 2017, recycling programs will be required at all commercial properties in Austin as part of the Universal Recycling Ordinance. To find out if your business is eligible, visit the city’s website, contact Austin Resource Recovery at (512) 974-9727 or email commercialrecycling@austintexas.gov.