If you haven’t had a chance to weigh in yet, Austin Parks Foundation and Tur Partners are teaming up to host their last “public visioning session” for Auditorium Shores and Butler Park at 5 p.m. Oct.  1. Those who attend will be asked to weigh in on preliminary concepts and ideas around long-term infrastructure and design improvements to the park. Changes to the park — in particular the off-leash dog park — made for some long nights at City Council last year. Because Auditorium Shores is currently in the midst of being improved, the meeting will take place at the also-recently-controversial Fiesta Gardens Building and Patio at Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia Street.

The Electric Utility Commission appointed Karren Karen Hadden, the vice chair of the committee, to serve on the Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force during its Sept. 15 meeting. Council created the task force via resolution, which was sponsored by Council Member Kathie Tovo. According to the resolution, the goals of the task force include identifying appropriate funding levels for low-income weatherization programs.

A member of the Govalle-Johnston Terrace neighborhood who last year tried to stop PUD zoning for the project known as thinkEast has complained to the city about the participation of PODER leader and City Council candidate Susana Almanza on the neighborhood planning contact team. Alex Zankich sent a letter to Greg Guernsey, director of the Planning and Development Review Department, alleging that Almanza should not be on the team because she lives in Montopolis and is chair of that neighborhood’s contact team. According to the city’s website, Daniel Llanes is the primary contact and Janie Rangel the secondary contact for that neighborhood. However, city planner Margaret Valenti said that she has the official list (which is not online) and Almanza is listed as the secondary contact. Llanes said that Almanza’s organization, PODER, is the member, and that anyone in the organization can take on the duties of the neighborhood contact team member. He also explained that Rangel is the vice chair, but asked that someone else be the secondary contact for health reasons. Zankich wants the city to somehow remove Almanza from the team. But that can’t happen under city regulations, which give the city no authority over the neighborhood teams. According to Carol Haywood, comprehensive planning manager, only the neighborhood team itself can remove or select members. She said, “The city can’t be the bad guy, the big enforcer guy, and know what’s going on in all the neighborhoods … It’s up to the people who vote these people into office to take care of their situation.”

The Monitor and our partners at KUT, KXAN, the Austin Chronicle and Univision continue our series of in-District Austin City Council candidate forums this week. District 4 will be Wednesday at the Marchesa Theater, beginning at 7 p.m. RSVPs are still available. Click here to find out more.

City Council candidates are required to file detailed and notarized financial statements with the Austin City Clerk’s Office. While the majority of the 78 candidates vying for a position on Council have turned in their documents, there are several who have failed to do so, according to a spokesman in the City Clerk’s Office. The names of those who are now more than a week late in filing those documents include: Ronald Culver, who is running for mayor, Julian Fernandez, District 3; CarolAnnRose Kennedy, District 5; Samuel Osemene, District 1; Todd Phelps, mayor; Eric Rangel, District 3; and John Sheppard, District 2. The statements were due on Monday, Sept. 8. There is no automatic penalty for failing to file on time. However, opponents of those not quite following the law may decide to file a complaint.

Austin Energy has automated all of its 56,000 streetlights and made them Dark Sky compliant. The Austin area is now one of only a few in the country where the streetlights are both automated and Dark Sky compliant. The electric utility has converted more than 13,000 of the streetlights to light-emitting diode technology. The LED lights can save more than 4.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and eliminate the emission of about 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Dark Sky initiative removed globe fixtures that scatter light and replaced them with flat-glass fixtures, which concentrate light downward and prevent it from dissipating up into the night sky. Each streetlight is fitted with a wireless photocell to relay its condition to AE constantly, eliminating the need for patrol crews to monitor the system.

Austin Interfaith will hold the first of two accountability sessions today, with candidates for mayor and Travis County judge. Though the organization does not endorse candidates, members do endorse a set agenda. At accountability sessions, the group keeps track of how candidates respond to that agenda with a promise to hold them to their word. This year, they have asked candidates to join them in the fight against “an economy of exclusion and inequality,” and in turn make efforts to support greater equality and inclusion. A news release from Austin Interfaith said the focus of the event will be on the child poverty crisis in the region and the reduction of poverty and income inequality. The accountability session, which is traditionally one of the most lively and well-attended of the election season, will take place at 7 p.m. at Temple Beth Shalom, 7300 Hart Lane.

Hays County wants your opinions on the realignment of a five-mile section of FM 150, and it is holding an open house next week to accomplish that. Hays County, TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration are considering an alignment of the road between Arroyo Ranch Road and I-35 in order to “enhance safety and mobility.” The project now has route alternatives, which attendees will be able to see and comment on at the open house. There will be no formal presentation, and attendees are welcome to ask questions and submit comments. The meeting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 23  at Wallace Middle School, at 1302 West Center St. in Kyle. Those unable to attend may submit comments by Oct. 3 via email or by snail mail at P.O. Box 5459, Austin, TX 78763.

The original version of our story “South Austin development threatens Heritage Trees” , published Sept. 9, listed an incorrect number of protected trees slated for removal by the developer. Developers are proposing to remove 15 protected trees, not 50 as was originally reported. The story has been corrected.

A group calling itself “Red White & Bulldozed” continues to fight the AustinOaks Planned Unit Developments. The group is encouraging like-minded anti-PUD activists to attend City Council candidate forums with leaflets explaining PUD and why, in particular, the AustinOaks PUD is worth fighting. The proposed AustinOaks development is located at MoPac Boulevard and Spicewood Springs Road. Though still in the early stages, developers Twelve Lakes LLC have asked for a 225-foot maximum height to build about 610 town homes, 850,000 square feet of office space and 100,000 square feet of retail space on approximately 31 acres in Northwest Austin.

The political action committee for the Network of Asian-American Organizations has announced endorsements for several more City Council district races. These include Jimmy Flannigan for District 6 and Jeb Boyt for District 7. This group’s endorsement is probably more important in those two districts because of the growing Asian-American population in that area. For example, District 6 had an Asian-American population of more than 13 percent as of 2010. This is the largest percentage among the districts. District 7’s Asian-American population is also growing, and was reported to be 9.6 percent as of 2010. Flannigan seems to be getting a majority of Democratic club endorsements, but he will have stiff competition from one or more Republicans in the race. Boyt also faces an array of qualified opponents, with the Asian-American group singling out Melissa Zone for praise as well. The PAC also endorsed Dewayne Lofton in District 1 and Delia Garza in District 2. Earlier, the group endorsed Steve Adler for mayor, Fred McGee for District 3, Gregorio Casar for District 4, Ann Kitchen for District 5, Eliza May for District 8, Kathie Tovo for District 9 and Mandy Dealey for District 10.

A complaint has been lodged against District 10 City Council candidate Robert Thomas. According to a campaign finance report filed with the Austin City Clerk on July 15, Thomas loaned his campaign $100,000 in June. The rules require that any expenditures from personal funds of $25,000 or more must be reported within seven business days. Democratic precinct chair Steve Speir filed a complaint against Thomas on Wednesday for failing to report his expenditures within the required time frame. Thomas loaned himself the money June 19. He had numerous, relatively small expenditures during May and June. However, on July 1, he paid Stampede Consulting $30,684, which was not reported until Aug. 15, according to  the city website. Speir told the Monitor that failure to follow the rules “gives an unfair advantage to one guy, and I don’t think it’s in the spirit of the 10-1 program, (which was) passed to diminish the impact of large amounts of money.” Speir does not live in District 10 and said he does not have a preferred candidate in the race. Thomas did not return a call requesting comment.