With the two finalists now made public, and a selection expected on Friday, July 26, it’s time for the public to meet Austin’s next police chief. The city will hold a meet-and-greet at the Palmer Events Center on Tuesday, July 23, to do just that. Though the period for submitting questions online has closed, attendees can ask questions in person from 5:30 until 6 p.m. and interact directly with the candidates from 7:30 until 8 p.m. The main event, which will start at 6 p.m., will feature opening remarks and a question-and-answer session moderated by Judy Maggio. City Council will meet to possibly confirm the next chief at a special called meeting on July 30.

The city’s parks department has a new online exhibit, “Unificar, to Unite,” which explores the history of Tejano organizations and their accomplishments in Texas. The stories of Tejano social justice leaders can be viewed online in English or Spanish. To celebrate the new exhibit, the city will also host a free workshop at the cemetery, at which contemporary Tejano community organizers “will conduct workshop sessions teaching attendees how to organize within their communities, leading discussions on advocacy, and sharing insights on working behind the scenes on social and political movements,” according to a press release from the city. The workshop will take place from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m Saturday, July 27. Register here.

With the help of the Financial Services Department, a community survey is being launched to help the city’s Animal Services Office decide on its future priorities. Austin Animal Center has consistently been at or above its live outcome goal rate but with extra measures to maintain it over the past few years, including restricting intake of animals due to declining adoptions. Last year, reviews of ASO by the Office of the City Auditor and the National Center for Animal Shelter Evaluations turned up “misaligned departmental goals as well as issues with stakeholder engagement and alignment,” according to a city statement to the press, and the city auditor recommended the chief Animal Services officer to work with stakeholders on a strategic plan. From July 17 to Aug. 14, the community survey and additional information about the planning process are available at publicinput.com/asoplan2024. In the assessment phase of the strategic planning process, the community survey will be accompanied by external partner and stakeholder interviews and a listening session; staff and volunteer listening sessions; reviewing previous audits, documents, surveys and reports; and identifying best practices from similar animal services organizations.

Registration is now open for 2024 sessions of the Austin CityWorks Academy, a program that gives Austinites a comprehensive understanding of city government operations through interactive weekly classes with a focus on civic engagement. City staff from various departments will lead the informative sessions – including Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Animal Services, Transportation and Public Works, and Austin 311. With the exception of city employees, the program is open to all residents within Austin city limits. Classes take place at various locations throughout the city from 6 to 8 p.m. most Mondays from the last week of September through December. The deadline to apply is July 31. Accessibility accommodations like accessible parking and language access resources are provided. To apply or learn more, visit www.austintexas.gov/cityworks or email Lucero Arechiga at lucero.arechiga@austintexas.gov.

Through the city’s Accessible Parking Enforcement Program, volunteers can issue citations and warnings for illegally parked vehicles in designated accessible parking spaces. In partnership with the Police Department, the Transportation and Public Works Department provides training so that residents can raise awareness about accessible parking and help ensure it’s available for people who need it most. To become a deputized volunteer, applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Pass an initial background check
• Possess a photo ID
• Complete training
• Abide by the program’s policies
• Volunteer at least 12 hours a year

The next available training sessions have been shifted to Sunday and Monday and will be held on July 21 and 22. To learn more and apply, click here.

In an effort to improve access to resources, the Austin Area HIV Planning Council will hold a town hall this Wednesday to get feedback from the community. Organizers are looking to learn more about the challenges and needs of people living with HIV and raise awareness about and develop strategies to improve access to HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment, support and care. “This town hall is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face and share your experiences and needs with city staff to help improve access to care,” Laura G. La Fuente, Austin Public Health’s health equity and community engagement assistant director, said in a statement to the press. “We encourage anyone who has been impacted by HIV/AIDS to attend the town hall and have their voice heard.” The meeting can be attended virtually or in-person at the city’s Permitting and Development Center (6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17. Anyone interested in attending can register here.

Transit Forward, the advocacy group in favor of regional mass transit in Austin, has scheduled a quarterly update on Project Connect, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the UA 286 Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall on Airport Boulevard. The lunch gathering will include discussion on the design, construction and operational plans for the area’s larger mass transit system. Panelists scheduled to speak and take questions include Mayor Kirk Watson, Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion, Austin Transit Partnership Board Chair Veronica Castro de Barrera, Capital Metro President and CEO Dottie Watkins and ATP Executive Director Greg Canally. Transit Forward has also scheduled a “Choo Choo and Brews” event on July 20 to encourage use of the Capital Metro Rail train that serves Q2 Stadium. The promotion will stop at three local breweries along the train line ahead of the Austin FC match against Charlotte, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Previous Choo Choo and Brews events have started earlier in the day and incorporated downtown destinations, but the next one to be shortened because of the summer heat.

The new underpass being constructed under South Pleasant Valley Road will be enlivened with a mosaic by Texas artist Reginald Adams, and residents are invited to give their input on the project at a community engagement workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, at the Rudy Mendez Recreation Center at 2407 Canterbury St. The workshop, hosted by the city’s Capital Delivery Services and Art in Public Places, will introduce Adams and his team, along with their objectives for the artwork at Longhorn Dam. They will gather ideas from the community through interactive activities like brainstorming sessions, sketching and storytelling. Surveys will collect any further suggestions or input from attendees, and those who do not attend can fill it out here. The event is the first of many community engagement activities that Adams will lead while working with AIPP on the Longhorn Dam project from now until the estimated completion in 2026. Two other artworks by Adams are publicly viewable in Austin – “Reflections” at the African American Culture and Heritage Facility and “Field of Dreams” located at Downs Field. RSVP is encouraged but not required.

The Trail Conservancy has scheduled a ribbon-cutting and community celebration for the grand opening of the Rainey Street Trailhead, part of the Ann & Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. The $1.1 million project connects the trail to Rainey Street and includes seating areas, a stage, natural tunnels and mazes, and other amenities to serve visitors to the area. The ribbon-cutting will take place at 8 a.m. Friday, with appearances by Mayor Kirk Watson and City Council Member Zo Qadri. The community celebration will take place 9-11 a.m. Saturday and will include family-friendly games, music by Bidi Bidi Banda and appearances by assorted University of Texas football players, with UrbanSpace donating 10 percent of all food sales to cover maintenance costs for the area.

Travis County officials and Steiner Ranch denizens will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to celebrate a new way to get out of the community. “Steiner Ranch Area Evacuation Route B” will provide an additional means of egress at the intersection of Prairie Clover Path and Flat Top Ranch Road in the event an evacuation is required. “By building this second evacuation route, we are improving the safety of Steiner Ranch and Montview residents in the case of fires or other disasters. This is part of how we make our community more resilient in the face of growing climate disasters. I’m grateful for the work of our Travis County staff, area residents, ESD 6, and many other partners,” Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea said in a statement to the press. Today’s ribbon-cutting will take place at 10 a.m. at the intersection and will feature comments from Shea, community members and representatives from the county’s Transportation and Natural Resources Department and Emergency Services District 6.

Applications for the 2024 Austin Youth Poet Laureate program are now open to Austin-area residents ages 13 to 18 who care about artistic excellence and social activism. The program aims to identify and uplift young writers and leaders, and the Austin youth poet laureate and finalists will have numerous opportunities and platforms to share their voice, leadership and love of the city. The deadline to apply is Sept. 1, and the Library Foundation is offering a series of free online and in-person workshops to help young poets develop their applications. Applications and more information can be found at austinlibrary.org. The program is a partnership between the Library Foundation, the Austin Public Library and the National Youth Poet Laureate Program led by Urban Word.

The city has selected its finalists for the Museums and Cultural Programs Division manager position, who will ultimately oversee the operations of the city’s museums and cultural spaces. To further narrow the field, the Parks and Recreation Department will host an online meet and greet (registration here) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, when attendees will get the opportunity to learn more about the candidates and provide feedback.