East Austin’s Metz Elementary at 73 San Marcos Street will begin operating as a free Covid testing site, with help from federal funding. PCR tests will be available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., beginning Tuesday, Feb. 1, at noon. “People need to be able to get a test when they have time to get it,” U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said at a press conference Friday. “This site is for folks that wake up early to take care of their kids, for those that are working late on a restaurant shift, for those that balance 9-to-5s with responsibilities at home, for so many of our neighbors.” Though no appointment is required, community members are encouraged to make appointments online or by calling (800) 635-8611. In addition, Austin Public Health clinics continue to offer free tests throughout the city. Mayor Steve Adler stressed at the press conference that Covid testing is free and that no proof of citizenship, insurance or other documentation is required.

In an effort to boost safety in West Campus, the city is upgrading the street lighting, retrofitting 500 additional older streetlights with LED inserts – called relamping – by the end of 2022. UT campus safety groups have long complained about crime and safety in the area, which according to a city news release, “has historically experienced a higher-than-average rate of property crime compared to the city of Austin as a whole.” Assistant City Manager Stephanie Hayden-Howard said the city is taking a multipronged approach to improving safety “through a combination of better and more lighting, increased police patrols and ongoing support to help our homeless neighbors find housing.” City departments participating in the West Campus safety boost include Austin Energy, Austin Transportation, Public Works, Austin Police and the Homeless Strategy Office.

This again? I know what you’re thinking: Do you people never tire of harping on about vaccination? No, we do not. That’s because getting fully vaccinated against Covid-19 is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make, for your own health and for the health of those around you. Travis County, Austin Public Health and their community partners continue to host a variety of free and convenient Covid vaccine distribution events every week. No appointments, health insurance or proof of citizenship is required. Simply consult the handy online calendar and map to find the date, time and location of a vaccine event near you. All Austin Public Health sites offer the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, including third doses for the immunocompromised and booster shots. Four APH clinics offer pediatric vaccinations. If you’re receiving your second or third dose or booster, bring your CDC Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card so it can be updated.

Anyone who’s been knee-deep in neighborhood issues over the years has probably had contact with Carol Gibbs, the friendly adviser, facilitator and translator of bureaucratese with the city of Austin. Now, after 13 years as the face of the Neighborhood Assistance Center, Gibbs is retiring from the city, but it’s likely she’ll continue to be called on in times of neighborhood need. Throughout her tenure she has worked in four different yet similar departments, including Neighborhood Planning and Zoning, Planning and Zoning, Planning and Development Review and Development Services. Multiple City Councils have come and gone under her watch. The current Council will send her off today, Thursday, with a proclamation from Council Member Kathie Tovo. We wish Gibbs well in her retirement.

Applications are being accepted for service on the Municipal Civil Service Commission, the “ruling body on appeals of disciplinary actions by covered city of Austin employees.” According to the announcement, the five-member volunteer commission “hears and makes final, binding decisions on appeals of city employees resulting from a disciplinary probation, disciplinary suspension, demotion, discharge, or denial of promotion. If rule revisions are brought forward by the MCS director, the MCS Commission will recommend modifications to the City Council.” If that all sounds appealing, apply here. You can also submit a resume, cover letter and other supporting documentation to Stephanie Hall, Boards and Commissions coordinator, at Stephanie.Hall@austintexas.gov. City Council will review the applications for two full three-year terms that will run from the date of appointment through May 2025.

Austin Resource Recovery, like so many other establishments, is suffering from a Covid-related staffing shortage on top of difficulty filling open positions. In an effort to attract entry-level workers and experienced drivers, ARR has hiked its starting wages to $17/hour, with pay increases tagged to more training and additional licensing. In the meantime, starting Feb. 21, ARR is suspending large brush and bulk collection for residential curbside customers until further notice. A news release explains, “Any missed collection during the interruption will be rescheduled once services resume.” What are customers to do in the meantime? ARR explains that you may drop off large brush at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant if possible. Curbside customers may donate or give away unwanted bulk items if they’re in good condition, or just hold on to them until service resumes. You can also schedule a collection through ARR’s Clothing and Housewares program at no additional charge. Want to work for Austin Resource Recovery? Peruse job openings here.

Though there are preliminary discussions about City Council committee assignments on the City Council Message Board, it looks like Mayor Steve Adler will be waiting a little longer to flesh out the groups. At Tuesday’s work session, Adler noted that, while city ordinance asks Council to discuss assignments at its first work session of the year, the timing of yesterday’s election made making actual decisions somewhat premature. Which means that those eager to know the new makeup of Council committees will have to wait a little bit longer.

One of Capital Metro’s two planned MetroRail Red Line stations broke ground last week. When it opens in early 2024, the Broadmoor station at 11501 Burnet Road will merrily convey passengers to the Domain and the new, mixed-use UptownATX project. Charles Schwab, which has an office nearby, and Brandywine Realty Trust, the developer of UptownATX, participated with the city in planning the station. As Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca pointed out in a news release, “Transit is less about what it does and more about what it means for our community. Putting together a public-private partnership to really deliver meaningful transit that’s transformative is just an amazing opportunity.” The other Red Line station, McKalla Station, is still in the design phase and will be located near Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium. Read more about Project Connect, Austin’s new transit plan, here.

Voters in Austin’s District 4 have their final chance today to select a new City Council member. With Greg Casar stepping down to run for Congress, voters in this district have the opportunity to select a new representative at City Hall. As of the close of the early voting period on Friday, just 1,874 voters, or 5.41 percent of voters, in the district had cast ballots, with turnout Friday twice that of any of the days before that. Candidates hoping people will come out to vote today include Monica Guzmán, Amanda Rios, Melinda Schiera, José “Chito” Vela, Jade Lovera, Ramesses II Setepenre and Isa Boonto. Setepenre and Boonto have not been campaigning much and both failed to file the required campaign finance report last week. Find voting locations here.

The Downtown Austin Alliance has written to City Council asking it to postpone consideration of three items on Thursday’s agenda that are necessary for renovating the old Municipal Building on Eighth Street so it can serve as the new Downtown Community Court. Council members have been talking about doing this for some time, but the DAA argues that they cannot take an informed position on the proposed relocation without a “transparent engagement process involving the community.” While the DAA has not officially taken a position on the relocation, according to a letter to Council from DAA President and CEO Dewitt Peart, “many downtown property owners, business owners and residents have expressed concerns, primarily over the lack of a transparent process.” Council Member Kathie Tovo, whose district includes downtown, told the Austin Monitor she intends to signal her intent to request a postponement of the court-related items from this Thursday’s agenda at today’s work session. Those include approving the issuance of $27 million in certificates of obligation to pay for the renovation of the building, as well as approving a resolution to use the design/build method of contracting for the renovation. Tovo said she had anticipated asking for a one-week postponement before receiving the DAA’s request that the item not be heard before March. So, it seems likely that the item will be postponed for at least a week. Tovo said she needed to talk to Peart to fully understand the group’s request.

Each year, the city’s Economic Development Department puts on a curated exhibit at City Hall called the People’s Gallery. The free exhibit, which displays over 100 pieces of artwork in a variety of mediums by Austin-area artists, draws more than 200,000 visitors a year. As Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, acting director of the EDD, explained in a news release, the exhibit “is designed to showcase local creativity and to encourage understanding and enjoyment of visual art. City Hall is a symbol of public dialogue and we are proud to bring visual elements that spark discussion around the impact of the arts in Austin each year.” All artists who live in or have an art studio in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis or Williamson counties are welcome to apply. Applications will be accepted until Feb. 22. Apply online at austintexas.gov/peoplesgallery.

The first season of Audit ATX, a podcast series from the Office of the City Auditor, has wrapped. The podcast was launched in 2020 “to provide more transparency and accessibility to local government,” according to a city news release. Each episode is about 10 minutes long and generally features interviews with audit staff describing how audits and investigations are conducted and what they reveal. The most recent episodes follow the paper trail of a technology purchases audit and an investigation of an employee who conducted private work for personal benefit. Audit ATX co-host Kelsey Thompson said the podcast’s listeners tell her that the popular series “has opened their eyes to how the city really works.” All 20 episodes of season 1 are available through Spotify and Apple Podcasts.