Public Notice: Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

Next Thursday, Sept. 1, marks the first post-budget City Council meeting, and there's a lot of business to cover: There are some 38 contracts to be approved ($1.4 million for Downtown wayfinding, $400,000 for "a web-based integrated business intelligence suite," etc.); 22 public health initiatives and agreements; the proposed creation of the East Sixth Street Local Historic District; a resolution to reinstate APD's license plate reader program; a possible showdown over expanding parkland dedication fees, which Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison have indicated they'll oppose; second reading of the Statesman PUD ordinance – among the 30 public hearings on zoning cases – and so much more. Plus don't forget, it's DJ Bling Foundation Day and Raza Unida Party Day! Should be fun! After that, there are just eight more meetings in the Adler era.

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After Monday's candidate filing deadline, the local election season is now officially underway. See the news feature on p.18 for a first look at the final lineups, and for a deeper dive, the city just released the calendar of council candidate forums, co-sponsored by the city, the Ethics Review Commission, and the local League of Women Voters; each can be viewed in person, online, on TV or radio, or by phone, and you can email [email protected] to propose questions to ask the candidates; see more info at austintexas.gov/candidateforums.

District 1: Thu., Sept. 8, 6pm at Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron

District 5: Thu., Sept. 22, 6pm at South Austin Senior Center, 3911 Menchaca Rd.

District 8: Thu., Sept. 22, 7:30pm at South Austin Senior Center, 3911 Menchaca Rd.

District 3: Thu., Oct. 6, 6pm at Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, 808 Nile

District 9: Thu., Oct. 20, 6pm at City Hall, 301 W. Second

Mayor: Thu., Oct. 20, 7:30pm at City Hall, 301 W. Second

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But even before then, the forum season has already started. University Democrats is holding a mayoral candidate panel for their first meeting of the semester as we go to press Wednesday evening. The neighborhood associations within District 9 will co-sponsor a candidate forum at 7pm, Sept. 19, at Griffin School, 5001 Evans, that'll be open to the public either in person or via Zoom. And there'll be many, many more to come.

As you may have heard, the Texas Depart­ment of Transportation is planning a massive rebuilding of I-35, throughout Central Austin – removing the upper decks, lowering the freeway below grade, and reconfiguring the access roads Downtown to allow the city to come in and cover parts of the freeway with ground-level "caps and stitches" – creating valuable new Downtown real estate while finally bridging the divide between East and West Austin (now that East Austin is gentrified and trendy). So, a group called Our Future 35, "a community-centered effort to co-create new public spaces over I-35," is holding an open house with the city this Saturday, Aug. 27, "to inform the public about these plans and collect feedback." The event is from 10am to 2pm (first presentation at 11am) at Native Hostel, 807 E. Fourth, and will include local artists curating interactive stations that will explore potential themes and goals for the program. There will also be an online option; see austintexas.gov/ourfuture35 for details and more info on the project.

Meanwhile, the Cherrywood Neighbor­hood Association, on behalf of near-north residents, has been pushing for "a North-Central Deck to cover I-35 from 32nd to 38th½ Streets, which could offer similar amenities," and they'll be advocating for such at Saturday's meeting; see more about that at cherrywood.org/i35capex.

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Clear the Shelters is an event this Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Austin Animal Center: They're waiving all adoption fees and hoping to adopt out 100 dogs to make sure they can provide appropriate shelter for everyone who's left. Last Friday, they had 61 dogs staying in crates. It's 9am-6pm at the AAC, 7201 Levander Loop; you can view adoptable pets online at austinanimalcenter.org.