Austin City Council finalized a resolution on Thursday to form a climate task force that will design the city’s climate comprehensive bond package, set to be implemented by November 2026. 

The task force, called the Bond Election Advisory Task Force, will identify funding for projects that will address climate change in Austin, according to the resolution. Each City Council member and Mayor Kirk Watson will appoint two Austin residents to be members of the task force, likely with backgrounds in public finance, civil engineering or infrastructure planning.

The task force will have its first meeting on Oct. 1 and will meet regularly after. The group will attend public briefings at City Council meetings, organize town halls and gain community input on possible projects residents want to see in the bond proposal. The task force will also present periodic status reports to the City Council with project recommendations and receive feedback from the Council.

In February, District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter passed a resolution to prioritize urgent investments to address climate change. He said the task force will continue supporting the Council’s environmental goals. 

“Strengthening our community’s sustainability and resiliency has been a priority since I joined the City Council,” Alter said in an email statement. “I’m proud to co-sponsor Item 138 to create the Bond Advisory Task Force, which will continue this process and ultimately make recommendations for putting critical environmental and infrastructure investments on the ballot as early as 2025.”