Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending May 20, 2016.

• 1. Meeting Notes

The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 24th beginning with a Closed Session at 6:00 PM, with the regular agenda commencing at 6:30 PM. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: Richmond City Council Agenda Packet.

• 2. Voter Drop-Off Boxes Return to Contra Costa City Halls This Month

Residents can save postage and time with this expanding vote-by-mail program. Contra Costa residents will find it easier to vote in the upcoming June 7th Primary Election, as the Contra Costa Elections Office and city clerks countywide are providing convenient “CoCo Vote-N-Go” drop off locations, prior to and on Election Day.

The secure, steel drop-off boxes will be in placed at all Contra Costa city halls and the County Administration Building, located at 651 Pine Street in Martinez, starting the week of May 9th - when permanent vote-by-mail ballots are mailed.  The distinguishable red boxes are available during normal city business hours. Postage is not required with the drop-off box service.

The City of Richmond drop-off box is located at 450 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 300 (City Manager’s Office).

Contra Costa voters can drop their ballot at any city hall, regardless of where they live. City staff members will have the popular “I Voted” stickers available for those who drop off their ballots.
 

• 3. 2016 Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony on May 25th

The Richmond Historic Preservation Commission and the National Park Service invite you to attend the Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony honoring this year's award recipients. The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 5:30 PM in the Richmond City Council Chambers (440 Civic Center Plaza). The ceremony will be followed by a reception at the Richmond Art Center, catered by the Contra Costa College Culinary Department.

The purpose of the awards program is to increase public awareness of Richmond’s heritage by recognizing individuals, organizations, businesses, and agencies whose contributions demonstrate outstanding commitment to excellence in historic preservation, local history, or promotion of the heritage of the City.

The Historic Preservation Commission is pleased to announce that this year's Historic Preservation Award recipients are:

• Rosemary Corbin and Jennie Alexich for Creating the WWII Home Front Quilt Challenge;
• The East Brother Wickies for Their Stewardship of East Brother Light Station;
• Ryland Construction for Rehabilitating the Historic Home at 221 East Scenic Avenue;
• Point Richmond History Association for Promoting the History of Richmond Through Its Museum and Newsletter;
• The City of Richmond, The Rosie the Riveter Trust, The Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Spirit of ‘45, and The Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park for Sponsoring the Rosie Rally; and
• Jan Brown National Park Service Home Front Award, for her Body of Work Over Many Years Supporting the Rosie the Riveter Park.

Feel free to download the Historic Preservation Awards ceremony invitation and help spread the word. Contact Jonathan Malagon, Planner II, at (510) 620-6887 or jonathan_malagon@ci.richmond.ca.us with any questions.

• 4. R-Transit is Now a Registered Transportation Provider with Medi-Cal

After a thorough and comprehensive review, the State of California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) approved the City of Richmond R-Transit (Paratransit) as a registered non-emergency ground transportation provider with Medi-Cal.

This approval means that Richmond can now more effectively address the mobility barriers faced by Richmond residents.  R-Transit currently provides non-emergency medical trips to and from scheduled medical appointments, trips to hospitals emergency rooms, and transfers between hospitals for people without access to transportation.  Future plans include expanding services to Martinez Hospital and the Veterans Hospital in Martinez and other areas of need.

Each year, approximately 3.6 million people miss or delay preventative medical care due to their inability to access transportation services. With the closure of Doctor’s Medical Center and an increasing number of people with chronic conditions, trips to medical appointments are a vital aspect of a sustainable healthcare system.
Providing access to medical services and preventative treatment prior to escalating healthcare needs has proven to be a less costly and a more effective means of keeping low income, elderly, and disabled residents out of hospitals and nursing homes resulting in healthier and more independent lives.

Medi-Cal reimbursements will take place as early as June 2016.  For additional information, please contact R-Transit at (510) 307-8026.

• 5. Richmond Tool Library Reaches Crowdfunding Goal!

The Richmond Tool Library is ecstatic to announce that they reached their crowdfunding goal of $12,598 just moments before the midnight deadline of May 12th!  With over 140 supporters backing this tool library, the project has reached a total of $12,743 funds raised!  A sincere thank you must be extended to the Richmond community for their generosity in supporting this project that will produce a variety of benefits for the whole community.

“Words can’t express the overwhelming generosity the Tool Library has been shown,” says Kiana Ward, one of the AmeriCorps VISTAs spearheading this project. The funds will pay for the purchase of power tools, furnishings, insurance, and tool maintenance.

In addition to funds donated through the crowdfunding campaign, an enormous variety of tools and toolsheds have been donated so far, including table saws, power drills, crow bars, planes, sanders, tool belts, levels, and more.

The project’s organizers, City AmeriCorps VISTAs Kiana Ward and Guadalupe Morales, anticipate the Tool Library will open in June. The Tool Library will be located at the Richmond Department of Community Services (formerly the Recreation Department) at 3230 Macdonald Avenue. 

For more information about the Tool Library and when the grand opening will take place, visit the Richmond Tool Library Facebook page.

If you would like to donate tools or monetary funds to the Library, email guadalupe_morales@ci.richmond.ca.us or call (510) 620-6553.

Tool-gether, we can build a better Richmond.

• 6. City Manager Chronicles

I have listed below some of the topics for meetings that I attended during the past week in the hope that it provides an idea of the varied issues with which our organization deals routinely.  Meetings of note during the past week included:

• Met, along with Senior Assistant City Attorney Carlos Privat, Environmental Services Manager Adam Lenz, Planning Director Richard Mitchell, and Infrastructure Director Tim Higares, with Roland Esquivias, Community Liaison with the California Public Utilities Commission, to discuss items of common interest;
• Met, together with Senior Management Analyst LaShonda White, with Supervisor John Gioia, members of County staff, and representatives from the BAART methadone clinic on Cutting Boulevard, to discuss operational issues at the methadone clinic;
• Met, together with City Attorney Bruce Goodmiller, Senior Assistant City Attorney Carlos Privat, and Community Development Manager Craig Murray, with Councilmbember Gayle McLaughlin and Shana Bagley, member of the Point Molate Citizens Advisory Committee, to discuss leasing issues at Pt. Molate;
• Met with staff from the reorganized Engineering/Capital Improvements Project group, along with Finance Director Belinda Warner and her staff, to discuss budget issues in their department;
• Participated in a conference call with Water Emergency Transit Authority staff, Administrative Chief Shasa Curl, and staff from the Mayor’s office, to discuss Contra Costa sales tax measure funding for Richmond ferry service;
• Attended the monthly Council of Industries luncheon meeting, at which BART Boardmember Zakhary Mallet made a presentation regarding the transit agency’s capital improvement program;
• Met with Mayor’s office staff member David Gray, Community Services Director Rochelle Monk, RYSE Director Kimberly Aceves, and West County-Y Director Don Lau to discuss youth and family service planning and coordination;
• Attended the economic outlook meeting of the East Bay Economic Development Alliance;
• Participated in the Richmond Promise Board of Directors meeting;
• Met with Eddie Orton to discuss various planning issues around the Ford Building;
• Participated in my monthly check-in meeting with West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Bruce Harter;
• Attended several staff meetings led by Senior Management Analyst LaShonda White, regarding updates to the five-year strategic business plan.

These meetings were in addition to attending the regular management staff meeting,  agenda planning, reviewing staff reports to the City Council, doing department head “check-ins,” having discussions on various personnel matters, and having short discussions with staff, community members, members of the press, etc.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the substance of these or any other topics.

• 7. Free Home Solar Systems Now Available for Qualifying Richmond Residents!

Richmond homeowners can now qualify for a FREE home solar system funded by the City of Richmond and State of California. Program eligibility requires Richmond and North Richmond residents to live in their own home, and make less than 80% of area median income (income limits are included in the flyer below and at www.richmondenvironment.org).

To date, the City’s partnership with GRID Alternatives has serviced over 150 homes in Richmond and provided millions of dollars in energy cost savings to the community. This new partnership initiative will provide free solar to an additional 135 Richmond households, create more than $2.5 million in energy cost savings for local families, and prevent more than 5,700 tons of greenhouse gases over the systems’ lifetimes.

Qualifying homeowners are encouraged to attend the City of Richmond and GRID Alternatives’ sign-up event on Wednesday, June 1st, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Multipurpose Room in 440 Civic Center Plaza. Please RSVP at http://www.gridalternatives.org/Richmond or call (510)-621-1541.

To enroll at the workshop please bring copies of:

• A latest tax return (two pages) for each member of the household;
• One PG&E bill (all pages); and
• Either a mortgage statement, insurance statement, property tax bill or copy of deed to apply.

More information about the program can be found at http://www.gridalternatives.org/clients.

• 8. Richmond Promise Scholars Celebration on Thursday, June 2nd

On June 2nd, 375 students across nine schools in the graduating class of 2016 will receive Richmond Promise Scholarships to attend two- and four-year universities. The celebration will take place on June 2nd from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium.

This special June 2nd event will honor the Richmond Promise Scholars who are owning their future and continuing to higher education, will recognize our civic and community partnerships critical to their success, and will celebrate what this investment means to students, families, and the Richmond community.   

Program highlights include:

• Student Scholar recognition;
• Opening address by Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, 11th Congressional District; 
• Keynote address by Sarahi Salamanca Espinoza, Founder and CEO of Dreamer’s Roadmap;
• Dinner and photo booth;
• College and community networking, and resources!

The celebration will take place on June 2nd from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Richmond Memorial Auditorium. The event is free, but space is limited. Student Scholars may bring up to three friends or family members. Please RSVP online to confirm attendance. Please send inquiries to info@richmondpromise.org or call (510) 620-6570.

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• 9. FY 2016-17 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget

This past week, staff presented to the City Council the updated draft budget for fiscal year 2016-17, which now reflects a projected deficit of $5.3 million in the General Fund, down from a prior deficit figure of over $10 million.  The deficit reduction was achieved primarily by personnel vacancy savings, reductions to public safety sworn overtime, reductions to general liability (risk management) allocations, and reductions to various operating expenditures. City departments continued with presentations on their programs/services, goals for the upcoming fiscal year, and potential service level impacts in the case of a 6% budget reduction.  The remaining departments will present at the Council meeting on May 31st.  Staff will continue working to reduce the projected budget deficit with the goal of submitting a structurally balanced budget for adoption.

• 10. Richmond Library Teens at the Workforce Summit!

Richmond Library Teen Services were represented at the Seventh Annual Northern California Summit, Building the Next Generation Workforce.  This important event provided teens with vital information that will help prepare them for success in college and career opportunities.  Teen Services Library Coordinator, Angela Cox was on hand to inform students about the S.A.T. Preparation Workshop and S.A.T. Scholarship programs offered through the library.

• 11. Assemblymember Thurmond Office Hours at City Hall

 15th District Assemblymember Tony Thurmond will offer satellite office hours in
West Contra Costa County, including at Richmond City Hall.  The Assemblymember’s staff representatives are available to meet with constituents by appointment on the following dates in West Contra Costa County. Please call (510) 286-1400 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment or visit their website www.asmdc.org/members/a15.

Richmond:

• 1st Wednesday of each month from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM:  June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2 and December 7
• 3rd Saturday of each month from 9:00 PM -12:00 PM: July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15 and November 19

San Pablo:         May 25 and September 28 from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Hercules:           June 22 and October 26 from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Pinole:               July 27 from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM

El Cerrito:           August 24 from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

• 12. Information Technology

Website

Top 10 Webpage views for the week ending 05/20/2016

Facebook Statistics

People reached increased by 92%
Post engagement increased by 82%
Total video views incrdased by 22%

Twitter Statistics

Tweet impressions increased by 99.2%
Profile visits increased by 17.6%
Followers are up

KCRT DATANET OF THE WEEK:

City of Richmond Website and Mobile APP UPDATE

An upgraded version of the City of Richmond’s mobile phone app is now available on the Apple App store and Google Play store. 


Watch the informational video  for an overview of the app available for free at Apple App Store for IOS devices and at Google Play for Android phones. 

The City of Richmond is looking forward to feedback from the community on this upgraded Mobile App. We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us

• 13. Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations

Facilities Maintenance:
Utility Workers removed old furniture from Booker T. Anderson Community Center, scrubbed floors at the Parks Yard, cleaned the carpets at the Port, relamped the Council Chambers, completed the removal of furniture from the City Hall basement storage, and maintained 29 city owned facilities.

Relamping Council Chambers

Abatement:

Abatement crews abated blighted properties on South 34th Street and “A” Street, removed graffiti  in various areas throughout the City, removed illegal dumping from alleyways and streets, and assisted in the weed abatement efforts along the Richmond Parkway.

Abatement of Property

Graffiti Removal

Median Weed Abatement

Parks and Landscaping Division:  

General maintenance crews weeded and trimmed Ann and Elaine Pathways, weed whipped on Cutting Boulevard, removed graffiti from the Greenway, assisted with the “Love Your Block” planting on Nunn Street, and conducted weed abatement on Glenn Avenue, Richmond Parkway, Gertrude Avenue, Lamoine Park, and at Hilltop Green Park.

Civic Center Plaza Maintenance

The tree crew cut or trimmed trees on South 18th Street, Wall Avenue, Marina Way South, and Macdonald Avenue. Staff also mowed and edged the Civic Center lawns.

Hilltop Districtcrews continued weed abatement and general maintenance throughout and worked in high fire zones around Hilltop Lake.

High Fire Zone Abatement

Marina District crews removed and replaced a section of sidewalk, continued weed abatement and trimming along the trail, performed graffiti removal throughout an underpass, and addressed Brad Moody Underpass landscape issues.

Sidewalk Repair

• 14. Engineering/CIP Departments

Capital Improvement Projects:
Construction at the Civic Auditorium included the placement of the foundation for the new elevator being installed in the lobby area for public use. The addition of the new elevator will be a part of the upgrades to more effectively meet the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

Elevator Foundation in Auditorium Lobby

The Nevin Avenue Streetscape project is continuing. The contractor is currently grading to prepare for new curbs and gutters.

Nevin Avenue

Staff is still overseeing the Pavement Rehabilitation project and many may have noticed a smoother Ohio Avenue, Macdonald Avenue and Barrett Avenue. They were repaved and the new American with Disabilities Act (ADA) curbs were installed or are in the process of being installed.

Barrett Avenue

Ohio Avenue

Macdonald Avenue

Streets Division: 
Paving crews grinded and paved on Gonzaga Avenue from Duke Avenue to Shane Drive and worked from the outstanding pothole list.

Paving on Gonzaga Avenue

Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the third Monday through Friday in the North Richmond, Iron Triangle, North Belding Woods, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay and Point Richmond neighborhood council areas.

Signs and Lines staff installed 27 new poles and signs, three pavement messages, repaired 17 signs and poles, and fabricated 10 signs in-house.

New Sign Installation

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.

Bill Lindsay
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804
(510) 620-6512
Bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us

You can sign up to receive the City Manager’s weekly report and other information from the City of Richmond by visiting: www.ci.richmond.ca.us/list.aspx