Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending June 24, 2016.

• 1. Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 28th beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, followed by the Special Meeting of the Richmond Housing Authority at 6:25 PM, and with the regular City Council agenda at 6:30 PM. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: Richmond City Council Agenda Packet.

• 2. City Council June 28th Agenda Highlight:  FY2016-17 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget

At the meeting of June 21st, staff presented to the City Council a balanced budget that is being recommended for adoption at the June 28th meeting.  The budget gap which had been at approximately $3 million was closed through a combination of revenue increases totaling $1.5 million, primarily through State revenues for public safety programs, and expenditure reductions totaling $1.5 million.  Staff has transmitted the final Operating and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budgets for adoption by the City Council at the meeting this Tuesday, June 28th.

• 3. Richmond Juneteenth Celebration

On Saturday, June 18th, Richmond hosted its annual Juneteenth Family Day Parade & Festival to bring together the community and celebrate our cultural heritage and diversity.  The City’s Community Services, Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations, Police, and Fire Departments all contributed to make the event a success. As part of the celebration, Richmond Firefighters joined community members to share safety tips and take fun photos for kids.

• 4. 7th Annual Independence Day Eve Celebration Featuring Fireworks and an Oakland East Bay Symphony Performance

On Sunday, July 3rd, Richmond will get a head start on the holiday with the 7th Annual Independence Day Eve Celebration, featuring the Oakland East Bay Symphony concert at the Craneway Pavilion and a classic fireworks display.  Doors to the Craneway will open and pre-show performances will commence at 6.30 PM, followed by the Oakland East Bay Symphony at 8:00 PM, and fireworks at approximately 9:15 PM.  Great informal seating (bring your own chair) is also available along the waterfront at the base of Marina Way South.

For the past six years, the Oakland East Bay Symphony has joined with the City of Richmond and local business sponsors to present a free Independence Eve Celebration at the Craneway Pavilion, located inside the historic Ford Point Building on the waterfront in Richmond. This free event is fun for the whole family, with live music, food, an instrument petting zoo and spectacular fireworks over the bay! The centerpiece of the evening is a free concert by the Oakland East Bay Symphony conducted by Michael Morgan, featuring Sousa marches, music from the movies, sing-alongs and more.  In the six years since its inception, this event has become one of the Bay Area’s most popular and talked-about Independence Day Celebrations.

Don’t miss it!

• 5. Contra Costa Animal Services June License Amnesty Program – Keep Pets Safe for the Upcoming Fourth of July holiday

Contra Costa Animal Services has developed a License Amnesty Program that will run throughout the month of June.  The agency hopes that the program will assist owners in ensuring that their pets are licensed by July 4th when loud noises and bangs cause many pets to escape due to discomfort. By licensing, micro-chipping, and putting a collar on your pet, the likelihood of reunification with a lost furry friend increases.  The details of the program are listed below.

Program Details

• Contra Costa Animal Services will waive all late fees and penalties for animal owners who license, or renew their pet’s license, during the month of June.

• Anyone who licenses their animal, or renews their animal’s license, during the month of June will receive a free ticket home for their pet, if they enter the shelter during the month of July (if the animal is reclaimed within 48 hours).  

• 6. June 25th Submission Deadline: Richmond Urban Garden Contest and Showcase

Mayor Tom Butt has announced the launch of his first Urban Garden Contest and Showcase. The Urban Garden Contest and Showcase is a city-wide home garden event in which Richmond and North Richmond residents have an opportunity to show off their edible gardens for a chance to win gardening prizes and the title of “Best Edible Garden in Richmond 2016.”

The contest includes a garden showcase day on July 2nd to allow community members to tour participating gardens and receive gardening tips from the city’s top amateur gardeners. The submission deadline for the Urban Garden Contest participants is Saturday, June 25th. Community members interested in touring or participating in the showcase day must register for attendance by June 25th. Full details are available at: www.RichmondCaMayor.org.

The winner of the Urban Garden Contest will receive a prize package of gifts from Annie’s Annuals and Perennials, Acapulco Rock and Soil, The Urban Farmer Store, and The Watershed Nursery. All contest participants will also receive compost provided by Republic Services and mulch provided by the City of Richmond.

Interested residents should visit www.RichmondCaMayor.org for complete contest details and a timeline, and follow the Urban Garden Contest on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #RichmondCAUrbanGarden.”

• 7. RichmondBUILD Academy’s 30th Cohort Graduation and New Cohort Applications Now Available

The RichmondBUILD Academy began its 30th cohort on April 18th. Over twelve weeks, students receive intensive job training in construction and valuable certifications in CPR/First Aide, OSHA 10, HAZ Whopper 40, Confined Spaces, and Traffic. Their graduation is scheduled for June 30th from 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon.  As a result of their training, RichmondBUILD graduates are eligible for direct entry in the respective unions for Carpenters, Laborers, Dry Wall/Lathers, and Iron Workers.

Cohort 30 at the Laborers Training Facility in San Ramon, CA.
The RichmondBUILD Academy is now accepting applicants for its August 2016 cohort!

For more information, please visit: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1243/RichmondBUILD or call (510) 621-1780.

• 8. Modified BART Schedule for 2016 SF Pride on June 26th

BART will open early at 7:00 AM on Sunday, June 26th to accommodate revelers attending San Francisco’s annual LGBTQ Pride parade.  

BART strongly encourages customers to take advantage of this pilot opening time to beat the crowds.  Trains will be running on a 20-minute service schedule, and utilization of these early trains will determine whether BART will open early again next year for SF Pride.   

As with any large event, BART Police rely on passengers to report suspicious or illegal activity happening on trains or in stations.  Be on the lookout for abandoned packages, suspicious behavior, or unattended vehicles; let a nearby station agent or police officer know if you encounter these things while riding. Additional officers will be on patrol during SF Pride weekend, but passengers must still remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings at all times. Remember the important advice: If you see something, say something!

BART wishes everyone attending a safe and happy weekend, and celebrates our region’s diversity alongside riders. For additional service information visit www.bart.gov.

• 9. My Brother's Keeper/Boys and Men of Color: “Winning in the Workplace” Training Labs June 28th and 29th

As part of ongoing economic development initiatives, Richmond has partnered with the four other My Brother's Keeper Cities (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and East Palo Alto) and several great organizations to host a Boys and Men of Color Career Summit on July 21st.

In preparation for the Summit, programming partners at LeadersUp are pre-training approximately 600 young men (ages 18-29) for pre-scheduled, on-site hiring interviews. Approximately 1 out of 3 young men will receive immediate job offers at the Summit.

Registration is NOW OPEN for 4-hour "Winning in the Workplace" training labs, which are required for access to pre-scheduled interviews. More labs may be scheduled based on demand, so check the registration link below for additional programs. Two Richmond-based labs will occur at City Hall on June 28th & June 29th.

Young adults can register for labs by texting “BMOC” to 95577 or by visiting the online registration page: Richmond: Winning in the Workplace RSVP. Lab curriculum includes resume review, mock interviews, and job readiness skills to prepare young men for pre-scheduled, on-site interviews on July 21st.

• 10. 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 with staff from the City Manager’s office to discuss the development of a City staff training program regarding “Health in All Policies”;
• Met together with Administrative Chief Shasa Curl, and Analyst Gabino Arredondo from the City Manager’s Office, and Dr. Jason Corburn from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, with Contra Costa County Director of Public Heath Daniel Peddycord to discuss potential collaborative projects;
• Met together with Vice Mayor Martinez and Councilmember Beckles, with representatives from Cybertran International and staff from Federal Advocates, the City’s Washington DC legislative advocate, to discuss federal funding programs for transportation;
• Met, along with Mayor Butt and several City staff members, with potential buyers of Hilltop Mall to review the City’s General Plan goals for the Hilltop area;
• Attended interviews of potential financial managers for the Richmond Promise scholarship program;
• Attended the monthly West County Mayors and Supervisors meeting;
• Met with Local Agency Formation Commission Executive Officer Lou Ann Texeira to discuss issues related to the West Contra Costa County Hospital District;
• Attended the retirement dinner for outgoing West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Bruce Harter;
• Met, together with Finance Director Belinda Warner, with the City’s financial consulting team to discuss debt management projects.

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.

• 11. West Contra Costa Unified School District Seamless Summer Food Program

Free summer meals are being offered at a location near you from June 9th - August 17th to all children 18 years or younger.  This service will be provided by the WCCUSD Seamless Summer Food Program (SSFP).  SSFP is making sure no child in West Contra Costa County goes hungry when schools are closed this summer. The Nevin Community Center, Parchester Community Center, Recreation Complex, and Main Library are among several City facilities hosting SSFP services.

Check out when and where you or someone you know can get free meals by following the link below. More information including menus can also be found on the site. If you have further questions regarding the program, please call (510) 307-4580.

WCCUSD Food Service Department:  http://www.wccusd.net/page/256

Please use the following link to find all WCCUSD Summer Meal sites with dates, times, locations, and meals: http://goo.gl/KysTkr

• 12. Assembly Thurmond 2016 Satellite Office Hours:  By Appointment

Assembly 15th District 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 our website www.asmdc.org/members/a15.

Richmond:

• 1st Wednesday from 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM:  July 6th, August 3rd, September 7th, October 5th, November 2nd and December 7th.

• 3rd Saturday from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM:  July 16th, August 20th, September 17th, October 15th and November 19th.

Hercules:        October 26th from 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Pinole:            July 27th from 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM

El Cerrito:       August 24th from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

San Pablo:      September 28th from 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM

• 13. Information Technology

Website

Top 10 Webpage views for the week ending 06/21/2016

Twitter Statistics

Followers are up

NEW KCRT BUSINESS BYTES VIDEO

You may view the City’s new Business Bytes Video for the highlights of East Brother Beer Company at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/wZClH5URbug

KCRT DATANET OF THE WEEK:


City of Richmond 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. 
 

The free City of Richmond mobile app provides community members with one-stop access to City services and information.  

You may view the City’s mobile app on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i4W1wVvB9fw.

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.

• 14. Community Services Highlights

Sign up at the Recreation Complex for fun summer activities!  Space is still available for August and October to participate in camping and day trips to Regional Parks.

Chess

Through the generous support of Genentech Matching Fund for purchase of trophies and medals, the 3rd Annual Spring Classic Community Chess tournament, co-sponsored by the Community Services Department and West Coast Chess Alliance, was extremely successful and lots of fun.  Chess enhances analytical thinking, critical problem solving, social skills, and academic achievement. Through our community tournament series, Richmond is developing a reputation as the place to play chess. The tournament attracted 52 players of all ages, from six years old to 78 years young.  Chess has a way of enhancing diversity, bringing people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds together around 64 squares.

The tournament format was a Quad, with four players at a table.  Everyone plays three games and the winner of each Quad receives a trophy. The tournament featured 12 United States Chess Federation rated players, 28 youth players, and several senior Quads. The youth came from schools with active chess programs, including Fremont Elementary, Benito Juarez Elementary, Making Waves Academy, Orinda Elementary, Tahiyah Day School (El Cerrito), American Indian School (Oakland) and Crystal Middle School (Suisun City).

TC Ball, West Coast Chess Alliance Outreach Coordinator, would like to thank and acknowledge Councilmember Vinay Pimplé for stopping by the tournament to support the efforts to increase chess awareness in the City of Richmond.  Additional thanks and acknowledgment to the West Coast Chess Alliance Registration Coordinator, Myriah Ball, and assistant Tournament Director, David Knott, for their contribution. 

Summer Camps

The Antioch water slides at Prewitt Family Park are always a fun destination for campers.  The participants of the Booker T. Anderson Achieve Summer Camp had a great time sliding and splashing all day long!

Over 50 participants from the Recreation Complex Camp Elevate enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon at our own Kennedy Swim Center.

The Shields Reid Achieve Summer Camp started its first week with a trip to Miller/Knox Park. Sixty-five youth and 10 staff participated in games in the park, a swim at Keller Beach, and a hike to the top of the water tower.  Though the hike was challenging, all the young people were excited when they reached the top of the hill and enjoyed the panoramic views of Richmond and the Bay.

Juneteenth

Staff had a wonderful day interacting with the community at the Juneteenth Festival.  Go Team!

• 15. Engineering/Capital Improvement Program Departments

Capital Improvement Projects:

Pavement Rehabilitation Project

Engineering staff is still overseeing the Pavement Rehabilitation project. The utility manholes were “raised” on 22nd Street, Macdonald Avenue, and Ohio Avenue making them flush with the newly paved roads. Also, further Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements are being implemented along Macdonald Avenue and 19th Street.

Pedestrian Improvements on Macdonald Avenue and 19th Street

Safe Routes to School Project

The Safe Routes to School Project involves installation of ADA curb ramps, high-visibility crosswalks with in-pavement flashing lights, traffic striping and markings, pedestrian safety signs, sidewalk, curb and gutter and median improvements near Ford, Grant, King and Lincoln Elementary Schools. The City is coordinating the timing of the work with the individual schools in order to minimize disruption to school activities. This week, curb ramps were constructed near Grant Elementary School.

For more information, please contact the project’s Public Outreach Coordinator, Jacqueline Majors at (925) 949-6196.

Curb Demolition for Ramp Placement

Streets Division: 

Paving crews ground and paved South 45th Street from Carlson Boulevard to Potrero Avenue and worked from the outstanding pothole list.

Paving on South 45th Street

Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the third Monday and Tuesday and the fourth Wednesday through Friday in the North Richmond, Iron Triangle, North Belding Woods, Metro Village, Pullman, Cortez/Stege, Park Plaza Laurel Park, City Center, Richmond Annex, Parkview, Panhandle Annex, and Eastshore neighborhood council areas.

Signs and Lines staff installed 18 new poles and signs, installed 32 pavement messages including road buttons, repaired 30 signs and poles, painted 1008 feet of curbs and fabricated 12 signs in-house.

Stop Message Installation

• 16. Infrastructure Maintenance and Operations

Facilities Maintenance:

Stationary Engineers installed a new water heater in the basement of the Library, installed new time clock for the gates of the parking garage, repaired the shower valve at Fire Station #61, made keys for Library staff, repaired the dishwasher at Fire Station #68, re-keyed a storage room, and completed tank maintenance to the portable trailer at Fire Station #66.

Electricians installed power for new front door at the Main Library, replaced a light bollard at B. Vincent Park, supported the Juneteenth Festivital, moved fixtures at the Main Library office, tested controllers on San Pablo Avenue and Macdonald Avenue, and supported the Chevron Project at San Pablo Avenue and Richmond Parkway.

Controller Testing

Utility Workers scrubbed and waxed floors at the Main Library, set-up Auditorium for an event, and maintained 29 city owned facilities.

Floor Cleaning at Main Library

Parks and Landscaping Division: 

General maintenance crews prepped Wendell Park for the Native American Festival, supported the Juneteenth Festival, continued weed abatement on Richmond Parkway, completed Civic Center irrigation repairs, and completed Nicholl and Hilltop Park irrigation repairs.

Juneteenth Festival Support

The tree crew cut or trimmed trees on South 15th Street, Cutting Boulevard, Fran Way, Lassen Drive, Aberdeen Way, Burlingame Avenue, Hilltop Lake, and Burg Park.

Tree Cutting

Hilltop Districtcrews continued weed abatement along Richmond Parkway, completed flail mowing at Hilltop Lake Park, performed weed abatement at Country Club Vista and Bay Vista Parks, and removed graffiti throughout the area.

Weed Abatement on Richmond Parkway

Marina Districtcrews continued planting on Regatta Boulevard, performed weed abatement Regatta Boulevard, continued to mow the area, and checked irrigation for repairs.

Median Landscaping Project on Regatta Boulevard

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