A series of neighborhood “Town Hall” Meetings have been scheduled throughout Richmond over the next eight months so that residents can communicate directly with City Council members. The first was on June 2, 2001, for the Fairmeade-Hilltop Neighborhood at Sojourner Truth Church. Following are my notes regarding concerns and complaints:

1.   There is a lot of confusion about what city this area is in because it shares the 94806 zip code with San Pablo. In fact, if you use the Postal service ZIP Code lookup (http://www.framed.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/lookup_zip+4.html) to find the zip code for Soujourner truth Church at 2126 Shane drive it will show the city in both a San Pablo and Richmond. Can the City of Richmond petition the Postal Service to give San Pablo its own ZIP Code?

2.   Richmond Residents get billed by the City of San Pablo for a cell phone tax.

3.   Richmond residents get more informational mailings from the City of San Pablo than they do from the City of Richmond. Residents feel ignored by and out of touch with the City of Richmond.

4.   A number of Heritage Park residents on fixed incomes complained of astronomical rent increases. Since the City of Richmond participated in this project, they want the City to look into the situation and try to motivate the owners to reconsider.

5.   A number of persons complained that they do not get timely information about Richmond events. The neighborhood council newsletter does not get information in time. In an informal poll of the 25 people present, 14 have cable access to KCRT, 11 have internet access, 20 subscribe to or have access to the West County Times, 18 get the neighborhood council newsletter, and 20 receive regular information mailings from the City of San Pablo.

6.   There were complaints about failure by the City to enforce the weed abatement ordinance.

7.   There are too many group homes in the area. It was explained to the group that the City has limited control over group home locations.

8.   The east side of Hilltop Mall is an eyesore.

9.   There are “donuts” at Blum and Shane Drives.

10.  Too many people work on their cars in driveways.

11.  Drivers don’t stop at the four-way stop sign at Groom and Shane?

12.  At Hilltop Park, the water fountain is gone; the jungle gym is gone and the lights are gone.

13.  There is a bad response from City employees when complaints are made, specifically 2939 Gomer Drive.

14.  When trying to reach City department heads, citizens have been told, “department heads don’t take calls.”

The next Town Hall Meeting will be for the Parkview Neighborhood at Booker T. Anderson Community Center on July 7, 2001, 10:00 AM to noon.