Mayor and Councilmembers:

This is the weekly report for the week ending January 7th, 2011.

• Meeting Notes

 

The next City Council meeting is the swearing-in ceremony scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM in the Richmond Auditorium.  The next regular City Council meeting is on January 18th.  A joint meeting of the City Council and the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board of Trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, January 25th in the Richmond City Council Chambers.

• 2010 Neighborhood Clean Up Program Ends on a Positive Note

 

On Saturday, December 18th, 2010, community collaboration was at its best for the Parchester Village neighborhood clean up.  Volunteers from the Parchester Village neighborhood, Operation Richmond, and Sweeping the City/Healthy Richmond Communities joined the City of Richmond City Manager’s Office, Code Enforcement Division, Recreation Department, Richmond Sanitary Services, Sims Metal Management and Hi-Tech E-Waste Recycling to host a free disposal drop off and neighborhood clean up for the Parchester Village community.

Prior to the event, volunteers from Parchester Village, Operation Richmond, and Sweeping the City/Healthy Richmond Communities canvassed the Parchester neighborhood.  They distributed flyers and identified seniors needing assistance disposing their items.  On the day of the clean up, volunteers staffed dumpsters and worked closely with city staff assisting residents during the clean up.  As a result of this collaborative effort: 

—  153 participants disposed of unwanted items
—  12, 40-yard dumpsters were filled, totaling 32 tons of debris
—  18 seniors received assistance from city staff and volunteers
—  21 volunteers ensured the success of the clean up
 

All told for 2010, the Neighborhood Clean Up Program yielded 247 tons of debris servicing 13 neighborhoods.  In total, Sims Metal Management contributed nearly $2,600 from recycled metal to the participating neighborhoods to support neighborhood council sponsored activities and events.  Special recognition goes to the crew of our Code Enforcement Division and the drivers of Richmond Sanitary Services for helping make this year’s program a success.  Thanks also to Rochelle Monk, Community Affairs Coordinator in the City Manager’s Office, for her terrific work on this program for a number of years.

 

• New State Attack on Redevelopment

 

This week, the media reported rumors that the new Governor Jerry Brown is planning to "end redevelopment" as part of his January budget proposal.  It has not been confirmed by his administration, but if it is true, as summarized by the League of California Cities, “…the idea smacks of gimmicks and desperation with insufficient legal, technical or political forethought.”  The League made the following specific points, among others, in reaching this conclusion:

• Just a mere two months ago, California voters approved Proposition 22, a measure designed to protect various local revenues - including redevelopment - from state raids, by 61 percent.  A new attack on redevelopment would clearly fly in the face of the view by a majority of voters that they believe their local governments are much more accountable and trustworthy than the state.

 

• Attempting to arbitrarily end local redevelopment agencies or projects will jeopardize the ability of local agencies to pay investors in redevelopment bonds, likely triggering an upheaval in the financial markets, undercutting the confidence of all California bonds.  Other constitutional issues could be triggered as well.

• Redevelopment, which has been around since the 1950s, is a tool for building things. It builds and improves communities, spurs job growth and taxes and is the most significant provider of infrastructure, urban development and affordable housing in the state.  (City Manager’s note:  This has particularly been the case in Richmond, which has used redevelopment very successfully in improving downtown Richmond and providing significant opportunities for affordable housing.)

 

• Redevelopment is a job engine and a catalyst for growth. Statewide redevelopment supports an average of 304,000 full- and part-time jobs in a typical year, including 170,600 construction jobs. Annually, redevelopment typically generates $2 billion in state and local taxes, which are needed for vital state and local services. It is also a primary source of funding for green and sustainable infill development.  Redevelopment has financed more than 98,000 units of affordable housing in the state, second only to the federal government in affordable housing funding.  (City Manager’s note:  Once again, such a litany of positive statistical data could be used to describe the activities of the Richmond Redevelopment Agency.)

You will undoubtedly hear more about this in future weeks.  Hopefully, you will hear that this idea doesn’t get off the ground.

• Christmas Tree Recycling

 

To recycle Christmas trees, Richmond residents may:

• Cut trees to fit into the green cart for free pickup along with yard waste;

 

• Drop off trees at the Golden Bear Transfer Station (1 Parr Boulevard, Monday - Friday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Saturday – Sunday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM).  Drop off is free until February 7th; or

• Call Richmond Sanitary Service for a whole tree pickup – 262-7100.  There is a $15 charge for this pickup service.

 

• Internet Archive Coming to Richmond

 

In the last week of December 2010, Internet Archive (the Archive) completed its purchase of a 45,000 square foot building at 2512 - 2514 Florida Avenue in Richmond.  Internet Archive is a San Francisco-based company that was founded in 1996 to build an internet library, offering permanent access for researchers, historians, scholars, people with disabilities, and the general public to historical collections that exist in digital format.  The Archive has more than 192 library partners, including the Library of Congress, The Smithsonian Institute, Harvard University, the University of California and the National Library of Scotland.

Economic Development, Planning and Information Technology staff all contributed to the Archive’s decision to move forward with this acquisition.  Initial plans call for data collection and warehousing with an eye towards development of enhanced technologies to better preserve cultural artifacts for future generations.  The Archive is also keenly interested in working collaboratively with RichmondWORKS to create a local employment and training program for aspiring digital archivists.

• Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds and Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds

 

On December 22nd, the Bond Finance Team completed the issuance of the Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECBs) and the Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds (RZEDBs), at interest rates of 2.73% and 3.58%, respectively.  These two transactions were sold to Bank of America in a “private placement,” where the city negotiated directly with Bank of America, and did not sell the bonds on the open market.  Proceeds from these bonds will be used to fund various energy efficiency upgrades to city street lights and city facilities, as well as structural improvements to certain fire stations.

• Fiscal Year 2009-10 Audit and CAFR

 

The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the year ended June 30th, is available on the city’s website at:

http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2363 

This report presents the financial position and the results of the city’s operations for the fiscal year ended June 30th, and the cash flows of its proprietary fund types for the year then ended.  Highlights from this year’s report include:

• The city’s investment in its capital assets increased $32.4 million over the prior year.  The majority of the increase occurred as a result of construction activities at the Port and improvements in the Sanitary Sewer and Wastewater Treatment Plant.

 

• Total governmental activity expenditures were $228.5 million, not including capital outlays, with funds spent in the following categories in descending order:

• Public Safety
• Public Works
• Long Term Debt
• General Government
• Housing and Redevelopment
• Cultural and Recreational
• Community Development

 

• Public Works Updates

• Paving crews fixed 750 potholes this week throughout the city.

 

• The Facilities Maintenance division completed the painting of the auditorium main floor and the Employment and Training Facility located at 425 - 25th Street.  Next week, they will begin installing the “No Smoking” signs on all city buildings.

• Recreation Highlight:  Christmas in Richmond

 

On Saturday, December 25th, the Recreation Department hosted the annual “Christmas in Richmond” charity event, directed by Richmond Resident Edna Campbell.  Over 200 less fortunate community members were able to enjoy a free meal, music and other festivities.  New clothes, toys and 100 bikes were distributed throughout the day.

 

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

Have a great week!

 

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

Bill Lindsay
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804-1630
Phone:  510-620-6512
Fax:  510-620-6542
E-mail:  bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us