Mayor and Councilmembers:

This is the weekly report for the week ending July 8th, 2011.

1. Meeting Notes

 

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 19th.  Enjoy the night off next Tuesday.

1. Reminder:  July 21st Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Welcoming Reception and Town Hall Meeting

 

As I have reported previously, the City of Richmond is one of the finalists to host the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) Second Campus at the UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station site.  This is an unparalleled opportunity to bring green jobs, economic development, and countless other benefits to the Richmond community.

As part of the selection process, the City will host a welcoming reception and town hall meeting on Thursday, July 21st, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Richmond Auditorium.  The reception will include light refreshments and entertainment, followed by a town hall meeting.  Save the date to come join the community in showing LBNL why Richmond is the only choice for the LBNL Second Campus!  Please RSVP for this event at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/lbnl.  Contact the City Manager’s Office at (510) 412-2091 or (510) 621-1554 with questions.

1. Appointment of New Library & Cultural Services Director

 

I am pleased to announce that I have selected Katy Curl as the new Library & Community Services Director beginning on Monday, August 15th.  Ms. Curl fills the position vacated by Monique Le Conge, who resigned last September.   Ms. Curl comes to the City of Richmond with approximately 18 years of library experience, including 13 years as a professional librarian and five years as a library director.  Most recently, she served as the City Library Director for the Folsom Public Library, and has previous library management experience with the Sacramento Public Library.  Ms. Curl has a Master of Library Science Degree and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education.

Ms. Curl’s goal will be to ensure that the Richmond library is an integral part of all community initiatives, projects and events.  During her interview, she stressed the importance of library service in providing a healthy community.  Her top focus will be on providing superior customer service and aligning services with community priorities.  She is described as a strong team player by those with whom she has worked, and has demonstrated the ability and creativity to work effectively in an environment of limited resources.  Of particular note, while working with the City of Folsom during a time of severe city cutbacks, Katy was able to successfully expand library services by opening a new branch in partnership with the local high school.

Ms. Curl’s appointment follows a nationwide search that attracted many qualified applicants from across the country.  Her demonstrated commitment to customer service and her experience building relationships between the library and diverse community interests will make her a valuable addition to the City of Richmond.  I look forward to working with her to make the library a better and stronger asset for our community.

1. Employment & Training Department Receives $500,000 for Youth Career Technical Education

The Employment & Training Department’s YouthWORKS program, in partnership with the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County, has received a grant in the amount of $500,000 from the California Employment Development Department to develop a youth career technical education program in West Contra Costa County.  Only six grant awards were made statewide.
The project, West Contra Costa Youth Career Technical Education Partnership (WCC-YCTE), will serve 100 at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, addressing the significant need for education, training and employment opportunities for youth and young adults in West Contra Costa County.  Participants will engage in a tightly integrated program that includes assessment, education, training in a range of industry sectors (construction, health care, hospitality, and transportation), paid work experience, and placement in unsubsidized employment.  Contra Costa College CTE Counselors will provide guidance on career options and training opportunities.  Industry employers will also play a central role, by providing a setting in which WCC-YCTE participants can learn the skills needed for success.
In announcing the award, Pam Harris, Chief Deputy Director of the EDD stated, “Youth unemployment is an escalating problem in California and many young adults lack the skills to compete in today’s competitive labor market.  By connecting the workplace with the classroom, CTE provides work experience and pre-apprenticeships to give these young adults more marketable skills to secure their futures.”

1. Engineering Services Department Updates

 

The 2011/2012 Miscellaneous Concrete Repairs project that was recently awarded by the City Council is in progress.  The contractor has been working at various locations throughout the city. 

A road closure is scheduled to take place at Richmond Parkway between Ohio Avenue and Macdonald Avenue from Sunday, July 10th, at 9:00 AM to Friday, July 15th at 5:00 PM.  BNSF Railroad Company, with the help of a contractor they have hired, will raise the train tracks for maintenance and repair work.  Public notification was provided and advance warning signs were placed at key locations earlier this week.

1. Wastewater Update

 

The City’s Wastewater Division awarded 142 sewer lateral replacement grants in FY 2010-2011, which represented a grant award for every single qualifying applicant last year.  They are encouraging property owners to continue to submit applications for sewer lateral grants throughout the coming fiscal year, as they will be accepted and awarded as long as funding is available.  We consider this to be a very effective way to reduce the occurrence of sanitary sewer overflows and stormwater infiltration into the wastewater system.  More information about the City’s sewer lateral grant program can be found on the City’s web site at:

http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2130.

1. Richmond Public Library Presents

 

Nancy Cassidy Interactive Children’s Music and Fun:

Monday, August 1st, at 10:30 AM, Bayview, 5100 Hartnett Avenue

Tuesday, August 2nd, at 9:30 AM, West Side, 135 Washington Avenue, Pt. Richmond

Tuesday, August 2nd, at 3:00 PM, Main Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza

Puppet Show by Fratello Marionettes: Carnival of the Animals:

Thursday, August 4th, at 3:00 PM, Main Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza

Children’s Program Traditional & Contemporary Music and Dance by Crosspulse Duo:

Monday, August 8th, at 10:30 AM, Bayview, 5100 Hartnett Avenue

Monday, August 8th, at 1:00 PM, West Side, 135 Washington Avenue

Dance Party for Children of All Ages:

Thursday, August 11th, at 3:00 PM, Main Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza

All of these events are free, thanks to the sponsorship of the Friends of the Richmond Public Library, suitable for the entire family and require no advance registration.  More information can be obtained by calling (510) 620-6557, or by dropping by the Main Library Children’s Room at 325 Civic Center Plaza.

Vamos A Leer – Bilingual Reading Program Cuentos en Español:

Saturday, August 27th, at 1:00 PM, Main Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza

Univision Radio San Francisco will present “Vamos A Leer,” a bilingual program which targets children K-5 and encourages parents to participate in their child’s education by reading with them.  “Vamos A Leer” features a bilingual reading session with a radio station personality.  This event is also free, suitable for the entire family and requires no advance registration.  More information can be obtained by calling (510) 620-6557, or by dropping by the Main Library Children’s Room at 325 Civic Center Plaza.

In addition to these special events above, we offer regular story times the entire year as follows:

Mondays at 10:30 AM (pre-K) at Bayview, 5100 Hartnett Avenue

Tuesdays at 9:30 AM (pre-K) at West Side, 135 Washington Avenue

Wednesdays at 10:30 AM (pre-K) at Main Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza

Thursdays at 3:00 PM (ages 5 and up) at West Side, 135 Washington Avenue

Saturdays at 11:00 AM for children of all ages at Main Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza

1. Recreation Workshop for Seniors:  “Maintain Your Brain”

 

In conjunction with Shields Nursing Centers and the Alzheimer’s Association, the Recreation Department is hosting a free workshop for seniors, “Maintain your Brain: Stay Fit from the Neck Up!” at the Richmond Auditorium on Friday, July 22nd, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 am.  Free continental breakfast will be served at 9:30 am.  Free round-trip transportation will be provided by Richmond Paratransit from the El Cerrito and San Pablo Senior Centers.

1. Public Works Updates

 

Facilities Maintenance Division:  This past week, the painters completed painting the walls of the pool room of the Senior Center, and the primer coat of the exterior of the Disabled People’s Recreation Center (DPRC).  The stationary engineers repaired the heater that heats the Plunge’s pool.

The Electrical Division completed the replacement of seven of the light globes within Vincent Park; completed the installation and moving of seven fans at the Senior Center; the cabinet and controller at Castro Street and Richmond Parkway has been replaced and reprogrammed.

Next week, staff will continue to paint the exterior of the DPRC building, replace missing chair arms on the seats in the Auditorium, and repair the air conditioning in the server room of 440 Civic Center Plaza.

Parks and Landscaping Division:  Completed irrigation around the Civic Center Marquee; vegetation management along Nunn Pathway; along Hilltop Drive and Robert Miller Drive crews removed weeds, weed whipped cracks, picked up heavy eucalyptus debris and cleaned curbs, as well as grinded stumps and trimmed or removed multiple trees around the City.

Next week, crews will continue to work within the very high fire severity zones (VHFSZ); perform root grinding for sidewalk repair at South 30th Street and Cutting Boulevard; and conduct weed abatement along Giant Highway and the Richmond Parkway, as well as, along the Bay Trail in the Marina area.

Streets Division:  Crews attended training this week for “Hot Works” and “Hazwop” (hazardous spills) this week.  Potholes have been addressed this week.

Next week, crews will grind and pave South 7th Street from Ohio to the south end of the street.

 

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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

 

 

Have a great week!

 

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