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| City Manager's Weekly Report for the Week Ending May 11th, 2012 May 13, 2012 |
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Mayor and Councilmembers: This is the weekly report for the week ending May 11th, 2012.
The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, May 15th, beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, a Housing Authority agenda at 6:25 PM, and with the regular agenda starting at 6:30 PM.
In collaboration with the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and 511 Contra Costa, the City of Richmond hosted Bike to Work Day 2012 this past Thursday, May 10th. Richmond organizations hosted four energizer stations to provide bicyclists with Bike to Work Day bags and refreshments and to promote bicycling as an everyday means of transportation. The event was a great success with almost 400 riders coming by energizer stations on the way to work. Thank you to Building Blocks for Kids (BBK), SunPower, Richmond Spokes, Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), Groundwork Richmond, and all the volunteers who hosted and supported an energizer station. Thanks also to Richmond Sanitary Service, Mack 5, and Catahoula Coffee for the generous donations. Bike to Work Month continues through May. Interested persons may find out about more activities at www.ebbc.org, and join Team Bike Challenge to log miles biked and compete with other Bay Area teams at www.youcanbikethere.org/tbc.
Beyond Violence is a program launched by the City of Richmond’s Office of Neighborhood Safety in 2010 in collaboration with John Muir Community Health Alliance, the John Muir Health Center (JMH) – Trauma and Social Services Department in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Health Services, and the Richmond Police Activities League. The program identifies gunshot victims of intentional injury, ages 14-25, as soon as they are admitted to JMH, and links qualified participants with an Office of Neighborhood Safety Intervention Specialist (IS). The IS helps the injured patient and his or her families and friends cope with the injury and links them with resources to promote a healthy and non-violent lifestyle. This is a proven program that has been effective in reducing recidivism and retaliation in other metropolitan areas such Oakland, Chicago and Boston. Beyond Violence is modeled after Oakland’s “Caught in the Crossfire Program,” which has been successful in transitioning patients back into a nonviolent lifestyle. The goal of Beyond Violence is to reduce recidivism and retaliation related to gun violence and associated trauma. The program objectives include obtaining signed consents for program participation from 85% of eligible patients and from 75% of referred patients, and maintaining 70% of client engagement in the program for 6 months. It also seeks to have 90% of clients remaining alive and free 3 and 6 months from the time they enroll in the program, and to have 75% of enrolled clients not involved in a criminal incident both 3 and 6 months from the time they enroll in the Beyond Violence program. The actual results during the past year were that the program obtained signed consents from 100% of eligible patients and those patients referred; 82% of the clients were engaged in the program after 3 months; 100% of the clients remained alive and free after 3 and 6 months of program engagement; and, 95% and 100% of clients were not involved in a criminal incident after 3 and 6 months of program engagement, respectively. The full report of the Beyond Violence evaluation can be found at: http://ca-richmond.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=2410.
I happened to be browsing through Berkeley Online, an e-newsletter for Cal Alumni in Northern California, and came across the following news item (click the link for the full story): Cal students “spread the word” at Richmond High with college-going helpUC Berkeley is less than 10 miles from Richmond High School, yet the distance to Cal or other college campuses can seem beyond reach to many students there. That’s why about 15 UC Berkeley students work through a campus volunteer organization called “Spread the Word” to help Richmond High students Cal’s seemingly expanding connection with the Richmond community, especially as it affects youth, is very gratifying to read about.
On Monday, May 7th, the City Manager, Finance Director Jim Goins, along with staff from the City Manager’s Office, the Finance Department, and the Recreation, Library, Fire, and Police Departments, attended the Richmond Heights Neighborhood Council meeting. There were over 20 people in attendance to hear the Finance Director present a financial overview of the City’s current and projected financial position. Below is a listing of upcoming community budget meetings.
The Engineering Services department hosted a Ground “Filling” Ceremony at the Via Verdi sinkhole site on the afternoon of Friday, May 4th. This ceremony was held as the official kick-off for the final phase of the Via Verdi culvert replacement project, and also to acknowledge the contribution of the various agencies, companies, and individuals, for successfully responding to the original sinkhole, which occurred on April 15, 2010. About one hundred attendees took time out from their busy schedules to join in the celebration, including many of the residents from the surrounding area. The program was kicked off by Richmond’s own very talented, “The Originalz,” a youth band sponsored by the Richmond Police Activities League. Edric Kwan, City Engineer, welcomed the ceremony attendees and provided a brief account of the culvert collapse that caused the sinkhole, the City’s response to the sinkhole, and the new construction project. A welcoming incantation was provided by Kokomon & Aeeshah Clottey, to set the mood for attitudinal healing. Gratitude awards in the form of, “golden shovels,” were presented to Randy Iwasaki, Executive Director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, and Tom Maruyama, retired Director of the California Emergency Management Agency, for facilitating state reimbursements for a portion of the project. Frank Kennedy, Vice President of the Northern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association, presented Edric Kwan with the “Project of the Year” award for emergency response. Mayor McLaughlin and Councilmember Jovanka Beckles also said a few words in support of the community, the project, and City staff. Project Manager Tawfic Halaby acknowledged many entities that contributed to the success of the emergency response projects and the new construction project, including: multiple City departments; first responders from Richmond and the surrounding area; federal, state, and regional regulatory agencies; transportation agencies including Caltrans and AC Transit; consultants and sub-consultants; contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers; several utility companies; and most importantly the neighbors whose lives have been affected by the culvert collapse and subsequent construction work. The ceremony was a tremendous success. The gathering of the various people from all walks of life embodied the spirit of Richmond and was a testament to the tremendous support the City receives from its residents, staff, and community leaders.
The Marin Energy Authority is a non-profit that operates the Marin Clean Energy Community Choice Aggregation program. Community Choice Aggregation allows local governments to procure electric energy for residents and businesses. It is an opt-out program that provides electric customers a choice of continuing to buy electricity from PG&E or choosing to purchase electricity from Marin Clean Energy, which purchases energy through more renewable resources. Marin Clean Energy provides two electricity products: 1) Light Green - 50% renewable energy or 2) Deep Green - 100% renewable energy. Past presentations, staff reports and studies related to Community Choice Aggregation are available on the City Clerk’s website and at the City’s Environmental Initiatives website: www.richmondenvironment.org.
The City of Richmond is proud to be a sponsor of the Richmond Community Foundation’s 3rd Annual Northern California Summit on Children and Youth. This year's theme is "Educating Our Children - Who Will Lead?" The Summit will be held on May 16th and May 17th, at the Richmond Civic Center Auditorium. The 2012 summit focuses on effective leadership in schools and in the public and private sectors that are impacting education. The goals of the 2012 Northern California Summit on Children and Youth are to provide a venue for shared learning, training, and networking among target audiences; to develop focused discussions that address questions of leadership roles in education across multiple sectors and to inspire a "Call for Action" to all participants to take leadership to improve educational outcomes for children. Additional information about the Summit can be found at: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e5pwby2j7a8d7d21&llr=qyx4m6cab.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites you to a technical assistance workshop on May 21st, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the RichmondBUILD III facility at 500 23rd Street. The workshop will provide information on programs available to assist the community to better understand the cleanup process at the United Heckathorn Superfund Site. The agenda includes: - Brief update on the clean-up More information on EPA’s technical assistance resource can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/community/resources.htm. If you have any questions about the workshop, please call Jackie Lane, Community Involvement Coordinator, at (415) 972-3236 or email her at lane.jackie@epa.gov. For more information on the site cleanup, contact Penny Reddy, Remedial Project Manager, at (415) 972-3108 or email her at reddy.penny@epa.gov.
The City of Richmond will host an energy upgrade workshop and sign-up event for the Richmond Recovery Rebate (R³) program on Thursday, May 24th, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at 440 Civic Center Plaza. Refreshments will be served at 6:00 PM. Come to the final workshop to learn how you can take advantage of a unique opportunity to save money, conserve energy and increase your quality of life with the generous rebate program. The City has expended approximately half of the available funds to Richmond homeowners and has the capacity to service over 60 more homes. Contractors, homeowners, and the City’s Environmental team will be at the workshop to answer your questions and provide information on how you can participate in R³.
On April 27th, the Engineering Services Department Stormwater program staff, and a gardener from the Parks and Landscaping department, along with fifteen students and three teachers from Cal State East Bay conducted a work day on Baxter Creek in Booker T. Anderson Park. The students learned techniques in invasive plant removal, integrated pest management, and soil bio-engineering. Their efforts helped define the trails on the upper bank with sheet mulching and stabilize the banks with the proper streamside vegetation. Several students commented this was the best field trip of the year because they learned while doing.
Tennis Grant: The Recreation Department’s Tennis program received a $3,500 Grant from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to enhance and promote tennis for youth ages 10 and under. Kickball: To promote community fun and fitness for adults, the Recreation Department is offering co-ed adult kickball at the Martin Luther King Turf Field every Thursday evening from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM. No experience is necessary. For information, participants can contact the Recreation’s registration office at 510-620-6793. Basketball: The Recreation Complex and Parchester Community Center ages 10 and under and 12 and under basketball teams participated in the North American Youth Sports Basketball Tournament in Turlock on April 28th and 29th. The 12 and under team came in 2nd place and the 10 and under team came in 3rd place.
Facilities Maintenance Division: The carpenters poured a new concrete approach at the rear of the Plunge; installed new signage at Point Richmond Community Center; installed fire rated steel doors in Equipment Services; installed new doors in the gym of the Recreation Complex; and, began replacing the screws in the bulkhead in the Plunge. The painters refinished the bookcases in the children’s library and painted the kiln hood in the Richmond Art Center ceramic room. The stationary engineers completed replacing the faucets in Booker T. Anderson Community Center restrooms; replaced the motor in the HVAC unit of 440 Civic Center Plaza; and continued remodeling the plumbing and replaced the water heater in Fire Station 67. The electricians completed repairs of the remaining street lights on 23rd Street near the underpass; began testing new traffic controllers; completed relamping series lights; and repaired a street light knock down at Harbour Way and Ohio Avenue.
Parks and Landscaping Division: Parks crews completed the concrete wall separating the tennis court and continued preparation for renovation at the Plunge; performed vegetation maintenance and mulching at Country Club Vista and Bay Vista Parks in the Hilltop area; restored irrigation and planted the landscape at the Southwest corner of Blume Drive and Richmond Parkway; and repaired a vandalized access gate along the Richmond Parkway sound wall. Contractors began renovation work on the tennis courts in Nichol Park and restored lighting along the Esplanade Trail and the Bay Trail adjacent to Sunset Point in Marina Bay.
The tree crew provided support to Richmond Police Code Enforcement at 1333 Cutting Boulevard. Tree maintenance was performed at 3526 Rheem Avenue, Streets Division: The pavement maintenance crew prepped and paved west and east bound Richmond Parkway; dug out and patched 40th Street and Roosevelt Avenue; and patched and coated Cutter Lane.
****************************************************** 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
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