Mayor and Councilmembers:

This is the weekly report for the week ending June 8th, 2012.

1. Meeting Notes

 

The next meeting of the City Council is a special meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 12th beginning at 5:30 PM with the single agenda item to review and discuss the proposed fiscal year 2012-13 operating budget and the five year capital improvement budget.

1. 2011 Community Survey – Supplemental Web Survey Results

 

As part of its participation in The National Citizen Survey™ (The NCS), the City of Richmond conducted a mailed survey of 3,000 residents. Surveys were mailed to randomly selected households in March of 2011 and data was collected through early May. After the official data collection period was over and the data were reported, the City made available the web-based survey to its residents through a link on the City’s web site. Visitors to the site were able to complete the survey from May through mid-December of 2011 and 261 surveys were received.  The results to the Supplemental Web Survey can be found at: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2427.

A quick review of statistics from the web-based survey shows ratings that are somewhat higher (i.e., more favorable) than those that were obtained through the random sample.

1. Garbage and Recycling Community Meeting

 

On Monday, June 4, 2012, the City of Richmond held a garbage and recycling community meeting to obtain feedback on current garbage and recycling services.  Current post-collection agreements – including recycling, composting, transport, and disposal services – expire at the end of 2013.  The City of Richmond along with RecycleMore will consider new post-collection service agreements.  Mayor McLaughlin; David Gray, Goldman School of Public Policy graduate; Chris Lehon, executive director of RecycleMore; the City Manager; and representatives from Republic Services provided presentations on current and future services. Thank you to community members in attendance.

1. Solid Waste Planning Meeting – Thursday, June 14, 2012

 

On a related solid waste topic, there will be a planning study session/ workshop for the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) this Thursday, June 14, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Maple Hall located at San Pablo Civic Center (13831 San Pablo Avenue).  Those who may be interested in obtaining more information please can visit recyclemore.com or call the agency at (510) 215-3125.  The focus of this workshop is identifying the future of the Authority post collection services beginning in 2014. View the agenda at www.recyclemore.com.

1. Youth Service Champions – Chavez Elementary School

 

On Thursday, June 7, 2012, 16 youth service champions, accompanied by staff from the City Manager’s Office and Chavez Elementary School, visited the Vintage Heritage Nursing Center on 23rd Street and Lincoln Avenue bearing gifts bags of blankets, puzzles, games, and hygiene products for 45 nursing center patients. 

     

Since February, led by the impact volunteering program Cities of Service, Richmond’s fifth and sixth grade students engaged in sessions to identify a service opportunity within the school’s neighborhood.  The students opted to create and plan a project that would allow them to make human connections, thus choosing to “adopt” the Vintage Heritage Nursing Center.  The students learned from nursing center staff that the patients were in need of blankets, games, and hygiene products.  With this information, and upon learning that many nursing center patients are challenged by many health related issues and loneliness, the students tirelessly fundraised to purchase the gift bag items for the nursing center patients. 

After the items were purchased by a parent volunteer, the students enthusiastically prepared 45 bags for delivery to the nursing center.   During the visit to the nursing center, Rosario Lopez, project leader and sixth grader, addressed the patients and staff and shared the students’ commitment to service and support of the nursing center.
  
The patients and staff were emotionally moved by the students’ act of kindness, but it was the students who were thankful for the opportunity to have direct contact with them and to experience the benefits of their volunteer efforts.
                       

 

1. Richmond Approved to Join Marin Energy Authority

The Marin Energy Authority (MEA) approved Richmond's request to join the Joint Powers Authority at its most recent Board meeting on Thursday, June 7th.  The City is now one step closer to providing electric customers with a choice to purchase greener energy.  The second reading of the enabling ordinance will placed on the June 19, 2012, Richmond City Council Meeting agenda.

Richmond customers would not be eligible to purchase power from the agency until April, 2013, at the earliest.  We will continue to provide updates on the City's progress with this important initiative.

1. Public Works Updates

 

Facilities Maintenance Division: The carpenters constructed and built a radio equipment cabinet for Fire Station 66; repaired the apparatus room door in Fire Station 61; repaired the shower walls and opened the unisex restrooms for public use in Shields Reid Community Center; and replaced the glass doors in Richmond Swim Center.  Quotes were solicited to upgrade the entry doors of Richmond Swim Center as per ADA standards.

The painters refinished the doors of the Madeline Whittlesey Room of the main library and painted the metal grid over the emergency generator in 450 Civic Center Plaza building.

The stationary engineers installed the new motor on the HVAC system in 450 Civic Center Plaza building; and, completed the drain waste, vent repairs, and HVAC work in Fire Station 67.

The utility section completed scrubbing and waxing the floors in the Police Department and moving the city stage from the Auditorium to the Art Center.

Parks and Landscaping Division: Parks crews performed general maintenance in the Very High Fire Severity Zones (VHFSZ) of El Sobrante; vegetation maintenance along Richmond Parkway, Carlson Boulevard, and Richmond Greenway; irrigation repairs in Nevin, Nicholl, Marina Green, Country Club Vista Parks, and North Richmond Ball Field; installed new irrigation controllers in the medians on Klose Way.

Construction is progressing in Solano Park.

The Tree Crew completed tree pruning in Burg Park.

Streets Division:  The Pavement Maintenance crew prepared and paved patches on 17th Street and Lincoln Avenue, 2700 and 2800 blocks of Roosevelt Avenue, pothole patched both sides of Hilltop Mall Road from egress and ingress points of I-80 to Robert Miller Drive; and, continued patching potholes throughout the rest of the City.

The Traffic Signs and Lines shop fabricated a variety of directional signs, performed sign maintenance, and installed painting and pavement markings throughout the City.

Pt. Molate – No Public Access Signs
The street sweepers’ regularly scheduled commercial and residential routes for the first Monday through Thursday and the second Friday are Parchester Village, Hilltop Bayview, Hilltop Green, Fairmede/Hilltop, Carriage Hills, El Sobrante Hills, Greenbriar, Hasford Heights, Via Verde, San Pablo Dam Road, Bristol Cone, Clinton Hill and East Richmond Neighborhood Council areas.

 

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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

 

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