Mayor and City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending July 19th, 2013.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, July 23rd, beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, and with the regular agenda commencing at 6:30 PM.
- South Shoreline Specific Plan Initial Concept Presentation – Community Workshop #2
The South Shoreline Specific Plan (SSSP) will lay the foundation for the systematic implementation of the General Plan in Change Areas 15 and 16 (the areas around the proposed Richmond Bay Campus site).
On Wednesday, July 24th, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Planning Division will host the second community workshop for the SSSP to present the initial concept plan that has been developed based on the community input received thus far. The workshop will include a presentation of the initial land use concept and staff will be seeking feedback on the plan’s direction. The workshop will be held at the Richmond Field Station Conference Center, Building 445, Egret Way, in Richmond, which is the same location where the first SSSP workshop was held. Entrance gates to the Richmond Field Station will close at 6:30 PM so attendees will need to arrive promptly.
This community planning effort is partially funded through a PDA (Priority Development Area) Planning Grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments. For more information, visit www.ci.richmond.ca.us/sssp.
- Mathieu Court Alley Greening Project Design Charrette and Alley Party
The Mathieu Court Alley Greening Project will transform a 16,000 square feet alley to a “green” street with landscaping, pervious pavers, trees and urban gardens.
On Thursday, July 18th, the Planning Division and Engineering Department, in partnership with the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council, hosted a design charrette and Mathieu Court Alley Party. The event attracted approximately 50 residents, who provided valuable feedback about their priorities and goals for creating Richmond’s first “green” alley. In addition, the event provided a platform for neighbors to get to know each other and interact in the alley. City staff and the consultant team will move forward with the feedback from the event and begin to prepare the final design of the alley.
The Mathieu Court Alley Greening Project is what we hope will be only a pilot project that will change the nature of alley ways in the Richmond community. The project is being partially funded by a State of California Strategic Growth Council Urban Greening Grant funded by Proposition 84. For more information on the project, please contact Kieron Slaughter, Associate Planner at (510) 620-6887 or visit the project webpage at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2595. (Additional photos will be posted on the City’s Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/richmondenvironment/sets/. While visiting the page, check out some of the other great Richmond event photos.)
- Belding Woods Residents Turn Out to “Love Your Block – One Block at a Time”
This past Saturday, July 13th, residents of Belding Woods joined the City of Richmond’s Code Enforcement and Abatement Division, and Richmond ESC – Excellence Serving our Community for a morning of sprucing up the blocks surrounding Belding Garcia Park located at 15th Street and Visalia Avenue.
The Love Your Block – One Block at a Time event was a component of previous and upcoming built environment improvements in the Belding Woods neighborhood, which began as part of the health and wellness element pilot project. Neighborhood residents and volunteers worked closely with City staff to remove debris from homes, sweep the streets within a four block radius, and clean the neighborhood park. Additionally, City staff and volunteers provided much needed assistance to two senior residents whose properties needed yard and tree maintenance. This collaborative and volunteer-fueled effort resulted in 5.5 tons of debris being collected.
Love Your Block – One Block at a Time is a community beautification service effort in which the City of Richmond engages community members in beautifying and revitalizing their neighborhoods. The effort is coordinated by the City’s Code Enforcement Division and Richmond ESC.
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- City Receives Award for its Procurement Expertise
The City has received the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award from the National Purchasing Institute for the fourth consecutive year. This prestigious award is earned by those organizations that demonstrate innovation, productivity, e-procurement, and leadership attributes. Presentation of the award will be made in January at the Annual Conference of the California Association of Public Procurement Officials in San Diego. Congratulations go out to the Finance Department, and especially to its procurement staff, Ofelia Alvarez and Rose Gibson-Martinez.
- Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project Update
Work has commenced on the Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial underpass project. This project entails the construction of a roadway underpass on Marina Bay Parkway between Meeker Avenue and Regatta Boulevard, and is intended to resolve long-standing access limitations to the Marina Bay area caused by frequent train crossings.
Please be advised that on Tuesday, July 23rd and Wednesday, July 24th, evening work associated with the project is anticipated to occur at the intersection of Meeker Avenue and Marina Bay Parkway at the entrance to the State Department of Public Health campus. Utility relocation work will be underway from 4:00 PM to midnight on these days.
Also please note, Marina Bay Parkway is scheduled to be closed beginning the week of August 26, 2013, and will remain closed for approximately 18 months. Additional information and updates will follow.
For additional information, and to be added to the project update contact list, please see the project website at www.moodyup.com.
- Office of Neighborhood Safety Peacemaker Sr. Fellow Positively Representing the City of Richmond in Washington, DC
The Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) would like to share ONS Ambassador Eric Welch’s first blog from his position of summer Policy Intern at the Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) in Washington, DC. Eric has been in Washington, DC doing a justice-related internship since this past June 9th. His internship will conclude in August and, thereafter, he will travel to Florida to attend college. The Campaign for Youth Justice has communicated that they are very much valuing having Eric as part of their team – “He is fantastic and is contributing so much.”
Monday, July 15, 2013
CFYJ Kicks Off 2013 Summer Institute Series
By Eric Welch
Eric Pictured Standing
Annually the Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ) spearheads its Summer Institute Brown Bag Lunch Series, in which juvenile justice interns in Washington can gather to learn about different aspects of the juvenile justice field.
Last week was the first Summer Institute Brown Bag Luncheon at the new CFYJ office, which was a huge success. The Campaign had two very knowledgeable experts, Alexandra Staropoli. Associate Director for Government & Field Relations at Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and Kaitlin Banner, Staff Attorney of the Advancement Project to end the School-to-Prison Pipeline.
Over 25 motivated local interns were in attendance and sat around the table with open ears processing the information that was being shared about these organizations and what they do. The presentation was about the National Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Coalition, Gangs, and School Safety Working Group. The Gangs Working Group’s main topic was about the Youth Promise Act, a bill that ensures that there are funds for gang intervention and youth violence issues. School Safety’s primary focus was on the School-to-prison pipeline, a national trend that forces youth out of school and into the criminal justice system.
The Next Summer Institute event will be with Free Minds Book Club on Write Night on Tuesday July 23rd from 6:00-8:00pm. Please RSVP here if interested in attending, organizer@cfyj.org.
- California Food Policy Council Workshop
The California Coalition of Food Policy Councils, and the non-profit Roots of Change, hosted a series of workshops for communities interested in starting new Food Policy Councils or enhancing the performance of existing councils. The first workshops in this series will be led by Mark Winne who previously led the Community Food Security Council's program on Food Policy Councils, and wrote the handbook on "Doing Food Policy Councils Right”, as well as compiling the Harvard Food Policy Law Clinic’s Toolkit "Good Law, Good Food."
On Wednesday, July 10th, the Northern California Councils convened at Richmond Civic Center to discuss best practices from around the country, and what's working (or not) in our own California councils. Several members of our own Richmond Food Policy Council were present and active in promoting health equity and food justice for the Richmond community.
- Support Richmond High School Students Through Writer Coach Connection
Last school year, 75 caring community volunteers worked 1-on-1 with Richmond High School (RHS) students in their English classes on their writing assignments. Together they brainstormed ideas, discussed life experiences, and worked to create clear, concise, and well organized writing. These writing, creative and critical thinking skills are essential for school, college, and career success.
Last year, EVERY student in a participating class had a coach, but we expect to add one hundred additional students to the coaching program this fall. They need coaches! With positive encouragement, students become more confident and competent writers. Teachers report more assignments turned-in and dramatically improved writing. Grades and the first-time pass-rate on the high school exit exam have also improved.
What RHS students said about their coaching:
- “It has changed the way I feel about writing because my coach encourages me to be better.”
- “Now I'm proud and confident. I feel more confident when I write important essays.”
- “Everything was amazing. I think this was the best program I ever had.”
Coaches commit to a two-hour assignment and meet with students 2-3 times per month. Excellent coach training provides strategies for working effectively with students. They warmly welcome working and retired people, parents, grandparents, college students, and community members of all cultures and backgrounds. Please register as soon as possible because training sessions will start soon to prepare for school in September!
For information and to register to become a coach: http://www.writercoachconnection.org/
Watch a video to learn more and coaches and students do: http://www.writercoachconnection.org/what-we-do.html
For more information, contact Shelli Fried, RHS Volunteer Recruitment Manager, at 510-530-7600 or sfried0530@gmail.com.
- ObamaCare: What Does the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Mean for You?
On Wednesday, July 24th, from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM, there will be a workshop regarding how the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as ObamaCare, will be implemented in California, and what are the options to sign-up for health insurance in Richmond. At the workshop, residents will have a chance to learn about:
- What's changed in the Affordable Care Act and what is to come;
- The Low-Income Health Program (LIHP) overview: who is eligible and where to apply;
- LifeLong Medical Care: Health service for all ages.
The workshop is open to all members of the community. Refreshments will be served at 6:00 PM. Please RSVP if you plan on attending: www.obamacareacaworkshop.eventbrite.com
 
Facilities Maintenance: Carpenters installed the mural in the Main Library, repaired damaged windows at Booker T. Anderson Community Center, and cut a concrete slab to assist in a water line repair.
Painters power-washed the exterior of the Booker T. Anderson Community Center to prepare for painting.
Stationary Engineers cleared the main waste line and repaired the water closet at Fire Station #68, repaired the sink in the City Manager’s office area break room, repaired the water supply line to Booker T. Anderson Community Center, and repaired a grade water supply line on Kelsey.
The Electricians troubleshot the traffic controller at Harbour Way and Macdonald Avenue, repaired traffic signals at Blume and Hilltop Drives, repaired street lights at Hilltop and Hillview Drives, repaired turned traffic heads at Cutting and Canal Boulevards, and replaced Christy Boxes on Giant Highway and Richmond Parkway.
Streetlight Repairs at Hilltop and Hillview Drives
Parks and Landscaping Division: This past week, crews continued landscape rehabilitation along the esplanade trail in the Marina, completed the tennis court resurfacing at Hilltop Green Park, performed landscape maintenance along Atlas Road and Giant Highway, completed irrigation repairs at Hilltop Park, mowed the Richmond Greenway, turf aeration at various parks, completed mulching project along Canal Boulevard, landscape maintenance along the San Luis sound wall, and completed vegetation maintenance along the Richmond Parkway.
Hilltop Green Pavement Resurfacing
Tree crews completed work on Duboce Avenue, Carlson Boulevard, 8th Street, Cutting Boulevard, and South 41st Street.
Streets Division: Crews performed grinding and paving on Duboce Avenue as well as worked from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.
Paving on Duboce Avenue
Signs and lines crews repaired two knocked down signs, installed six new signs, repaired 15 street signs, repainted curbs and installed the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Community Picnic Banner on Macdonald Avenue.
Hanging of Banner on Macdonald Avenue
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the third Monday through Friday in North Richmond, Iron Triangle, North/South Belding Woods, Atchison Village, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay and Point Richmond neighborhood council areas.
Have a great week!
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.
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
(510) 620-6512
Bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us
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