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Subject: Weekly Report for the Week Ending November 1st, 2013
Mayor and City Councilmembers:
This is the weekly report for the week ending November 1st, 2013.
1. Meeting Notes
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5th beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, followed by the regular agenda at 6:30 PM.
2. Belding Garcia Playground Build Day
This past Saturday, October 26th, on Make a Difference Day, the largest day of national community service, more than 300 volunteers helped rebuild Belding Garcia Playground located in the Belding Woods neighborhood.
During the past three months, Pogo Park, KaBOOM!, the City of Richmond, community members and Livie and Luca, the generous funder that supported the build day, have been planning the operation. Finally the day arrived! The day started with volunteers registering, eating a light breakfast, and warming up to the group dances ‘The Cupid Shuffle’ and ‘Macarena’. After the warm-up, groups were greeted by their team captain and set out to start building their assigned projects. Groups were divided into eight different building projects that included: building a new playground, building picnic benches, constructing a shaded picnic area structure, building a sandbox, constructing a seat wall, painting a pathway, painting the future site of the skatepark with a checkerboard design, and planting trees and plants throughout the area.
Throughout the day, the DJ kept the groups energized by playing family friendly music. After working up an appetite all morning long, volunteers were dismissed to eat a wonderful BBQ lunch, catered by CJs BBQ and funded by Kaiser. Volunteers continued working on their projects throughout the afternoon and stayed for the ribbon cutting. All those who helped build the new playground site were invited to grab onto the ribbon that wrapped all around the playground. With the help of the children from the neighborhood, Mitzi Rivas from Livie and Luca used giant scissors to cut the ribbon.
There was a lot of generosity involved with the Belding Garcia Park project which ensured a successful outcome. Contributing groups included Kaiser, Overaa Construction, Public Allies, RichmondBUILD, West Contra Costa Unified School District, CJ’s BBQ, Catahoula Coffee, Angelo’s Deli, Little Louie’s, New York Bagels, Cliff Bar, Trader Joe’s, FoodsCo, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Costco, Starbucks Coffee, Mack5, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Zoe’s Cookies, several East Bay Lion’s Club chapters, and the Carpenters Union.
For more photos, visit the online photo album<http://www.flickr.com/photos/107031647@N03/> by using the link.
3. Richmond Summer Youth Employment Program
YouthWORKS is proud to announce the completion of the 9th Annual Summer Youth Employment Program. City and community support remain strong, and this year’s program was funded and sponsored by the City of Richmond, Chevron, Contra Costa County, Mechanics Bank, Council of Industries, 4Richmond, Kaiser Optical, Levin-Richmond Terminal, Richmond Pacific Railroad, Plant Reclamation, YMCA East Bay, 23rd Street Merchants and Josh Genser and the US Conference of Mayors.
Overall, 265 local youth received meaningful, career path work experience in opportunities that ranged from the Richmond Department of Recreation to assisting doctors at Doctors Hospital. Each youth received the opportunity to work up to 100 hours.
Special thanks to Mechanics Bank and the Office of the Mayor that assisted in creating the first Summer Savings Incentive Program with funding provided by the US Conference of Mayors. Sixteen Mechanics Bank volunteers provided financial literacy training and former North Richmond resident, Vice President Xavier Abrams, assisted in setting up no-fee/no-minimum savings accounts. Nine participants received $100 for saving MORE than $100 and the top three savers received cash awards.
Also, Rising Sun/California Youth Energy Services hired nine participants to work as home energy auditors for hours above and beyond those subsidized by the SYEP and, as a result, 264 Richmond households received 2,877 compact fluorescent lamps, 475 efficient flow aerators, 188 power strips, 52 retractable cloth lines, 23 CFL torchiere lamps, and 66.5 feet of water pipe insulation installed.
Of note, YouthWORKS Case Manager, Chris Karnsouvong, received an award as a “Man of Merit” from the Delta Committee of Contra Costa County’s Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Initiative. Chris has done great work to reduce family and community violence in Richmond.
(Pictured L-R: Ron Shaw, former Case Manager; Chris K, and; Gilbert Pete, Senior Case Manager)
4. City of Richmond Annual “2013 Charitable Giving Campaign”
The City of Richmond 2013 Employee’s Charitable Giving Campaign is underway. The annual campaign kick-off was held on Wednesday, October 30th in the lobby of the Auditorium. The event was well attended by City staff as well as local charitable federations and Richmond non-profit organizations.
Richmond Finance Department Executive Secretary Theresa Austin has, once again, stepped up to be the Campaign Coordinator. In this role, Theresa conducted training for 20 departmental representatives this past Wednesday. Each representative received a training guide as well as information on campaign timelines, tally forms, pledge forms, and listened to several federations who provided brief overview of their charities and campaign logistics. The representatives received packets for distribution to staff in their department.
The goal of the campaign is for every employee to make a contribution — no matter the size. Even a one-time contribution of one dollar will help make someone else’s life more comfortable. Last year, City employees raised $48,078, which was an increase of $3,269 over the previous year. This year’s campaign will run from November 1st through November 30th, with a goal to raise $50,000. Please contact Theresa Austin, Campaign Coordinator, for additional information, at 620-6891.
5. City Halloween
On Wednesday October 30th, Civic Center Plaza was filled with superheroes, ghosts, laughter, and lots of smiles. This was the 2nd Annual City Hall-oween and more than 100 youth from a variety of after-school programs trick-or-treated to 9 spooky departments. At the last trick-or-treat stop, youth had the chance to cast their vote for the scariest, funniest, and most creative costumes. Youth also turned in their scorecard for their favorite decorated department. Listed below are the results per the youth’s votes.
Congratulations Information & Technology - Favorite Decorated Department
6. Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project Update – Night Work Schedule for November 23rd – 24th
The Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project involves 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. In early September 2013, Marina Bay Parkway was closed to traffic. This closure will remain in place for approximately 18 months.
This week, utility relocation work and Deep Soil Mix (“DSM”) wall construction continued. DSM work is approximately 65% complete. This work is one of the most time-critical operations for the project, and the community can expect DSM work to take place on most weekends during this phase of the project.
For the week of November 5th, crews will continue utility relocation work and DSM production, including DSM at the proposed pump station.
On November 22nd, 23rd and 24th, the second of up to six weekend, 24-hour a day closure windows is tentatively scheduled. Community members can expect work on the project to continue for 24 hours a day, from 8:30 AM on November 22nd to 8:30 AM on November 24th. While disruptive, these weekend work shifts are necessary to complete the project, and the project team appreciates the community’s patience. This is a tentative schedule and precise dates and timing are subject to change.
For additional information and to be added to the project update contact list, please see the project website at www.moodyup.com<http://www.moodyup.com>. You can also follow the project on twitter: @moodyunderpass.
7. Urban Agriculture Ordinance Community Meeting
On Wednesday, November 13th, the City of Richmond Environmental and Health Initiatives, in coordination with the Planning Department, is hosting a community workshop for the public to discuss and review the City’s draft urban agriculture ordinance. The workshop is open to all community members and organizations to provide input and help direct the future of urban agriculture in Richmond. Urban agriculture is essential to expanding healthy, local food options, improving land use and open space, and building lasting partnerships in our community, among other benefits.
The workshop will begin at 6:00 PM in the Richmond City Council Chambers (440 Civic Center Plaza). Please RSVP at: richmondurbanag.eventbrite.com/.
For more information, visit www.richmondenvironment.org<http://www.richmondenvironment.org> or call (510) 620-6512.
8. City of Richmond Presentation on Environmentally Preferable Policy
Ofelia Alvarez, Senior Buyer in the Finance Department, recently attended the 3rd Annual Central Coast Sustainability Summit, where she was invited to make a presentation on the City of Richmond’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy (EPP).
This Summit brought together 250 business leaders, representatives of government and non-profit agencies, and educational institutions to discuss common sustainability issues, share best practices, and seek partners in collaboratively addressing environmental and economic issues in the Santa Barbara region across jurisdictions and agencies.
9. Food Justice Film Series: A Place at the Table
On the 1st Thursday of every month, the Richmond Food Policy Council convenes, and welcomes visitors, to an evocative evening of deep conversation, great food and film. The next film in the Food Justice Film Series is A Place at the Table. The event will take place on Thursday, November 7th, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM at Bridge Art Space (23 Maine Street).
A Place at the Table – Synopsis: 50 Million Americans—1 in 4 children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from. A Place at the Table tells the powerful stories of three such Americans, who maintain their dignity even as they struggle just to eat. In a riveting journey that will change forever how one thinks about the hungry, A Place at the Table shows how the issue could be solved forever, once the American public decides—as they have in the past—that ending hunger is in the best interests of us all.
See the film trailer and learn more about this film at: http://www.magpictures.com/aplaceatthetable/<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.magpictures.com%2Faplaceatthetable%2F&h=eAQFHI4YD&enc=AZNuANQuufLgE7zb6MVP6JK9LNy1RpqERwuFE8x9h9MrpD5PclL_qjerFixZksXoMUk&s=1>.
Delicious food will be provided by Liberty Ship Café.
10. Draft Richmond Livable Corridors Form-Based Code Available for Public Comment
The Planning Department has announced the availability of the Draft Richmond Livable Corridors Form-Based Code (FBC). The FBC will replace the existing zoning and set the rules for development along San Pablo Avenue, Macdonald Avenue, and 23rd Street and their surrounding areas.
The draft FBC is available online at draft livable corridors<http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/27685>. Hard copies are also available for viewing at the Planning Division Counter at 450 Civic Center Plaza, 2nd Floor, and at the Richmond Main Library at 325 Civic Center Plaza. The public review and comment period will be from October 9th through December 9th, 2013.
Written or emailed comments should be sent to:
Lina Velasco, Senior Planner
Richmond Planning Division
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA 94804
Lina_Velasco@ci.richmond.ca.us<mailto:Lina_Velasco@ci.richmond.ca.us>
This project is funded in part by a Sustainable Communities Planning Grant awarded by the California Strategic Growth Council.
11. 2013 Community Survey Available to All Richmond Residents to Complete
If your household was not one of the 3,000 households selected to receive the survey, but you would like to provide feedback to the city, then now is your chance. The 2013 Richmond Community Survey can now be completed by ALL Richmond residents by accessing the links below.
• English: http://www.n-r-c.com/survey/richmond2013survey.htm
• Spanish: http://www.n-r-c.com/survey/richmond2013encuesta.htm
Feel free to contact LaShonda Wilson-White in the City Manager’s office at (510) 620-6828 with questions, comments, or to obtain a paper copy of the survey. Your input can help make the City of Richmond a better place to live, work and play. We currently have over 360 surveys submitted and we look forward to receiving your feedback! Time is running out to respond so please take time to complete your survey today!
12. Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Now Available
Open Enrollment for Covered California began October 1, 2013. To begin your enrollment, please call the Covered California's telephone help line at 1-800-300-1506 or visit the Covered California website at https://www.coveredca.com/. Interpreters in multiple languages are available on the telephone help line.
A few important things to know:
· Open enrollment is October 1 – March 31, coverage can begin January 1, 2014.
· Coveredca.com<https://www.coveredca.com/> will allow consumers to make apples-to-apples comparisons of plans before enrolling, including premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.
· Many Californians will qualify for financial assistance to help make premiums more affordable.
· Covered CA recommends having the following household information available when enrolling: contact information for all household members applying for coverage, ID numbers such as social security or immigration information, income and tax filing status.
Affordable Care Act Frequently Asked Questions addressed by Contra Costa Health Services can be found at http://cchealth.org/aca/faq.php.
Please consider these other Affordable Care Act resources for Richmond and Contra Costa County residents:
Resource
Website
Phone
Contra Costa Health Services:
Health Care Reform and Contra Costa Residents
http://cchealth.org/aca/
n/a
Community Clinic Consortium: Morgan Westfall or Jennifer Arevalo
http://clinicconsortium.org/
(510) 233-6230
Lifelong Medical Care: Enrollment Department
http://www.lifelongmedical.org
(510) 231-9816
13. “The City Manager Chronicles”
I have listed below some of the topics for meetings that I have recently attended in the hope that it provides an idea of the varied issues with which our organization deals routinely.
Activities and meeting topics during the past week have included:
· Worked at the Belding Garcia park build project;
· Continued discussions with City staff members and staff from Richmond Sanitary Service to discuss solid waste collection and post collection agreements, including enhanced collection services and rates;
· Met with Assistant General Managers of the East Bay Regional Park District to discuss areas of mutual interest and collaboration;
· Met with City staff to review progress on the NURVE project;
· Attended the Human Rights/Human Relations Commission meeting;
· Met with staff to discuss strategies for downtown parking management;
· Met with John Murray, field representative for Senator Diane Feinstein, to review projects, issues, and activities in the Richmond community;
· Attended and spoke at the Santa Fe Neighborhood Council 2nd Annual Breakfast;
· Attended and spoke at the “A Just Bay Area” conference on growing regional collaborations for equitable development, sponsored by LISC Bay Area; the topic of the speech was on Richmond’s “Health in All Policies” strategy;
· Met with Finance and Housing program staff on HUD funding/ compliance issues;
· Attended the celebratory breakfast and groundbreaking for the
Family Justice Center in Richmond (more on this project coming in a later weekly report);
· Met regarding the potential use of Social Impact Bonds for Richmond housing programs.
These meetings were in addition to attending the regular management staff meeting, agenda planning, reviewing staff reports to the City Council, doing department head “check-ins,” having discussions on various personnel matters, and having short discussions with staff, community members, members of the press, etc.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the substance of these or any other topics.
14. Public Works Updates
Facilities Maintenance: Carpenters attended training, prepared for the Family Justice Center groundbreaking ceremony, and completed the maintenance of the gym floor repair at the Richmond Recreation Complex.
Family Justice Center
Painters are in the final stages of painting the exterior of the May Valley Community Center, and the crew also power washed the exterior of the Family Justice Center on 24th Street.
Stationary Engineers assisted with the rehabilitation of the Family Justice Center and attended training this week.
Parks and Landscaping Division: This week crews began working on the Carlson Boulevard landscape clean-up, completed the Marina Bay Trail landscape improvement project along Meeker Creek, continued clean-up of Civic Center Plaza, performed irrigation repairs at Hilltop Green and County Club Vista Park, and performed landscape maintenance along the Richmond Parkway.
Carlson Boulevard Clean Up
The Tree Crew trimmed, cut down or ground stumps of trees on Mendocino Street, Bissell Avenue, and at the Booker T. Anderson Park.
Streets Division: Crews paved Seacliff Drive and 32nd Street from Roosevelt Avenue to Clinton Avenue. Grindings from previous paving jobs were hauled away and work from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list was also completed.
Paving on 32nd Street
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday, the fifth Tuesday through Thursday, and the first Friday in the Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Coronado, May Valley, Vista View and Clinton Hill I neighborhood council areas. The Richmond Parkway was also swept from Parr Boulevard to the I-80 Interstate ramp.
Signs and Lines Crews installed 20 new signs, fabricated 63 signs, repaired 19 signs, touched up stop messages and crosswalks, and repainted 915 feet of curbs.
Installation of Rumble Strips
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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.
Bill Lindsay
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804
(510) 620-6512
Bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us<mailto:Bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us>
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<http://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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