Mayor and City Councilmembers:
This is the weekly report for the week ending November 8th, 2013.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19th. Enjoy the week off. Note that there is a scheduled meeting on Tuesday, November 26th, which is the “fourth Tuesday” meeting generally reserved for study session items.
- City Offices Closed in Observance of Veteran’s Day
City Offices will be closed on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veteran’s Day.
- Scare Hunger Away – Richmond ESC – Excellence Serving our Community
On Halloween, October 31st, twelve youth from Richmond trick-or-treated in the North and East neighborhood for canned and non-perishable food items to donate to a neighboring food bank. A team of three champion youth volunteers planned and coordinated the project. Maria Lara, Hugo Perez, and Irwin Quintero are students at Contra Costa College who joined together to do something about hunger. When they learned that 1 in 8 Americans now rely on food banks and nearly 14 million are children, they were moved to action (Feeding America, World Hunger). In the days leading up to Halloween, they created a flyer and distributed them to over 1200 homes in the North and East neighborhood, asking residents to please donate healthy canned and non-perishable foods on Halloween night.
In partnership with the San Pablo Youth Commission and other Contra Costa students, the trick-or-treaters went door to door collecting items with boxes in hand. Residents kindly supported their efforts applauding them for their service to the community. The group collected close to 500 items and is eager to exceed their count next Halloween!
Do you have a great idea for a service project? We can help you get started! Contact Richmond ESC at 510-237-SERV (7378).
- Volunteer Spotlight: City of Richmond, COR Ambassadors
The City of Richmond is very lucky to have three wonderful and committed volunteer COR Ambassadors who delightfully greet and assist customers and city staff at City Hall. Ms. Naomi Williams, Ms. Bea Roberson, and Ms. Janelle Hurd have consistently volunteered with Richmond ESC for over a year, each contributing over 200 hours of service annually through our program. This doesn’t include the countless hours they contribute to improving their neighborhoods and the greater Richmond community year round.
Here at City Hall, Naomi, Bea, and Janelle provide much needed support in staffing the front desk and often go above and beyond by supporting additional requests from staff. Nonetheless, it’s their pleasant attitude and smile that goes a long way. City staff and customers alike continuously thank the COR Ambassadors for “making their morning bright with a smile.” We sincerely appreciate their commitment to service and are proud to highlight their contributions.
If you’re interested in becoming a COR Ambassador, please contact us at (510) 237-SERV (7378) or www.richmondvolunteers.org.
- 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 or call (510) 620-6512.
 
- West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) Strategic Plan 2014-2019 “Whole Child, Whole Community”
The WCCUSD Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, November 13th at Lovanya DeJean Middle School (3400 Macdonald Ave., Richmond, CA 94805) at 6:30 PM to take action on the final WCCUSD Strategic Plan 2014-2019. For more information, please visit the following web links: Strategic Plan Report and Agenda Packet.
- Climate Action Plan (CAP) Workshop – 6:00 PM, November 20th
The City seeks to develop a Climate Action Plan that serves as a roadmap to significantly reducing energy consumption and meeting the City’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. To this end, the City of Richmond Environmental and Health Initiatives is hosting a community workshop for the development of Richmond’s Climate Action Plan. The workshop will take place at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, November 20th, in the City Council Chambers at 440 Civic Center Plaza. Light refreshments will be provided.
The Environmental and Health Initiatives Division is working in close collaboration with the UC Berkeley Graduate School of City and Regional Planning to develop the plan. Community members will have the opportunity to receive updates from the City of Richmond and the UC Berkeley School of City and Regional Planning and provide input on the preliminary findings, recommendations, and timeline to develop the plan.
- Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project Update – Night Work Tentatively Scheduled 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 76% 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. Also this week, minor revisions to the traffic control plan were implemented to improve traffic access to businesses at the Meeker/Marina Bay Parkway intersection, and a business wayfinding sign was installed.
For the week of November 11th, crews will continue utility relocation work, DSM production, and begin restoration of the Department of Public Health campus.
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 closure window has yet to be confirmed with railroad operations, so interested parties should check the project website periodically for the latest information.
For additional information and to be added to the project update contact list, please see the project website at www.moodyup.com. You can also follow the project on twitter: @moodyunderpass.
- 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. 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
This project is funded in part by a Sustainable Communities Planning Grant awarded by the California Strategic Growth Council.
- 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!
- 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 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:
- “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:
- Discussed with staff the final design and budget for the emergency generator at the main library;
- Met to review the status of various development projects with community development managers (Planning, Engineering, Housing, Housing Authority, and Port);
- Met with West Contra Costa Unified School District staff and consultants to review analyses completed regarding projected assessed value growth in the City of Richmond;
- Met with HUD Region 9 staff to discuss compliance issues regarding CDBG, HOME, and Neighborhood Stabilization (NSP) programs;
- Met with Chevron staff to review the status of air quality monitor installation and refinery modernization project EIR development schedule;
- 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 Finance and Housing program staff on HUD funding/ compliance issues;
- Attended and spoke at the graduation for Cohort 22 of the RichmondBuild program;
- Met with representatives of the Hilltop area to discuss freeway signage issues.
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.
Fall Fest
The City-wide Richmond Fall Fest at the Richmond Plunge, held on Saturday, October 26th, was great fun for all that participated. There was food, face painting, pumpkin painting, mystery games, and a children’s play area. The amazing floating pumpkin patch was the hit of the day.
Thank you to this participant and her family for submitting these pictures:
 
May Valley
The May Valley Community Center has started a newsletter and mailed the first issue to the parents of participants this week.
Senior Center
The Senior Center hosted the Arts and Culture sponsored mural dedication ceremony on Sunday, November 3rd.
Blood pressure and glucose screening is a monthly service held at the Richmond Senior Center by community partner Lifelong Medical. Over 25 seniors are currently participating.
Commission on Aging
Tickets are on sale now at the Richmond Recreation Complex, 3230 Macdonald Avenue for the Commission on Aging’s 16th Annual Senior Winter Ball to be held on December 7th, 2013 from 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM. For ticket information contact the Recreation Department at (510) 620-6793. For event information contact Eli Williams, Chair of the Commission on Aging, at (510) 232-4690.
Black History Celebration
Tickets for the Richmond Black History Celebration are on sale now at the Richmond Senior Center, 2525 Macdonald Avenue. The event will be held at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium on February 8th, 2014. This was a sold-out event last year so make sure you buy your tickets early. Tickets are $15 per person. For event information call (510) 307-8087.
Facilities Maintenance: Carpenters completed the maintenance of the gym floor repair at the Richmond Recreation Complex.
Gym Floor at the Richmond Recreation Complex
Painters completed the exterior painting of the May Valley Community Center.
Stationary Engineers repaired a water leak at Fire Station #63, assisted with the restroom repairs at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, and inspected the Richmond Auditorium.
Utility Workers replaced light fixtures at multiple community centers, auto-scrubbed the front of the Richmond BART Station, and cleaned the carpets in the Richmond Auditorium.
Parks and Landscaping Division: This week, crews installed a new sign at Point Molate Beach Park constructed of a redwood tree removed from the Bayview Library; continued the landscape clean-up around Civic Center Plaza, began the next phase of the Marina Bay Trail landscape improvements along Meeker Creek, installed barbeque pits, seating wall and irrigation at Belding Garcia Park, spread mulch along Carlson Boulevard, performed general maintenance along the Richmond Parkway, and repaired the vandalized restrooms at Martin Luther King, Jr. sports field.
New Sign at Point Molate Beach Park
The Tree Crew trimmed, cut down or ground stumps of trees on 26th Street, South 16th Street, Bissell Avenue, and Nevin Avenue.
Streets Division: Crews paved 32nd Street from Clinton Avenue to McBryde Avenue, hauled grindings from paving jobs, and worked on pothole and sidewalk repairs from the compiled list of work orders.
Paving on 32nd Street
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the first Monday through Thursday and the second Friday in the Parchester Village, Hilltop Bayview, Hilltop Green, Fairmede/Hilltop, Carriage Hills North Side, El Sobrante Hills, Greenbriar, Hansford Heights, Via Verda, San Pablo Dam Road, Bristole Cone, Clinton Hill IV and East Richmond neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines crews installed 11 new signs, fabricated 1 sign, repaired 8 signs, touched up stop messages and crosswalks in school zones, installed the new Family Justice Center sign, and repainted 1080 feet of curbs.
Installation of Stop Message
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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
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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