 
Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending April 4th, 2014.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15th, 2014. Enjoy the week off.
- Richmond Bay Campus Community Partnership Meeting
On Monday, April 7th, from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory staff will host a meeting to focus on a proposed Richmond Bay Campus community partnership. In particular, the meeting will provide background on a proposed Joint Statement of Commitment by UC Berkeley and LBNL that seeks to address long-term community interests for the new campus.
Some of the specifics for the proposed Joint Statement of Commitment to be signed by UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks and LBNL Director Paul Alivisatos include:
- Establishing a Richmond community partnership Working Group – This Group would develop recommendations and proposals for using the Richmond Bay Campus as a catalyst for improving opportunities in education, local employment, procurement and workforce training.
- Supporting education – The commitment proposes to work with WCCUSD, Contra Costa College, City of Richmond, and community-based, youth-serving programs to strengthen partnerships in support of Richmond’s educational goals.
- Community outreach and engagement – The commitment by the two organizations is to help prepare Richmond residents – children, youth and adults - for college and careers by enhancing education and outreach programs with staff, faculty, and students, in partnership with the Richmond community.
- Supporting workforce development – The proposed letter commits to cooperating and collaborating with existing workforce training organizations, community colleges, and the City of Richmond to support training that will allow Richmond residents to meet the ongoing and future employment needs of LBNL and UC Berkeley.
- Supporting local hiring and procurement – The stated commitment is to provide economic opportunities to Richmond residents by taking affirmative steps to address local hiring and procurement. These steps include setting and maintaining a voluntary hire goal; requiring third party developers to pay prevailing wage for construction contracts; working with the City of Richmond Department of Employment & Training to access contact and work-readiness information for qualified Richmond trades workers and apprentices; assisting Richmond residents to respond effectively to opportunities at the main campuses and at the proposed Richmond Bay Campus; meeting with community organizations in Richmond to develop strategies that assist women, minority, and veteran-owned small businesses to respond effectively to currently available contract opportunities; and to develop best practices for proactive outreach and marketing of procurement and employment opportunities for Richmond residents.
In this short summary report, it is difficult to capture and describe the scope, breadth, and spirit of this proposed “Joint Statement of Commitment,” which, although not lengthy (4 pages), contains much more detail than I have reported here. I view it as very well-crafted in describing the needs of the Richmond community, the existing assets upon which new opportunities can be built, and the resolve for strengthening the partnerships among UC Berkeley, LBNL, and Richmond. I am looking forward to the meeting this Monday evening from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium to hear comments.
- Chevron Refinery Modernization Project Draft EIR Available for Public Review – Public Comment Hearing on April 17th
On Tuesday, March 18, 2014, the City of Richmond Planning Division released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Chevron Refinery Modernization Project (Modernization Project or Project). The DEIR, which is required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) evaluates the environmental impacts associated with the Project, analyzes alternatives and identifies mitigation measures to avoid significant environmental effects. Release of the DEIR opens a 45-day comment period that closes at 5:00 PM on May 2, 2014.
To assist in the review of the DEIR, the City hosted a study session and two public workshops this past week. A study session to introduce the Modernization Project and provide an overview of the Draft EIR was held at the Planning Commission meeting held this past Thursday, and two separate workshops with technical experts were held this past Wednesday.
A public hearing to receive comments on the Draft EIR will be held at the Planning Commission meeting held on April 17th at 6:30 PM at the Richmond Council Chambers, 440 Civic Center Plaza.
Comments on the Draft EIR, sent in writing, must be received by 5:00 PM on May 2, 2014, at the following address:
Lina Velasco
City of Richmond Planning Division
450 Civic Center Plaza
P.O. Box 4046
Richmond, CA 94804
A copy of the Draft EIR is available for review online at http://chevronmodernization.com/. Copies are also available for review at the following locations:
- Richmond Public Library - Main Branch, 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA, 94804
- Richmond Public Library - Bayview Branch, 5100 Hartnett Avenue, Richmond, CA, 94804
- City of Richmond, Planning and Building Services Department, City Hall, 450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA, 94804
- The City of Richmond and Richmond Community Foundation will Celebrate Volunteers
In celebration of National Volunteer Week, April 6 – 12, 2014, the City of Richmond’s impact volunteering program, Richmond ESC – Excellence Serving our Community, the Offices of Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and City Manager Bill Lindsay, and the Richmond Community Foundation are rolling out the red carpet to celebrate Richmond volunteers at the Annual City-wide Volunteer Recognition and Awards Ceremony. The celebration will take place next Thursday, April 10th at 4:00 PM, at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza.
In addition to celebrating community volunteers, Distinguished and Meritorious Volunteer Service Awards will be presented to individuals and/or organizations for their outstanding service in our community in the following areas of Public Safety, Beautification, Education, Health and Wellness, the Arts, and overall Excellence in Community Service.
Additionally, nonprofit partners are invited to table at the event to share information regarding their organization and volunteer opportunities. Organizations interested in having a table or if you have questions, please contact Janice Featherstone at (510) 620-5503 or janice_featherstone@ci.richmond.ca.us.
 
- Free Fruit Trees, Seed Packets and Vegetable Starts
Are you interested in growing healthy and organic fruit and vegetables? Self-Sustaining Communities and Barry Dugar will distribute free fruit trees, seed packets, and vegetable starts on Saturday, April 5th, from 10:00 AM until all gone, on the Richmond Greenway, at Harbour Way (between Chanslor and Ohio Avenues). Preference will be given to low income residents.
Burchell Nursery, which is donating the trees, will be on hand to advise about property planting and care of fruit trees. The vegetable starts and seed packets are donated by Annie’s Annuals and Cornucopia Seeds, respectfully.
For additional information, please contact linda@self-sustaincommunities.org or Barry Dugar at (707) 774-9715.
- Livie & Luca Choose Parchester for Park Project in 2014
Livie & Luca is a Bay Area children’s shoe company committed to social responsibility, sustainability and spreading joy! They donate 10 % of their online sales to charity. Last year, Livie and Luca were introduced to the City of Richmond through KaBOOM! and funded the Belding-Garcia Park Project. There were several criteria that were very important to Livie & Luca for the park rebuild which included: the playground must be accessible to and provide sensory input for all children, including those with disabilities; it must promote health and wellness; it must be sustainable in the broadest sense; and, its components must be as natural as possible.
After experiencing the successful 2013 Belding-Garcia Park build day, Livie & Luca decided to continue their work in Richmond. This past month, Pogo Park and City staff had the opportunity to escort Mitzi Rivas from Livie & Luca around Richmond to decide on a project for 2014. After considering the options, Livie & Luca selected Parchester Park as their site of choice to transform into a magical play and gathering space and has graciously donated funding for this project!
We have now asked the team that supported the Belding-Garcia Park Project to support the 2014 Parchester project. We learned a great deal from working together to transform the Belding-Garcia Park Project last year and know that this same team (with even more members?) will bring their energy to the Parchester community!!
Be on the look-out for updates and how YOU can be involved in this magical process. For more information about the Parchester Park project, please contact Alicia Nightengale at (510) 620-5460 or at Alicia_nightengale@ci.richmond.ca.us.
Existing play structure at Parchester
- “Richmond ESC at Berkeley” receives the UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Award for Civic Engagement
In January 2014, Richmond ESC - Excellence Serving our Community, the City of Richmond’s high impact volunteer program, officially established a student organization on UC Berkeley’s campus. The partnership began with two UC Berkeley students and City of Richmond interns who saw the opportunity to further the work of Richmond ESC through a partnership with UC Berkeley.
Joshua Tovar, intern at the City Council Office and Jantsan Damdinsuren, intern and liaison for the Human Rights and Human Relations Commission, have the passion to make Richmond a better place. In collaboration with Richmond ESC, they envisioned and successfully implemented “Richmond ESC at Berkeley”, a student club that connects CAL students to opportunities for positive volunteer engagement in the Richmond community. The club’s focus this year has been on supporting students at Richmond High School in creating a service project that addresses an issue that students care about.
The service learning project, led by three Law Academy teachers, has three phases, beginning with students using research methods to identify an issue and organization they care about, followed by a written essay and a Power Point presentation to persuade classroom peers that their organization should be supported. The two participating classrooms will then use parliamentary procedure to make a decision on an organization and issue to support and will complete a service action to address the issue. Jantsan and Gina Saechao, a Richmond High alumna and current UC Berkeley student, have worked with up to sixty students weekly in providing one-on-one support on this project.
The club’s dedication to supporting Richmond students has not gone unnoticed. Each year, UC Berkeley’s Chancellor recognizes students, staff, faculty, and community partnerships that embody UC Berkeley’s proud tradition of public service and commitment to improving our local and global community. Out of the hundreds of student organizations on campus, only one is selected and given the "Civic Engagement" award. This year, we are happy to announce that Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks will honor the Richmond ESC club with the Civic Engagement Award. For more information regarding the program, please contact Bertha Romo at (510) 620-5535.
 
- LEAP Learners and Graduates Tell Their Story – Thank you KCRT!
As LEAP gears up to celebrate 30 years of service on September 21st, a new KCRT video provides viewers with an excellent overview of the city’s adult literacy program.
KCRT is now airing the 15 minute video featuring LEAP graduates and learners. Many thanks to Brian Bland, Johnny Hill and Bert Young of KCRT for their creative energy and resources. Below is a link KCRT YouTube site. You may also access this video through the LEAP Face Book page (please “like” us!). The video features adults from LEAP’s ESL program as well as the adult literacy and GED preparation programs.
If you know someone who needs a GED to obtain either their goals for college or career, please send them this link.
- Officer Bradley A. Moody Memorial Underpass Project Update
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 is planned to remain in place for 18-20 months.
As noted in prior reports, placement of drilled tie-backs and associated excavation work was suspended due to delays of AT&T-performed utility relocation. Additionally, these activities cannot occur during days with significant precipitation. On March 28th, AT&T reached an interim milestone that allowed roadway excavation to re-start for a portion of the site. Approximately 1,000 yards were removed on March 31st before this operation was suspended due to rain.
Full completion of AT&T work is required before a full re-start of critical path work (roadway excavation and tieback placement). Staff will continue to request that AT&T accelerate its work and provide accurate completion dates. The City Attorney and Public Utilities Commission staff are also aware of and monitoring the situation, with a focus on ensuring that AT&T completes their work as soon as possible. AT&T is now scheduled to be complete on April 11th.
In the meantime, shoring installation for a new storm drain manhole located near the tracks is ongoing. Construction of this manhole will eventually entail a 32’ deep excavation, which poses a work coordination and scheduling challenge. In order to efficiently construct this manhole, and to test the feasibility of using longer work shifts to recoup the AT&T delay, community members can expect work to continue to 9:00 PM at this manhole on specific days in the coming weeks. Additional details will be provided as the work sequence is developed. Additionally, restoration of the Department of Public Health campus will continue through the month of April.
The community can expect activity at the site to increase noticeably during the second half of the week of April 7th (provided AT&T maintains their current schedule) in preparation for a full restart of work on April 14th. After that time, the full impact of the AT&T delays can be assessed, methods to mitigate the delay evaluated, and a revised schedule developed.
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, or contact the project’s public outreach coordinator Jacqueline Majors at (925) 949-6196.
- Recognized Partnership Quarterly Meeting
City staff has been working to expand the recreation program opportunities available to the Richmond community by actively seeking out and formalizing partnerships with non-profit service providers by entering into partnership agreements. When an organization meets all of the City’s requirements, they are given the status of a Recognized Partner. Recognized Partners provide quality, expert recreational or service opportunities to Richmond residents. As part of the partnership arrangements, the City provides support in the form of safety training, health and wellness training, program promotion using the City’s various media outlets, and use of City facilities to conduct programs and services.
This quarter, partners were shown how to complete quarterly reports, and how to conduct program evaluations using the tool provided by the City of Richmond. Partners were asked to write down the two areas of support that are needed most in their organization on a “life-ring.” Lastly, each partner left with a tool provided by the City of Richmond to compete in the quarterly challenge.
For more information about the City’s Partnership Program, please contact Alicia Nightengale at (510) 620-5460 or at Alicia_nightengale@ci.richmond.ca.us.
 
 
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:
- Met, together with the Mayor, with a representative from BNSF Railroad to discuss issues of rail safety, and, especially, transport and transloading of crude oil, in Richmond;
- Discussed with Finance Department staff issues related to the one-half cent sales tax to be considered for placement on the November ballot by the City Council;
- Attended the regular meeting of City and Richmond Bay Campus staff to review the project status and discuss upcoming public meetings;
- Met with representatives of UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities and Schools to discuss the Y-Plan program;
- Met with city managers from Hercules, Pinole, and San Pablo to discuss solid waste franchise agreements and the RecycleMore JPA;
- Met with staff and outside consultants to discuss next steps in the Council-authorized program to acquire blighted properties for rehabilitation;
- Discussed with staff strategies for expediting the development process for Terminal 1, while ensuring quality CEQA documentation and public input;
- Met with staff to outline a process and schedule for positioning of properties currently held by the Successor Agency to the Richmond Redevelopment Agency;
- Completed a walk-through of the Hacienda development;
- Met with staff of the Finance Department and Housing and Community Development division to review the status of HUD compliance issues;
- Attended the Mayors Conference – well-hosted by the City of Richmond; and
- Discussed property assessed value issues with School Superintendent Dr. Bruce Harter.
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.
- Youth Service Champions Attend “We Day” Event
On Wednesday, March 26th, 85 youth service champions from Richmond ESC’s youth service initiative and the Richmond community joined over 16,000 youth at Oakland’s Oracle Arena for northern California’s inaugural We Day Event that celebrates youth who are leading social change in their communities and abroad. The free event was open to youth who earned their way to the event by taking action on one local and one global issue. Throughout the day, youth were inspired by celebrities and top corporate executives to continue to take action year-round.
Under the leadership of Richmond’s impact volunteering program, and in partnership with the West Contra Costa Unified School District and Free the Children, the youth-led initiatives include:
- Trick or treat for canned goods and homeless care kit project – Youth Leadership Committee
- Book drive – West Contra Costa Unified School District’s Youth Commission
- Community clean up – Richmond High KIWIN’s Club and Aqua Team
- Obesity prevention project and clothes drive – San Pablo Youth Commission
- School garden and food drive – Vista High School
At the We Day event, Richmond’s own Tania Pulido was featured on stage during the event as a social change agent for her work with Urban Tilth and educating fellow youth about environmental justice and climate change.
To learn more about youth service opportunities and how to get involved, please contact Bertha Romo at (510) 620-5535.
- Volunteer at the Richmond Youth Summit
The City of Richmond will be hosting the Richmond Youth Summit on Saturday April 19th, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event will feature speakers, performances and workshops on civic engagement. We are seeking 15 adult and youth volunteers to assist with set up, registration, lunch, and more. Visit http://richmondvolunteers.org/opportunities/2972 or call (510) 620-5535 for more information and to sign up.
- Code Enforcement Activities
The Code Enforcement Unit executed an abatement warrant for the demolition of a severely dilapidated, burned out structure and detached shed located at 4117 Leke Way in Parchester Village. The property owner has been deceased for many years and the property was continuously inundated with squatters and police calls for service until it caught fire last year. The warrant was signed on March 20th and the structures were removed on March 27th. It should be noted that the Code Enforcement Abatement Crew executed the successful removal of this structure. This is the first time they attempted this type of removal and they did an outstanding, professional and safe job.
This is the third in a series of demolitions scheduled to occur over the next several months. Our goal is to eliminate some of the City's most blighted properties in an attempt to help stabilize our neighborhoods. All costs associated with these demolitions will be recovered by placing special assessment liens on the properties.
 
- Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Bottoms Property Residential Project on Seacliff Drive
The City of Richmond has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Bottoms Property Residential Project on Seacliff Drive. The project proposes to construct 60 market‐rate condominiums on a vacate waterfront parcel. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15105(a), a minimum forty-five-day (45) public review period is required which commenced on March 27th. All written comments on this document must be submitted to the City of Richmond Planning Department within this 45-day review period, or by Monday, May 12, 2014, by 5:00 PM. Please submit comments to:
Kieron Slaughter, Associate Planner
City of Richmond Planning Division
450 Civic Center Plaza, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 4046
Richmond, CA 94804
A copy of the Draft EIR is available for review online. Copies are also available for review at the following locations:
- Richmond Public Library - Main Branch, 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804
- City of Richmond Planning and Building Services Department, City Hall, 450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA, 94804
- Mentoring Opportunities Through PAL (Police Activities League)
The Richmond Police Activities League (RPAL) provides excellent, broad-based programs for youth. This year, RPAL was selected to participate in a national research study, sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), intended to learn how programs can improve the caliber of their mentoring services. RPAL is offering a great opportunity for volunteer mentors to participate in this federally-funded research program that seeks to bolster the successes of mentoring programs.
Nationally, over 53% of youth lack crucial positive adult presence in their lives. They need an adult ally in their corner -- someone with a little time to listen. Many of Richmond’s young people, ages 11-15, are at risk for failing academically and developmentally. These youth are eager to learn and want to share their life's goals with someone who cares and who can guide them in the right direction. Whether it's struggling through difficult home life or an academic slump, they need someone they can rely on.
Mentors can bring a wide range of life experiences to these young people, and can be a great source of support and inspiration. A mentor shares with young people their interests, needs, dilemmas and expectations, and helps them achieve their goals. Volunteer mentors also receive consistent support and training from the mentoring program coordinators and other mentors.
RPAL is seeking adult mentors, ages 18+, to mentor youth between the ages of 11-15, enrolled in the RPAL mentoring program. To apply, go online at
http://beamentor.org/RPAL or call (510) 621-1290 to speak with Brenda McCuistion, Project Manager.
The Richmond Veterans Collaborative, in partnership with Richmond ESC – Excellence Serving our Community, is hosting a Veterans Resource Fair to help connect local veterans with service organizations that offer resources to veterans on Friday, April 11, 2014, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, in the Bermuda Room of the Richmond Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza.
Some of the confirmed organizations that will be sharing information are:
American Legion Auxiliary
Contra Costa County Veterans Services
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Disability California Rights
Horizon Home Health Care
Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP)
Northern California College of Construction
Shelter, Inc.
RichmondWORKS
R-Transit
Veterans Benefits Administration
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans Resource Program
This free event is open to all veterans and their families, and to any organization that offers assistance to veterans. Tables will be provided free of charge to each service organization. To register, please email Janice Featherstone at janice_featherstone@ci.richmond.ca.us, or contact her at (510) 620-5503 by Wednesday, April 9th.
Disabled People’s Recreation Center
It is wonderful to have Maya’s Music Therapy Fund at DPRC, which is a wonderful program that provides an extraordinary service to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by encouraging students to express themselves through music. Each year, DPRC, in collaboration with the Fund, hosts a festival to provide a platform for the artists to perform their musical talents and shine in front of a large audience.
Celebrating the 25th year of serving clients throughout the bay area at the Disabled People’s Recreation Center is amazing. Recognizing this endeavor, a representative from Mayor McLaughlin’s office presented Maya’s Music Therapy Fund with a beautiful plaque highlighting the great work they provided. Not only did the clients perform well at the most recent festival held on Sunday, March 30th, but the food was wonderful, decorations made by clients were exceptional, and the audience of over 250 people was extremely joyful.
Recreation Information Day
Please join the Recreation Department at the annual Recreation Information Day and City-wide Spring Egg Hunt at the Civic Center Plaza on Saturday, April 12th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Rain or shine!
Summer Programs
Registration for summer programs is now open! Beginning April 1, 2014, participants can register:
- On-line at https://online.activenetwork.com/richmond
- By phone at (510) 620-6793
- By faxing a completed registration form to (510) 620-6583,
- By mailing a completed registration form to 3230 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804, or
- By visiting the registration office in the 1st floor lobby at the Richmond Recreation Complex, 3230 Macdonald Avenue.
Check out the summer/fall 2014 Activity Guide on-line at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/recreation.
Facilities Maintenance: Electricians repaired lighting at the Nicholl Park tennis courts, removed hand dryers and swim suit spinners from the Swim Center, repaired lights in the engineering area of Civic Center Plaza, located and repaired shorts at the Richmond Transit Center, fixed storm damage to the traffic controller at Cutting and Carlson Boulevards, and verified wattage and voltage in the Hilltop area.
Repairing Lighting at the Nicholl Park Tennis Courts
Restoring Lighting at Richmond Transit Center
Parks and Landscaping Division: Crews aerated and fertilized the lawn of the Civic Center, trimmed shrubbery at Hilltop Green Park, performed median clean up and mulching in the Richmond Marina, started park preparation for tree planting at Southside Park, and performed storm patrol and emergency response to fallen trees and branches.
Southside Park Tree Planting Preparation
Tree crews cut, trimmed or removed trees on 17th Street and Potrero Avenue, Tehama Avenue, Rheem Avenue, Yuba Street, and around Booker T. Anderson Park.
Tree Removal on Rheem Avenue
Streets Division: Staff worked from the outstanding pothole list and conducted storm patrol to help prevent flooding around drains.
Street sweeping performed commercial sweeping services for the fifth Monday through Friday along the commercial routes and the Richmond Parkway, as weather permitted.
Signs and Lines crews fabricated 22 new signs, installed 12 signs, repaired 37 signs and poles, placed temporary pavement markings on Andrade Avenue, and installed five new crash barrels on the 23rd Street underpass.
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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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