 
Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending August 1st, 2014.
The City Council is on its annual August hiatus. The next City Council meeting is currently scheduled for Tuesday, September 16th. Enjoy your free Tuesday evenings, starting with National Night Out this Tuesday, August 5th (see below).
National Night Out is set to kick off Tuesday, August 5th at 5:30 pm. It is Richmond’s celebration of neighborhoods, community policing, and community partnerships. The Kick Off will take place at the Target Parking lot, located at 4500 Macdonald Avenue, highlighted by a “So You Think You Can Dance” event. The wrap up party will be at the Santa Fe Neighborhood.
- City Council Approves the Chevron Refinery Modernization Project
This past Tuesday, July 29th, the Richmond City Council approved certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report and applications for a Conditional Use Permit and Design Review Permit, as well as an Environmental and Community Investment Agreement, for the Chevron Refinery Modernization Project.
To access meeting materials and video recordings, please visit the project website at http://chevronmodernization.com/meetings/.
 
- Richmond Wins Two Categories in “Best of the East Bay” Awards
According to the East Bay Express in their July 23-29, 2014 issue featuring Best of the East Bay Awards 2014, “Richmond has been on a winning streak lately.” (Editor’s note: No argument here!)
Richmond won the coveted “Best of the East Bay” awards in two categories:
- The Best Community Art Center Award went to the Richmond Art Center for showcasing emerging and established artistic talent, as well as a providing a place to learn artistic skills for over three quarters of a century. (You will recall that the City Council recently recognized the value of the Richmond Art Center to the community by continuing financial support for this organization in its FY 2014-15 operating budget.)
- The Best Outdoor Music Series Award went to the Point Richmond Music Festival for their annual free concerts of 13 years in downtown Point Richmond, produced by an all-volunteer committee.
Winning “Best of the East Bay” awards in both visual and performing arts shows that the level of excellence of arts and culture in Richmond is truly worthy of recognition. Awards will be presented at a special awards presentation event in Oakland on August 6th.
- Richmond Bay Campus UC Berkeley-Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Richmond Community Working Group Information and Membership Application
In April of 2014, the Chancellor of UC Berkeley and the Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) issued a Joint Statement of Commitment to strengthen community partnerships between UC Berkeley, LBNL, and the Richmond community. The statement provides for the creation of a Working Group to be co-chaired and staffed by UC Berkeley and LBNL.
The Working Group will be representative of the Richmond community and organizations actively engaged in four areas defined as priorities by the Richmond community: Education, Local Employment, Procurement and Workforce Training. The Statement also provides that UC Berkeley and LBNL would establish a selection process with members appointed for two-year terms.
Interested Richmond community members can apply to become a member of the Working Group by using the online version of the application, which is also posted at richmondbaycampus.lbl.gov. The criteria for selection and more information are also available on the site.
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.
Much of the work this past week involved the permitting process for the Chevron modernization project. Other activities and meeting topics during the past week included:
- Discussed employee parking issues with Code Enforcement Manager Tim Higares;
- Met with various staff members to discussed how to effectively and accurately provide information to the public regarding the upcoming half-cent sales tax measure;
- Met with the Executive Director and the Development Director of the Oakland Symphony to plan for next year’s July 3rd celebration, and to discuss other potential symphony events in Richmond;
- Discussed coordination of South Shoreline planning and development with staff from UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, along with Richmond staff members Richard Mitchell, Shasa Curl, Lina Velasco, and Hector Rojas;
- Met with staff members from Cybertran to receive an update on their project;
- Discussed ways to “refresh” the City’s website with the City’s internal website management team;
- Met with DP Security representatives Michael Davenport and Terry Hudson, along with Management Analyst LaShonda White and Richmond Police Captain Manjit Sappal, to discuss security procedures on the Civic Center campus;
- Discussed HUD compliance issues with staff from the Housing section and Finance Department;
- Reviewed with various City staff members the status of preparing the Successor Agency’s property disposition plan.
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.
- Officer Bradley A., Moody Memorial Underpass Project
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 until early May 2015.
During the week of July 21st, crews continued installation of walers and permanent struts, allowing for the removal of the remaining temporary steel struts that were suspended above the roadway. In order to expedite this work, crews plan to start hand work (i.e. no heavy equipment) to assemble rebar at 7:00 AM on most days. Also during the week of July 21st, the pump station floor was constructed, first level walls were formed, and rebar placed. Installation of storm drains at Jetty Drive also continued.
For the week of August 4th, waler and strut installation will continue and should near completion, allowing the detensioning of temporary tiebacks to continue. The next phase of work is the construction of retaining walls along the exposed Deep Soil Mix (DSM) walls. The first section of wall to be built will be north of the tracks along the east side of Marina Bay Parkway. Rebar will be placed next week, with the first retaining wall concrete pour scheduled for the following week. The wall will be built in sections in this way for the coming weeks, with a new section of retaining wall poured every 4-6 working days. Also during the week of August 4th, the first of four levels of pump station walls will be constructed.
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.
- Information Technology (IT) Department Updates
Website Statistics:
KCRT - Image of the Week:
City Council meeting in the Auditorium on Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Throw back Thursday: Featuring Richmond, California History
Do you recognize this building? What was its use and where was it located? All correct answers posted in the comments section on the Facebook link below before 8:00 AM on the following Thursday will be entered into a drawing for a prize. Like this page and you will be entered twice. https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Richmond-CA-Local-Government/139438544014?v=wall.
- City of Richmond Blood Drive 2014
The American Red Cross is sponsoring City Blood Challenge 2014 on Thursday, August 14th, from 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium/Bermuda Room, 403 Civic Center Plaza (Nevin Avenue).
To schedule your appointment or for more information visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: RICHMOND or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
If you have questions regarding your eligibility to donate blood, please call 1-866-236-3276.
We are looking forward to a successful drive on August 14th, and would like to schedule such an event every two or three months to create a routine and consistent site for the Richmond community and employees. The next Blood Drive is planned for Monday, November 24, 2014.
- Continued Increase in Sales Tax Receipts
This past week, Finance Department staff met with the City’s sales tax consultant, MuniServices, to review sales tax figures for the first quarter of 2014. Richmond experienced an increase of 4.8% in its net sales tax cash receipts for the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period a year ago. Additionally, Richmond experienced a growth of 8.6% for the four most recent quarters compared to the previous year. This includes adjustments by the State Board of Equalization and County Pool receipts.
The City has experienced steady growth in this revenue stream since 2009. Richmond’s tax base is led by the General Retail and Transportation categories, which currently makes up 32% and 28% respectively of the sales tax revenue. General Retail is driven by large retailers such as Target, Costco and Wal-Mart. Of significance, Construction Sales Tax increased by over 21% compared to the previous year. The Finance Department will continue to closely monitor the actual revenue submitted by the State Board of Equalization, the local trends developing in Richmond, and the projections provided by MuniServices.
Seniors
The Richmond Annex Senior Center loves their cooking classes! This month they learned how to make California Rolls; the seniors who attended learned how to lay the rice, seaweed, crab, and avocado and how to roll them to look professional. This was great for cognitive and applied skill building but for the participants the eating of their work was the best part.
 
Disabled People’s Recreation Center
Participants had the opportunity to visit Fat Shafts Archery in Benicia, where they were given private lessons from the owner whose son attends the Adult Morning Program. The young men tested their skills while the young ladies cheered them on. It was amazing that a few of the archers made some really great shots.
 
Pt. Richmond
Keeping an Olympics theme for the week, Kids ‘N Motion summer camps participants prepared themselves at Washington School field to hone their skills in several areas. It included walking and running for endurance, batting to perfect hitting the ball, and workouts for balance. One of the crafts they all enjoyed was making Olympic rubber band bracelets.
 
Tennis
The Richmond Tennis program receives appropriate recognition with the publication of an article in the United States Tennis Association, Northern California, publication, Inside Tennis.
Facilities Maintenance Division: Carpenters removed the broken glass canopy panel at 450 Civic Center, installed protectived panels over display monitors in the Richmond Auditorium, reconfigured three rooms at the Nevin Community Center and installed a computer work station at the Shields Reid Community Center.
Painters completed the coating of cabinets for the Main Library and painted columns at Civic Center Plaza.
Stationary Engineers repaired the condenser motor to one of the air conditioners at 450 Civic Center Plaza, reconfigured the waste lines within the Main Library kitchen, repaired doors at Civic Center Plaza and replace the motor on the exhaust fan at the Point Richmond Community Center.
Reconfiguring Waste Lines
Electricians completed safety training, repaired the lights at Vincent Park, addressed the Marina tennis court lighting issues, assisted with the alarm panic buttons at Civic Center Plaza and restored power to Point Molate.
Employees at Safety Training
Parks and Landscaping Division: Crews abated weeds and trimmed the 23rd Street grade separation, abated South 49th Street and Cutting Boulevard, repaired the water fountain at the Solano Play lot, fixed an irrigation leak at Parchester Park and repaired a wall at the Richmond Plunge.
Maintenance on 23rd Street Grade Separation
Plunge Wall Repair
Tree crews trimmed trees along Esmond Avenue and Lincoln Avenue.
Tree Trimming on Lincoln Avenue
Streets Division: Staff grinded and paved Sonoma Avenue from Solano Avenue to Esmond Avenue, as well as worked from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.
Paving on Sonoma Avenue
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday and the fifth Tuesday through Friday in Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Bay and Coronado neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines staff installed 21 new signs and poles, repaired 39 signs and completed 195 feet of curb painting, fabricated 12 new signs, and installed two thermoplastic messages at Buena Vista Avenue and Montana Street.
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
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