 
Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending August 15th, 2014.
1. Meeting Notes
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!
2. Girls Golf STEM Academy
Eight girls from the Richmond Youth on Course golf program received scholarships from Chevron to attend the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf STEM Academy on August 11th and 12th at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco. As part of Chevron’s Partner in Education program and in partnership with the United States Golf Association (USGA), they are working to inspire students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through the game of golf.
At the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf STEM Academy, our Richmond girls participated in a variety of activities to help launch them into their future, such as learning how to swing a golf club and the science of a golf ball’s flight.
3. WCCUSD New School Year
The first day of school for West Contra Costa County Unified School District is Monday, August 18th. We are looking forward to our continued partnership with the West Contra Costa Unified School District to implement full service community schools, Local Control Formula Funding initiatives and the grant funded Be Smarter, Drink Water project, among other successful, ongoing efforts. Good luck to all the students, teachers and administrators this school year!
4. Good Garbage News: Expanded Recycling Service for Residents and Business
Recycling is a free service provided to all Richmond residents and businesses. The items accepted in the program have now been expanded to include plastic bags (bundled) and all rigid plastic containers including tubs and to-go containers.
Participating in recycling service is another opportunity for businesses and residents to save money on their trash bill and reduce the amount of waste landfilled. For questions regarding what is accepted in the recycling program, or to request service changes, please call Richmond Sanitary Service customer service at (510) 262-7100.
5. More Good Garbage News: Expanded Food Scrap Service Now Available for all Commercial Businesses
Richmond businesses are now eligible to participate in the City’s curbside compost program at no cost. This service will allow businesses to decrease the amount of waste landfilled and save money on trash bills. Businesses can call Richmond Sanitary Service customer service at (510) 262-7100 to schedule a walk-through and to start green cart service. Items accepted include food scraps, food-soiled paper, and plant and yard debris. Upon request, Richmond Sanitary Service recycling coordinators can provide training, indoor collection bins and service recommendations to businesses.
6. Even More Good Garbage News: New Trash Service - On-Call Bulky Item Service for Residents
Starting September 1st, residential customers will have an option to request annual bulky item service at no-cost. Residents should call Richmond Sanitary Service (RSS) customer service at (510) 262-7100 in advance to schedule a free pick-up of up to three bulky items. RSS customer service representatives will provide participation guidelines and instructions to participate in the bulky item program. Regularly accepted items include:
- Appliances such as a washing machine, clothes dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer;
- Mattress & box springs (a matched set of mattress and box springs counts as one item);
- Furniture such as a sofa, loveseat, large chair, televisions, dining set or lawn furniture (a dining or lawn furniture set of table and chairs counts as one time);
- Equally sized items such as a water heater, barbeque, exercise equipment or four tires (four tires count as one item).
Please note that items weighing in excess of 200 lbs. are not accepted under the free program. Residents may have a pickup scheduled for heavier items an additional cost. Residents may also substitute one bulky item for up to 5 E-waste (electronic waste) items such as computer monitors, microwaves, computers, or similar sized E-waste items.
The Richmond City Council approved the bulky item service enhancement at the July 29th City Council meeting. City staff is currently developing outreach materials with RSS that will be mailed to all residents this Fall. Each year, residents will receive annual participation guidelines, and two annual reminders.
7. Port of Richmond Updates
The Port Department is working closely with MCE, the community choice electricity provider, and Auto Warehousing Company (AWC), which manages the Honda vehicle transport at the Port of Richmond, to design a solar panel array at AWC's vehicle parking area in the Point Potrero Marine Terminal. The final design is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.
The Port has also been working with BNSF to reduce rail car wheel noise at the intersection of Cutting Boulevard and Canal Boulevard. BNSF's Maintenance of Ways Department has recently installed a curve lubricator which should be reducing "wheels squeal" at that location.
8. 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 included:
- Participated in a conference call with representatives of The Olson Company, along with Planning Director Richard Mitchell and CIP Manager Chad Smalley, to discuss the status of phase 2 of the Transit Village development, adjacent to the Richmond BART station;
- Met with the City’s IT staff to discuss implementation of a mobile work order tracking system;
- Attended a meeting hosted by Supervisor John Gioia to discuss a project being proposed by BCDC to further study future shoreline impacts of projected sea level rise;
- Met with Rhonda Harris, representing One Vet One Voice, and participated in a conference call with a representative from CalVet, to discuss veterans’ housing programs;
- Met with staff from the City’s Finance Department and Housing Division to review HUD compliance issues;
- Attended a meeting with a group of taxicab drivers, along with staff from the Code Enforcement unit, to discuss parking issues and staging areas for waiting cabs at the BART station;
- Met with staff from the Engineering Department to discuss options for improving traffic safety and mobility for vehicles making a left turn from Barrett Avenue to westbound I-80;
- Attended the meeting of the Richmond Southeast Shoreline Area Community Advisory Group;
- Attended the graduation ceremony for Cohort 24 of RichmondBuild;
- Met with School Superintendent Dr. Bruce Harter – my regular monthly meeting with the superintendent.
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.
9. Fire Extinguisher Safety Training
The Laurel Hill Neighborhood Council recently participated in a fire extinguisher training program given by staff from the Fire Prevention Bureau. In attendance were 24 community members that were active in the training and demonstration. We hope to continue to reach out and support other community organizations and businesses in more extinguisher trainings in the future.
10. 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 August 11th, crews worked to assemble formwork for retaining walls along the Deep Soil Mix (“DSM”) walls. The first retaining wall concrete pour is tentatively scheduled for the week of August 25th. Waterproofing is being installed on the DSM walls in preparation for the retaining walls. Also during the week of August 11th, concrete was poured for the first of four levels of the pump stations walls, excavation at Jetty Drive was complete and layout of curb and gutter began, and approximately half of the temporary tiebacks were removed.
For the week of August 18th, waterproofing installation and tieback removal will continue, as will the assembly of formwork and rebar for the retaining walls. Formwork and rebar will also be assembled for the second level of pump station walls while layout at Jetty and Pierson Drives will continue. Additionally, crews will work to restore power to streetlights along Regatta Boulevard.
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.
Installation of waterproofing on DSM walls in progress
11. Information Technology (IT) Department Updates
Website Statistics
Website Home Page Makeover and Launch of Community Voice Module
The City’s website has undergone a refresh that launched this week. The refresh includes the following changes:
- Enlarged slideshow to the full width of the page.
- Revised calendar display to be a monthly graphical display.
- NEW tabbed area for “How Do I?”, Newsflash, and Quick Links.
- Enhanced graphical icons highlighting featured content shortcuts.
This website refresh also includes the launch of the Community Voice module where you may propose ideas, comment on others ideas, and receive comments or answers on the ideas proposed. Community Voice will be one of the enhanced graphical icons on the homepage to direct users to this feature http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/Communityvoice/.
KCRT
This week’s throwback Thursday – Featuring Richmond California History
Do you recognize this building? About what year was this photo taken and where was this building located? All correct answers posted on the City’s Facebook page in the comments 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
12. Take Time to Visit the Richmond Museum of History
The new temporary exhibit entitled "Fire in the City!" opened Saturday, August 9th in the Seaver Gallery. The exhibit celebrates the history and heroism of the Richmond Fire Department and will be open until October 4th. The “Fire in the City!” Exhibit features firefighting related artifacts from the Museum's permanent collections, on loan from the local fire houses, and on loan from personal collections.
13. Warriors Basketball Clinic at Richmond Police Activities League Center
Youth ages 7-16 are invited to join RPAL on August 19th for the Warriors basketball clinic hosted by Warriors Harrison Barnes. The early start time is 3:30 PM, which will allow for easy parking, but the actual start time is 4:30 PM. The clinic will end at 7:00 PM. For more information contact RPAL at (510) 621-1221.
14. Recreation Highlights
Seniors
To raise funds for Commission on Aging senior programs, the Commission is producing a Program Book for their most popular event, the Annual Senior Winter Ball. Individuals, businesses, and agencies can place an ad in the Program Book, which will be distributed at the Ball on December 6th. The special evening is attended by more than 500 seniors from all over the Bay Area. For additional information, please telephone Commission Chair, Eli Williams, at (510) 232-4690.
The Emergency Preparedness group continues to hold their monthly meetings each Wednesday from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM at the Richmond Senior Center.
Eighteen seniors participated in the first AARP Smart Driver Course at the Annex Senior Center. Students learned about normal age related physical changes, and how to adjust their driving to allow for these changes. The next class will be held on Tuesday, August 19th. A refresher course will be on Tuesday, September 16th. The State of California requires first time course takers complete the full (8 hours) course, while repeat course takers, within the past (3 years), can take the shorter version (5 hours) of the course.
15. Public Works Updates
Facilities Mainenance Division: Carpenters installed art displays at the Children’s Library, repaired a door at the 12th Street parking garage, performed minor repairs at the Disabled People’s Recreation Center, and assisted with generator work at the Main Library.
Painters completed the apparatus door at Fire Station #66 and repaired the locker room wall at the Parks field office.
Stationary Engineers replaced drain grids at the Plunge, repaired the air conditioner at 450 Civic Center Plaza, cleared the main waste line of the Auditorium, and addressed issues with the fire panel at 440 Civic Center Plaza.
Line Clearing
Utility workers cleaned light fixture covers, continued to clean windows at Civic Center Plaza, and maintained 29 City-owned buildings.
Window Cleaning at Civic Center Plaza
Electricians continued with the Richmond Parkway Street Light repair project, assisted in placing the generator at the Main Library, repaired circuits at Fire Station #67, and relamped the parking garage.
Generator Installation at Main Library
Parks and Landscaping Division: Crews installed bollards on the Pennsylvania trail, mowed the Greenway from 16th to 20th Streets, repaired the basketball pole at Hilltop Green Park, performed brush trimming on South 37th and Cutting Boulevard, cleared the right-of-way at Pointe Molate, and removed dry vegetation along the Richmond Parkway.
Brush Trimming on Cutting Boulevard
Streets Division: Staff ground and paved on Garvin Avenue from Amador to Sonoma Avenues, and worked from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.
Paving on Garvin Avenue
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the second Monday through Thursday and the third Friday in the May Valley, Vista View, Clinton Hill I – IV, East Richmond, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay, and Point Richmond neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines staff installed 19 new signs and poles, repaired 2 signs, installed 10 new signs at the Main Street parking lot, installed 8 pavement markings, and painted 139 feet of curbs.
Pavement Marking Installation
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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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