Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending September 26th, 2014.

1.    Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7th. Please enjoy your night off next Tuesday.

2.    RPD and Pogo Park Win National Award from MetLife Foundation and LISC

We learned this week that the Richmond Police Department and local nonprofit Pogo Park will receive the 2014 MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Award.

This award recognizes the work of innovative partnerships between community groups and police to promote neighborhood safety and revitalization. Out of 560 applicants, the Pogo Park-Richmond Police partnership was selected as just one of 11 winners nationwide. The award is made in collaboration with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).

This is the third time in the last five years that RPD has won this prestigious award - a most notable achievement. RPD partnered with Pogo Park in 2014, Richmond Main Street in 2013, and Building Blocks for Kids in 2010.

MetLife Foundation officials will come to Richmond to present the award in a public ceremony to Richmond Chief of Police Chris Magnus and Pogo Park Executive Director Toody Maher.

3.    “Getting Ready for College Conference” on September 27th

On Saturday, September 27th, between 9:00 am – 1:30 pm at De Anza High School, the West County Ed Fund is sponsoring the “Getting Ready for College Conference” to provide both students and parents with the tools and resources they will need to apply to college, and to answer any questions on a variety of subjects. Topics will include funding and how to pay for college, admission requirements, the application process, and the different types of college options available to students. The workshop is free and all current 10th, 11th and 12th graders and their parents are encouraged to attend. You can register for the event and find out more information at www.edfundwest.org/grfcc.

4.    Groundbreaking Event at Pt. Molate IR Site 3

The City of Richmond cordially invites you to the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the IR Site 3 Remediation & Abatement Project in Point Molate on Monday, September 29th from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. The IR SITE 3 Remediation & Abatement Project will clean contaminated soils located at the City-owned former United States Naval Fuel Depot in Pt. Molate. This project will last approximately eight months. IR Site 3 covers approximately 11.2 acres in the center of the site, adjacent to the San Francisco Bay. Once completed, this site will be cleaned for future development.

5.    Press Conference and Reception for the Richmond City ID Prepaid MasterCard Program

You are invited to attend the press conference and reception for the launch of the City of Richmond’s Municipal ID Card/Prepaid MasterCard Program. The event information is below:

Event:             Press Conference and Reception for the Richmond City ID Prepaid 
MasterCard Program
Location:        Grace Lutheran Church – 2369 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA
Time:              10:00am – 12:30pm

For many years, the City of Richmond has been working with SF Global to bring a City of Richmond identification card, which also can be activated and used as a pre-paid debit card, to Richmond residents. The purpose of the card is to help those who currently do not have identification, need an additional form of identification, or are a part of the un-banked community.

The Richmond Municipal ID Card Office officially opens on Wednesday, October 15, 2014. Event participants will not be able to apply for a card at the event on September 30th, but can receive information about the card, which includes a list of required documents needed to receive a card, and can schedule an appointment.

Feel free to contact LaShonda White, Management Analyst, in the City Manager’s Office with any questions at lashonda_white@ci.richmond.ca.us or (510) 620-6828.

6.    Summer Youth Employment Program

The YouthWORKS Division of the Department of Employment & Training has ended the tenth annual Richmond Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for 2014.

233 youth received up to 100 hours of meaningful, career path work experience this year.  64% of the participants came from households with multiple members that earned less than $10,000 a year, and 83% from households earning less than $30,000 annually.

A special shout out to the Milo Foundation for providing five youth with the opportunity to work with animals, a first for both agencies. Several of the participants will be volunteering with the organization through the school year.

YouthWORKS would like to especially thank Nancy Poalinelli, Regional Manager for TJ Maxx, and Vaneese Johnson, of Richmond Main Street Initiative, for assisting YouthWORKS in developing a direct entry pilot program at the new TJ Maxx store in Pinole.  Thanks to Ms. Johnson’s intense pre-employment training, and Ms. Poalinelli’s assistance in developing an MOU with the parent company in Texas, 8 of the 15 placements at TJ Maxx were hired on to the store’s staff!

We will be meeting to debrief with all of the parties, staff and the Chamber of Commerce in a couple of weeks to develop a program that will provide intensive training in customer service, office administration and retail preparation for older youth. We hope to replicate the success of the TJ Maxx Pilot Project and recruit other organizations and businesses for a direct entry training program. This will replicate the procedures of intensive training combined with subsidized work experience for older, out of school youth in our community.

  
The 2014 report will be posted on the YouthWORKS website and Facebook page for public review by Friday, September 26th, 2014.  http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=662

7.    Measure U Community Meetings

Registered Richmond voters will be asked to consider how to vote on Measure U, a one-half cent sales tax proposal that appears on the upcoming November 4th ballot.  If approved, the additional revenue generated by Measure U will maintain and enhance essential city services, such as public safety, public health and wellness programs, city youth programs, and street paving.  Information about Measure U can be found on the City’s website at www.RichmondMeasureU.com.

Several informational meetings are planned for both the public as well as community organizations, where City staff will present information and answer questions regarding Measure U.  Upcoming meetings open to the public are as follows:

·         Wednesday, October 1st at 7:00 pm
Recreation Complex
3230 Macdonald Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804

·         Thursday, October 9th at 7:00 pm
Hilltop Mall Community Room
2200 Hilltop Mall Road 2nd Floor
Richmond, CA 94806
(Door entrance between JCPenney and Police Department substation)

8.    Prescription Take-Back Day

This Saturday, September 27th, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and almost 4,000 of its national, tribal and community law enforcement partners will hold the 9th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Americans can take their expired, unneeded, or unwanted prescription and non-prescription drugs to one of over 5,200 collection sites across the country between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, local time. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The locations for Richmond residents are:

For more locations, please visit the DEA website at:

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html

9.    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 September 22nd, two additional concrete pours for retaining walls were completed, and all retaining wall waterproofing was completed.  Additionally, rebar was placed for the last level of pump station walls, while utility relocation at the Meeker intersection with Marina Bay Parkway continued.

For the week of September 29th, crews will continue the installation of retaining wall rebar, concrete pours for one retaining wall and the final level of pump station walls.  Grade preparation at the Jetty/Pierson intersection with Marina Bay Parkway will continue, as will utility work at Meeker and Marina Bay Parkway.

Crews are continuing to work with PG&E to restore power to streetlights on Marina Bay Parkway south of the project.  These lights utilized power from a location within the project that required demolition. A proposed new service to power the lights will be installed as part of the project. The contractor is working with PG&E to find a way to energize the lights on an interim basis until the new service is installed.

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.

10. Help Rebuild Parchester Park

We are less than one month away from rebuilding Parchester Village Park and we need your help! Listed below are four ways you can contribute to the Parchester Park Project:

• Volunteer on Build Day: Saturday, October 25th (all ages and skills welcome);
• Contribute a donation to the project from the wish list;
• Donate a monetary gift;
• Purchase the shoe “Petal” from Livie & Luca shoe company.  (Livie and Luca are proud sponsors of the park project and 100% of the proceeds support the project.)

To sign up or for more details visit our webpage at:
http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/parchesterparkproject
https://www.facebook.com/RichmondEH
https://twitter.com/Richmond_EH

We hope to see you there!

11. 8th Annual Home Front Festival – October 11th

The 8th Annual Home Front Festival will be celebrated on Saturday, October 11th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at three different sites along the Richmond waterfront. There will be activities for the entire family, food, live entertainment and much more! Admission is free!

12. Information Technology (IT) Department Updates

Facebook Statistics

New Likes increased by 50%

KCRT:

DATANET IMAGES OF THE WEEK

The Richmond Certified Farmers Market celebrated 30 years of serving Richmond on Friday, September 26th!

Throwback Thursday Trivia: Featuring Richmond California History

Congratulations to Kathy Gerk for winning the throwback Thursday trivia contest. She correctly identified the old Library building which is now the Richmond History Museum.

Richmond’s Carnegie Library was made possible by a generous donation from the Richmond Women’s Club to purchase land, and money donated by Andrew Carnegie for the building. Most Carnegie libraries were built in a pre-designed pattern, so many of the libraries look alike in the interior. The Richmond Carnegie library was remodeled in 1980 in order to make it appropriate for the use as a local history museum.

Richmond History provided by Melinda McCrary, Richmond History Museum.

13. Recreation Highlights

Seniors

On Wednesday, September 24th, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, the Richmond Senior Center hosted a Top Dog BBQ for patrons and city employees. The event itself was casual and informal. Although a formal announcement was not made, word spread quickly and there was a great turnout. Over 125 Calabrese hot dogs were sold.

The Annex Senior Center also hosted a BBQ on Saturday, September 20th with over 70 seniors attending. The highlight of the day was a special 100th birthday recognition to Irene Patterson from President Obama. Additionally, the Kensington Music Group honored Rosie the Riveter workers.  Entertainment was provided by the Sunshine Ladies, a performance by the Line Dancing class, and songs from the Inspiration Singers with audience participation.  A big thanks to the Way Point Christian Fellowship for their participation as well. 

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, the Plunge hosts a fun and intimate hour called “Tot Splash” for the little members of our community. The class is for children 5 and under and is designed for parents to introduce them to the water and have a fun experience with others. The cost is only $2 per adult and $2 per child.

Disabled People’s Recreation Center

Since this past spring, program participants have worked diligently to create a garden in the back area of the center to provide vegetables for healthy cooking. They do a great job caring for the plants on a daily basis which is a huge responsibility shared by both adult and younger participants. Harvesting the plants involves picking ripe vegetables, washing, and putting them away for the next cooking activity.  The participants use cookbooks, iPads, and computers to find recipes to cook with basil, parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, sage, and hot peppers. The dishes prepared at the center and at home include Japanese marinated cucumbers, Caprese salad, grilled peppers, and other delicious variations of salad.

14. Public Works Updates

Facilities Mainenance Division:  Carpenters installed an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant lockset at the Main Library and repaired the locker room doors at the Richmond Police Department.

Painters completed the apparatus doors at the Fire Training Center.

Stationary Engineers repaired the air conditioning unit at 450 Civic Center Plaza, repaired the exhaust system and water closets at Fire Station #66, and also replaced the water supply valve at the Plunge.

Electricians are continuing with the Richmond Parkway street light repair project and addressing power outage issues throughout the City.

Parks and Landscaping Division:  Crews continued weed abatement along the Richmond Parkway, planted roses on the Parkway, slurry sealed Parchester Park, continued with the rehabilitation of Shields Reid Park, replaced irrigation valves at Nicholl Park, trimmed shrubs on Gertrude Avenue, and performed general maintenance in Country Club Vista/Bay Vista Parks.

Slurry Sealing at Parchester Park

Shields Reid Park Progress

Streets Division:  Crews completed a grinding and paving job on Grove Street, two speed bumps were installed on Sonoma Avenue, and they continued to work on the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.

Paving on Grove Street

Street sweeping crews performed commercial and residential services in the May Valley, Vista View, Clinton Hill I – IV and East Richmond neighborhood council areas on the second Monday through Friday of the month.

The Signs and Lines staff fabricated 11 new signs, installed 32 new signs and poles, repaired 33 signs and poles, and painted 938 feet of curbs.

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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.

Submitted by Fire Chief Michael Banks
on behalf of
City Manager Bill Lindsay
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

Thank you,

LaShonda White
Management Analyst
City Manager’s Office
City of Richmond

(510) 620-6828 Direct Line
(510) 620-6543 Fax