Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending December 12th, 2014.

• Meeting Notes

The last scheduled City Council meeting in 2014 is Tuesday, December 16th, beginning with a Closed Session at 5:30 PM, followed by special meeting of the Richmond Housing Authority at 6:25 PM, and the Richmond Council meeting at 6:30 PM.

For planning purposes, please note the following meeting schedule for January 2015:

• January 13th (swearing-in ceremony and reception)
• January 20th (first regular meeting with reorganized Councilmembers)
• January 27th (study session)

• UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks Hosts Community Conversation about the Berkeley Global Campus at Richmond Bay

This past Thursday, December 11th, UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) hosted community stakeholders from Richmond for a lunchtime discussion with UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks about his vision for the Berkeley Global Campus (BGC) at Richmond Bay. Members of the BGC Community Working Group and other local community members were invited to learn more about the University's plans for the new campus and engage in a dialogue with Chancellor Dirks.  The luncheon began with an update on the project by UC Berkeley and LBNL.  The City of Richmond provided an overview and updates on the South Shoreline Specific Plan (Link) and Connectivity Plan (Link). Chancellor Dirks then had the opportunity to discuss his vision for the BGC and take comments and questions from community members.  Some of the suggestions and concerns that arose during the dialogue pertained to jobs, housing, improving educational opportunities, and displacement.

• Downtown Holiday Festival – December 17th

We encourage you to celebrate the holiday season at the annual Downtown Holiday Festival, presented by Richmond Main Street Initiative and East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.  Come downtown to the historic Winters Building for an evening filled with memorable activities for the entire family including Santa visits, goodie bags for children 10 years old and younger, light refreshments, spectacular seasonal family-friendly holiday dance and music performances by members of the East Bay Center resident companies at 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM, and group caroling and holiday street lighting at 7:30 PM. Admission is free.

Date:          December 17, 2014
Time:          4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location:   East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, Winters Building, 339 11th Street in Richmond   

• Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance

The City of Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2015.  The minimum wage requirement set forth in the Ordinance will be $9.60 an hour (compared to $9.00 an hour for the state of California), which applies to any employee who works two (2) or more hours a week.

This past week, the Richmond Employment & Training Department staff sent out information packets to over 3,000 businesses, distributed information through the city’s website, and reached out to Richmond Chamber of Commerce members to inform them of Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance.  The information packet includes English and Spanish versions of the official notice that must be posted in all workplaces along with a list of employer and employee rights under the Ordinance.  Employers  who pay for less than 800 hours of employee labor in a given 2-week period need not pay the City’s minimum wage until they pay over 800 hours or more of employee labor in a 2-week period.

For questions and additional information, please visit the website at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2615 or www.richmondworks.org, or contact Employment Program Specialist Gina Baker at (510) 307-8011 or at gbaker@richmondworks.org.

• Made in Richmond Foodie Gift Box

This holiday season, we encourage you to share Richmond's new energy with family, friends and coworkers. Richmond has developed a wonderful new gift box beautifully assembled by California Delicious, a local business dedicated to creating gourmet selections from across California in spectacular gift boxes and celebration packages.

The City of Richmond and the Richmond Economic Development Commission worked together to develop a gift box with a range of gourmet options made right here in Richmond from our growing “foodie” cluster, including: Lemur International, Inc., Nutiva, Zoe’s Cookies, Cassandras Dream Cakes, Catahoula Coffee Company, Oren’s Kitchen, Lotus Foods, and Vassell Foods.

The Made in Richmond gift box is a testament to the diversity and businesses that make Richmond a premier destination in the Bay Area.  The “Made in Richmond” gift boxes are available in three different sizes. To find out more information and purchase the Made in Richmond gift boxes, please visit the California Delicious Richmond webpage:  http://www.californiadelicious.com/california-gift-baskets/made-in-richmond-ca.html. 

• 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 May 2015. 

During the week of December 8th, work was limited to the stripping of retaining wall forms and concrete curb and gutter work at the Meeker/Marina Bay Parkway and Jetty/Marina Bay Parkway intersections. Severe weather prevented further progress and flooded the site, requiring extensive dewatering which will continue through the weekend.  For the week of December 15th, and weather permitting, an additional retaining wall concrete pour is scheduled as well as the first concrete pour for the sidewalk retaining walls.  Pump station pipe system installation will commence, and concrete sidewalk, curb and gutter will be completed at the Meeker/Marina Bay Parkway and Jetty/Marina Bay Parkway intersections.

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.

• 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 two weeks included:

• Helped welcome student/visitors from Hercules High School, along with Environmental/Stormwater Manager Lynne Scarpa, to Richmond.  These students were on a “green tour” of the City of Richmond organized by community member Lana Husser;
• Met with AC Transit General Manager David Armijo and members of his staff, together with Richmond Planning Director Richard Mitchell, to discuss opportunities that might benefit both the transit agency and the City of Richmond from a relocation of their transit yard to another site in Richmond out of the downtown;
• Attended the Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council holiday party, at which City Clerk Diane Holmes swore in the new officers;
• Met with Rhonda Harris and Lynette Gibson-McElhenny to discuss possible sites for new veterans’ housing in Richmond;
• Met with staff from the Finance, Public Works, Engineering, Planning, and Arts and Culture department/divisions to discuss developing strategies for using Measure U funds to improve the street infrastructure;
• Attended the luncheon hosted by UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at which UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks discussed his vision for the Berkeley Global Campus (BGC) at Richmond Bay (see item [2] above);
• Attended my regular, monthly meeting with West Contra Costa Unified School District 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.

• Reception for Neighborhood Public Art Mini-Grant 2013-2014 Recipients

You are cordially invited to attend a reception honoring the 2013-14 Neighborhood Public Art Mini-Grant recipients on Tuesday, January 6th at 4:30 PM in the lobby of City Hall, 450 Civic Center Plaza. At the reception, you will be able to enjoy light refreshments while seeing an exhibit of Neighborhood Public Art projects, including photos and descriptions of each one. You will also have the opportunity to meet the grantees and talk about their work.

We hope that you will join us!

• Information Technology (IT) Department Updates

Top 10 Webpage visits

Total time spent in seconds for the week ending 12/09/2014

Facebook Statistics

New Likes                              Increased by    550.0%
Weekly Total Reached           Increased by    703.7%
People Engaged                     Increased by 1,346.7%

Photo of the Week:

Richmond Bridge

Datanet Image of the Week

Throwback Thursday: Featuring Richmond California History

Congratulations to Roxy Miravalle, the City's current Throwback Thursday trivia winner. Roxy shared that the first photo is 11th & Macdonald (Winters Building - now home to the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts); and the next photo is 14th & Macdonald (now Marina Way).  Not only were Roxy's answers perfect, but her collaboration and dialog on the location of these sites was amazing. 

                                11th & Macdonald                                 14th & Macdonald

Click on the following link to visit the City’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Richmond-CA-Local-Government/139438544014?v=wall

• Recreation Highlights

Recreation Center Holiday Schedule

Aquatics

The Richmond Plunge will be open for Adult Lap Swim during the holiday season as follows:

Wednesday       12/24            10AM – 2PM
Thursday          12/25            CLOSED
Friday               12/26            10AM – 2PM
Saturday           12/27            10AM – 2PM
Sunday             12/28            10AM – 2PM
Monday            12/29            10AM – 2PM
Tuesday           12/30            10AM – 2PM
Wednesday       12/31            CLOSED
Thursday          1/1/2015       CLOSED

Pt. Richmond Community Center

The Pt. Richmond community center continues to host the Knit N Sew class the 1st Wednesday of every month from 1 to 3PM.  In this free class, participants can enjoy knitting, fresh baked cookies, and plenty of socializing.

Nevin Community Center

Please come and visit the Nevin Center to see all the love that Public Works staff has poured into upgrading and renovating different areas of the facility.

Major renovation to the kitchen, new water fountains conveniently located near the multi-purpose room, installation of bulletin boards, new gate repairs, and new bike racks are just some of the projects underway. Thank you so much to Marty, Larry, Ramon, Wilbur, and so many others for all their hard work!

• Public Works Updates

Sand Bags: Sand bags are available to Richmond residents at no cost (the limit is 10 bags). Bags can be picked up from 2 locations: Bayview Fire Station (4801 Bayview Avenue) and the rear entrance of the Corporation Yard (next to 10 Harbour Way). Persons who are disabled or elderly can have sand bags delivered. For more information, please contact the Public Works Department at (510) 620-6530.

Facilities Mainenance Division:  Carpenters repaired the roof at 1350 Kelsey Avenue, installed a shower dam at Fire Station #61, performed temporary roof repairs to a building at the Corporation Yard, and completed safety repairs at Fire Station #61 and the Recreation Complex.

Stationary Engineers repaired the boiler for the Main Library, replaced faucets at the Parchester Community Center, started condensor motor repairs to the fan at 440 Civic Center Plaza, and installed the water supply for the refrigerators at the Nevin Community Center.

Condensor Motor Repairs

Utility Workers replaced entry mats at the Disabled People’s Recreation Center (DPRC) and relocated stored items in DPRC, replaced flourescent bulbs at the Police Department, and maintained 29 City-owned buildings.

Light Replacement at the Police Department

Electricians repaired the power pedestal located at 22nd Street and Barrett Avenue, fixed the traffic controller at Carlson Boulevard and Bayview Avenue, repaired holiday lighting in Civic Center Plaza, troubleshot road lighting at Hilltop Mall, tested exterior lighting at the Disabled People’s Recreation Center (DPRC), responded to a knockdown on Richmond Parkway near the Bella Vista Apartments, and responded to storm related incidents.

Hilltop Lighting Repair

Traffic Controller Repair on Carlson Boulevard

Parks and Landscaping Division:  Crews trimmed trees inside Civic Center Plaza, weed whipped and trimmed multiple pathways, repaired play equipment at the Solano and Humphrey Play Lots, repaired the gate at the YMCA building, performed irrigation repairs at the Humphrey Play Lot, removed a fence at the Plunge, and responded to storm incidents.

Storm Clean-Up in the Marina

Tree crews trimmed or cut trees around the City, removed a tree on Carlson Boulevard, and responded to downed branches and trees due to storm conditions.

Tree Trimming in Civic Center Plaza

Streets Division:  Staff performed crack sealing on the Richmond Parkway, conducted storm patrol clearing gutters throughout the City, assembled sand bags to be available to residents, delivered sand bags to the elderly/disabled, and worked from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.

Crack Sealing on Richmond Parkway

Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the second Monday through Friday in the May Valley, Vista View, Clinton Hill I – IV and East Richmond neighborhood council areas as the weather permitted.

Signs and Lines staff installed 37 new signs and poles, repaired 49 signs and poles, fabricated new signs, and performed storm patrol.

Sign Installation on Macdonald Avenue

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Have a great week!

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