Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending January 30th, 2015.

• Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, February 3rd beginning at 6:30 PM.  There are no closed sessions scheduled in conjunction with that meeting.

• New City of Richmond Mobile APP

The City has officially launched the City of Richmond Mobile APP and is looking forward to feedback from the community.

To download the FREE City of Richmond smartphone app to your Android phone, Apple iPhone or iPad, follow the simple steps listed below.  Please note that, as of today, the City of Richmond’s mobile APP is available for IOS devices on the Apple APP Store; it will be available for Android devices in the Google Play Store early next week.

• Open the Apple App Store for your IOS device or the Google Play Store for Android smartphones.
• Enter Richmond California to search for the app.
• Download the app to install it.

After downloading the app, open it.  It is ready to use.

With the app you can:

• Report and track issues;
• Get information on the City Council and City departments.  You can also call them or initiate an email with one touch icons;
• Read information on City Parks, Public Buildings and Community Centers and be able to use the built in navigation features of your phone to get there;
• Receive City newsflashes;
• Access information and directions on Richmond dining and shopping establishments;
• Access a calendar of City events;
• Display the current weather in Richmond;
• Opt in to receive emergency alerts issued by the City;
• Connect to the City’s online recreation system to sign up for programs and reserve facilities (coming soon).

We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us.

• Help Make 13th Street/Rumrill Boulevard Safe for Everyone, Community Workshop #2

Give us your feedback on our complete street design concepts for Rumrill Boulevard on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM at the Cesar Chavez Elementary School, Multipurpose Room (960 17th Street, Richmond). The designs aim to transform the street into a friendlier place for people and businesses by improving conditions for travel by foot, bike, bus and car.  A professional planning and design team is translating your input into solutions to improve safety and mobility for people of all ages and abilities along and across Rumrill Boulevard/13th Street.

For more information contact Roberta Feliciano, City of San Pablo, at robertaf@sanpabloca.gov or at (510) 215-3052.  This event is hosted by the City of San Pablo in partnership with the City of Richmond, Local Government Commission and Contra Costa Health Services. The project is funded by a Caltrans Environmental Justice Transportation Planning Grant. Childcare, Spanish translation, snacks and refreshments will be provided.

• 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:

• Provided a greeting and orientation to students from Hercules Middle School, who were about to embark on an “environmental tour” of Richmond organized by Lana Husser;
• Attended a meeting of the Human Rights/Human Relations Commission at their request;
• Met with WCCUSD Boardmembers Madeline Kronenberg and Randall Enos, together with Vice Mayor Jael Myrick, Councilmembers Jovanka Beckles and Eduardo Martinez, and various staff members from WCCUSD and the City, to discuss and advocate for the renovation of Valley View Elementary School to move forward and not be delayed;
• Met with staff members from the Finance Department to review the status of the FY 2014-15 budget;
• Met with City staff members Shasa Curl and Chad Smalley to discuss priorities for housing development projects that may be eligible for funding using “cap and trade” grant funds;
• Attended the Chemical Safety Board meeting, at which there was a presentation of their final report on the August 2012 Chevron fire, and participated on a presentation panel of State and local agencies regarding changes to local industrial safety regulations;
• Attended the League of California Cities City Manager’s Department meeting.

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 through late May/early June 2015. 

The week of January 26th, additional main retaining wall and sidewalk retaining wall concrete pours were placed, installation of electrical and mechanical equipment at the pump station continued, and electrical work at the Meeker/Marina Bay Parkway traffic signal commenced.  For the week of February 2nd, crews will begin building formwork for the raised sidewalk, prepare the site for the generator building pad, and continue pump station mechanical equipment installation.      

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.

• The Richmond Public Library (RPL) Announces the Newest Addition to the eBook Collection – enki!

enki, is the first statewide eBook platform created by libraries for libraries. 

You can check-out 10 books at once and keep each for 21 days.  You can also place up to 10 holds on items that are checked-out and be notified via email when your title is available.  While you may not renew, you can recheck-out items not on hold for other patrons.  There is also the option to return titles early so you can check-out other titles. And most importantly, there are no overdue fines because eBooks automatically return themselves!

Go to http://rpl.enkilibrary.org and start checking-out free eBooks today.

For more information, call or visit one of three Richmond Public Library locations:

• Main Branch, 325 Civic Center Plaza, (510) 620-6561
• Bayview Branch, 5100 Hartnett Avenue, (510) 620-6566
• West Side Branch, 135 Washington, (510) 620-6567

Or visit us 24/7 on the web at www.richmondlibrary.org for all things Richmond Public Library.

• Volunteer to Become a Writer Coach!

The swearing-in ceremony of Richmond’s new Mayor and the City Council members was a reminder that Richmond is a dynamic place to live.   It was rejuvenating to hear people promise to do their best and inspiring to listen to others talk about the accomplishments that have happened over the years.  All eyes are on Richmond.  Yet, what stood out and was repeatedly stated by the City’s leaders is that the people in Richmond care deeply about the state of this City.  That is what makes Richmond a great place. 

One way to show you care about the success of our City is to volunteer.  Volunteer to become a Writer Coach at Richmond or Kennedy High Schools. Writer Coaches work one-on-one with high school students on their writing skills and as a result build stronger writers for our community. Register to become a Writer Coach and be a part of this new energy of promise!

Register to become a coach at www.writercoachconnection.org/volunteer and attend an upcoming training in Richmond on Wednesdays, January 28th and February 4th, 2015 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

There are trainings in Berkeley, El Cerrito and Oakland as well.

If you have any questions, please contact Richmond Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator, June Pangelinan, at june@writercoachconnection.org or at (510) 685-7054.

• S.A.T. Workshop

Richmond Library Teen Services and the Friends of the Richmond Public Library are offering their annual S.A.T. Preparation Workshop that will start March 14, 2015.  The six-week workshop consists of four weeks of classroom instruction by certified instructors, one week of pre-testing, and one week post-testing. Each classroom instruction consists of three hours, and all sessions are held on Saturdays.  In addition to instruction, students are given test-taking strategies to maximize their scores. Participants also receive an instruction manual that is theirs to keep, and refer to beyond the workshop.  Priority is given to Richmond residents with a limited number of slots available to students in West Contra Costa.  The cost of the workshop is $50.  Additional information and a registration form will be available at www.richmondlibrary.org. 

More information can be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPcVoIBT8-Y&feature=youtu.be.

• Information Technology (IT) Department Updates

Website Statistics:

Top 10 webpage visits for the week ending January 29, 2015.

Datanet Image of the Week:

Throwback Thursday:  Featuring Richmond California History

Please take a moment to comment and LIKE our City of Richmond Facebook post, and enjoy the History Trivia drawing.

Baseball in Richmond, California goes back a long way. Do you recognize this baseball team?  Where and when was this photo taken and at what event?

All correct answers posted in the comments section of the Facebook post before 8:00 AM on the following Thursday will be entered into a drawing for a prize. In addition to your comments, if you LIKE this post, you will be entered twice. #tbt

Image provided by Melinda McCrary,
Richmond Museum and the Richmond Public Library

For more information about Richmond’s Facebook page, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Richmond-CA-Local-Government/139438544014?v=wall

• Recreation Highlights

Disabled People’s Recreation Center

Adult Morning Program (ages 22-60) participants are excitedly preparing for the Disabled People’s Recreation Center Valentine dance scheduled for Friday, February 6th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The annual event requires a major transformation to take place in the multi-purpose room. Participants begin by setting up chairs and tables from the storage rooms where fitness equipment will be tucked neatly away for the event.  Decorating begins with lights and other valentine items. Later, the Therapeutic Interactive Recreation Program (ages 10-22) participants assist staff with retrieving all other decorations, lights, and any other items from storage.  Part of the decorations will be many handmade hearts.  Everyone will trace and cut out hearts ranging in size from 2 inches to 3 feet.  Once they are all finished the participants hang the hearts on the walls. When everything is done, the transformation from multi-purpose room to a Valentine's dance venue will be amazing.

Chess

This Saturday, we invite you to see the 4th Annual McKinley Williams/John Easterling Community Chess Tournament, co-sponsored by the West Coast Chess Alliance and the Richmond Recreation Department.  The tournament is a free quad format tournament for rated and non-rated players.

This event is named in honor of McKinley Williams, President Emeritus of Contra Costa College.  Mr. Williams was very supportive of chess initiatives in the local area because he knew the educational impact of the game on students.  John Easterling was a mentor to young men and women in the Bay Area who wanted to learn the game.  His legacy lives on in the many chess players who were first exposed to the game by him.

The tournament will be Saturday, January 31st at the Richmond Recreation Department, 3230 Macdonald Avenue.  Registration will be from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM with rounds at 12:00 PM, 1:30 PM, and 3:00 PM.  For more information, please call (510) 620-6793.

• Public Works Updates

Facilities Maintenance Division:  Caprenters made all safety related repairs to the Richmond Plunge, assembled two desks for Congressman De Saulnier’s office and changed a lock in 440 Civic Center Plaza.

Painters began work on the May Valley Community Center and the Nevin Community Center kitchen areas.

Nevin Center Painting

Stationary Engineers installed a new furnace in the Park and Landscaping administrative office, repaired the water closet at the Starlight building and cleared a waste line at the Bayview Library.

Utility Workers cleaned windows at City Hall, labelled all bottles for safety and serviced 29 City-owned facilities.

Window Cleaning at Civic Center Plaza

Electricians built replacement traffic lights for Hilltop Drive and Shane Drive, marked 15 locations for Underground Service Alerts (USA), and repaired lights on the Greenway.

Parks and Landscaping Division:  Crews continued with the irrigation repairs at Lamoine and Rain Cloud Parks, installed windscreen on the Nicholl Park tennis courts, repaired fencing on the Richmond Greenway, performed weeding on South 49th Street and Cutting Boulevard, replaced home plate on Field #2 in Nicholl Park, installed a block wall in the Marina Bay area, completed trail maintenance in the Marina, weeded multiple Hilltop locations, continued irrigation installation on the Richmond Parkway, placed landscape boulders in Hilltop area, and removed graffiti from Nicholl Park, Humphrey Park and along the Greenway.

Windscreen Installation at Nicholl Park

Tree crews cut or trimmed trees on/at 1st Street, Berk Avenue, Hellings Avenue, Potrero Boulevard, Pennsylvania Avenue, Burbeck Avenue, 15th Street, Harbour Way South, “A” Street, and on Nevin Avenue.

Hilltop Area Tree Trimming

Streets Division:  Staff installed speed tables and bicycle racks, attended training and worked from the outstanding pothole and sidewalk list.

Bicycle Rack Installation

Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday through Wednesday and the fifth Thursday and Friday in the Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Coronado, Metro Richmore Village, Pullman, Cortez/Stege, Park Plaza, Laurel Park, and City Center neighborhood council areas.

Signs and Lines staff installed 30 new signs and poles, repaired 26 signs and poles, fabricated 18 signs, installed pavement markers, and repainted 169 feet of curb.

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