Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the weekly report for the week ending February 13th, 2015.

• Meeting Notes

The next meeting of the Richmond City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 beginning with a Closed Session at 6:00 PM, followed by the regular agenda at 6:30 PM.

• San Francisco Bay Trail: San Rafael Bridge to Point Molate Project

On February 11th, the Bay Area Toll Authority (“BATA”) Oversight Committee voted to authorize an agreement with Caltrans and expenditures for final design of the “I-580 Access Improvement Project”. This project includes the construction of a section of San Francisco Bay Trail in Richmond, between Marine Street and Point Molate, as part of providing an eastbound third motor vehicle travel lane across the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge from Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Marin to Marine Street in Richmond. The project also includes a 10-foot wide, moveable barrier separated bicycle and pedestrian trail on the upper deck of the bridge, which will connect Contra Costa and Marin Counties.   BATA’s timeline estimates project completion in the first half of 2018.

This is great news for the Bay Trail, funding a project that eliminates a very dangerous gap adjacent to I-580, leading to safer bicycle and pedestrian access to Pt. Molate and points beyond from the rest of the city.  Many people worked hard to make this happen, but Richmond’s TRAC (Trails for Richmond Action Committee) organizer Bruce Beyaert, once again, deserves substantial credit for making this happen.

• City of Richmond’s Impact Volunteering Program Wins City Hall AmeriCorps VISTA “Love Your Block” Award of $30,000 and Full-Time AmeriCorps VISTA Member

This week, Cities of Service, a national nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance, programmatic support, planning resources and funding opportunities to coalition member cities, announced that Richmond is one of seven U.S. cities selected to receive $30,000 and a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA member to plan and implement the “Love Your Block” program based on the Cities of Service blueprint. 

“Love Your Block” is a high-impact service strategy in which the Mayor’s Office and city staff engages community members in revitalizing their neighborhoods.
With support from the Mayor’s Office and the Code Enforcement/Abatement Division, Richmond’s impact volunteering program, Richmond ESC – Excellence Serving our Community, will lead the initiative.

Since launching the impact volunteering model in February 2013, Richmond ESC has engaged over 1,500 volunteers through service, and supported or partnered with nearly 60 Richmond based organizations or programs.  Other initiatives funded by Cities of Service through Richmond are WriterCoach Connection and Grade Level Reading – It’s a Family Affair.  These initiatives are led by Community Alliance for Learning, Read Aloud Volunteer Program, and Literacy Lab.  For more information regarding Richmond ESC, please call (510) 620-6511.

Rochelle Monk, the designated Chief Service Officer for the Cities of Service program, once again needs to be acknowledged for the marvelous upward trajectory in these volunteer efforts.  She enjoys seeing Richmond in the company of the other recipient cites (Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; Lansing, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; and Seattle, Washington), all of which (except Lansing) is substantially larger than Richmond.  Thanks also go to Rochelle’s small but capable staff, and, of course, to the over 1,500 volunteers that have been engaged in the Richmond ESC program.

• Valley View Elementary School Interim Housing

As you may recall, at its February 3rd meeting, the Richmond City Council voted unanimously to send a letter to the WCCUSD Board of Education in support of awarding a contract for the Valley View Elementary School interim housing project. 

At Wednesday’s WCCUSD Board meeting, the City Manager spoke on behalf of the City Council in support of awarding the contract to allow the Valley View Elementary School to proceed based on the bid received last December.  The meeting was attended by a number of parents and families from the Valley View community, expressing support for this project.  After deliberation, the Board voted to approve accepting the bid (3-2 vote, motion by Kronenberg, second by Enos, with the third affirmative vote by Board President Groves).  This vote allows the interim housing project to proceed, although the Board was clear that it was making no specific representation as to when the new permanent campus could be completed.

• 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.

• 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; and
• Connect to the City’s online recreation system to sign up for programs and reserve facilities (coming soon).

We are planning to expand available features for this App and welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us.

• Weekly Recycling and Green Cart Collection Begins March 2nd, 2015

Residential customers will begin receiving weekly collection for green organics carts and recycling carts at no additional cost starting Monday, March 2nd. Both green and blue cart service are complimentary and provided at no additional cost to ratepayers. Historically, these carts were serviced every-other-week on a rotating basis. As part of the negotiations last year for enhanced recycling collection services, the City’s Environmental and Health Initiatives Division was able to secure this enhanced service at no additional cost for ratepayers.

The weekly collection of recyclables and compost also provides ratepayers with a cost-savings opportunity to downsize their trash bin size. For instance, ratepayers can save nearly $6 per month by downsizing from a 32-gallon bin to a 20-gallon bin. Customers may call Republic at 262-7100 to make any service change requests.

• City of Richmond to host “My Brother’s Keeper” Summit

On Wednesday, February 11, 2015, Richmond Vice Mayor Jael Myrick, met with Richmond community leaders to discuss organizing a summit on President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper challenge. The six goals that are outlined in the President’s program are:

• Ensuring all children enter school cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally ready;
• Ensuring boys and young men of color can read at grade level by third grade;
• Ensuring boys and young men of color graduate from high school;
• Ensuring boys and young men of color complete post-secondary education or training;
• Ensuring boys and young men of color are employed once out of school; and
• Ensuring all young people remain safe from violent crime.

In his challenge last fall, President Obama encouraged communities, businesses, and foundations to connect young people to the resources they need.  Joining several other cities across the nation, including Detroit, Chicago, and Philadelphia, the City of Richmond accepted the challenge and asked community leaders to participate in planning a local action summit, to conduct policy review, and to create recommendations for action, prior to launching a plan and timetable for implementation.

The summit organizers represent various sectors within and outside the Richmond community, including staff from the Richmond Mayor and City Manager’s offices. Pre-summit plans will focus on opportunity gaps, and Richmond school needs.

• YouthWORKS Updates

YouthWORKS is happy to report that a former participant has been hired by the Community Energy Services Corporation as an Administrative Intern. This opportunity was open only to North Richmond residents. Jameisha will receive a livable wage and a travel stipend to cover the costs of commuting daily to Berkeley for her 16 week, full time position.  The position may be extended as talent and resources allow.

In addition, former participant and Contra Costa College student (full time), Verbin Young has been hired as a sales representative at Ikea. While his position is part time, to allow for his academics, he also will be receiving a livable wage.
Both participants received training in customer service, food handling, multiple pre-employment workshops, and participated in the YouthWORKS Summer Youth Employment Program.  YouthWORKS is currently working to incorporate many of these elements into a Direct Entry to Employment model that will be implemented with local retail establishments, including T.J. Maxx, in this year’s SYEP. YouthWORKS is planning to fully implement this training model in the fall, should adequate resources for the program be secured.

YouthWORKS has also announced the release of applications for the 11th Annual Summer Youth Employment Program. This program has provided 100 plus hours of meaningful, career path work experience to almost 4,000 Richmond youth over the last decade, with more than 90% of the participants coming from households earning under $30,000 a year.

The summer program opens ONLY to youth from the Richmond community. Participants will receive pre-employment training in the areas of sexual harassment in the workplace, financial literacy/money management, soft/essential skills and résumé production.  After successfully completing all pre-employment workshops the participants will have the opportunity to be placed for up to 100 hours, at $9 hr.,  at a worksite that matches their desires, interests and abilities.

The applications will be released on Wednesday, February 25th at 2:00 PM at the YouthWORKS building, 2705 Macdonald Avenue (corner of 27th and Macdonald Avenue).  Applications will be available from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM until March 3rd. Completed applications are due by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, March 4th.  All participants will be selected by lottery from the pool of completed applications.

• 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:

• Met with Congressman DeSaulnier’s district staff, along with the Mayor, his staff members, staff from the City Manager’s Office, and the City’s contracted legislative advocate, to discuss projects in Richmond that may have a federal program or funding connection;
• Met with the Finance Director and his department staff to review the mid-year status of the budget, in preparation for a planned study session with the City Council on February 24th;
• Met with the Mayor and members of his staff, together with Port Director Jim Matzorkis and Port Administrator Lucy Zhou, to review the status of economic development projects at the Port and elsewhere in the City;
• Attended the quarterly Emergency Operations Center Task Force/Disaster Council organized by Emergency Manager Kathy Gerk;
• Attended a “meet-up” with the Richmond biomedical/bioscience community, hosted by the East Bay Biomedical Manufacturing Network at the TopLine facility on Marina Way South in Richmond;
• Attended the WCCUSD Board meeting to present the City Council’s position in favor of funding the Valley View Elementary School interim housing project (see item 4, above);
• Attended the monthly meeting of the Public Management Association, the network of Contra Costa County city/county managers;
• Attended an impromptu senior staff strategic planning session, following the cancellation of the scheduled City Council strategic planning session.

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. 

During the week of February 9th, additional main retaining wall and sidewalk retaining wall concrete pours were placed, installation of mechanical equipment at the pump station, and electrical work at the Meeker/Marina Bay Parkway traffic signal continued.  For the week of February 16th, crews will place another main retaining wall concrete pour, two sidewalk concrete pours, begin establishing grade for the roadway median, and begin construction of the generator building pad. 

• Richmond Main Street’s Annual Stakeholders’ Meeting

Richmond Main Street is inviting interested persons to join them on Wednesday, February 18th from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at BBK Center for Health & Healing, 310 9th Street (at Macdonald Avenue) for a look back on the successes and challenges of 2014.  Richmond Main Street is interested in having you tell them what you think about their plans for 2015, especially development projects—including an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to support the Home of Chicken and Waffles project in Downtown.

Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP greatly appreciated so please RSVP here or by calling (510) 236-4049.

Residents, Merchants, Property Owners, Community Members welcome.
Let your voice be heard and help shape the future of Downtown!

• You Can Help Richmond Seniors Age In Place!  Volunteer to Provide Rides for Seniors!

Richmond’s impact volunteering program, Richmond ESC – Excellence Serving our Community, is partnering with Senior Helpline Services’ Rides for Seniors Program to bridge the gap in services for ambulatory seniors in Richmond who no longer drive and cannot access other forms of transportation. In our society, MOBILITY = INDEPENDENCE, so without a safe and available alternative to driving, the end result for seniors is often institutionalization.

Richmond ESC seeks volunteers who . . .

• are good drivers, ages 25 to 75, bilingual a plus
• agree to provide an occasional ride to an ambulatory senior
• agree to attend a training session provided by Senior Helpline Services
• agree to a background check
• agree to use their own car (gas reimbursement available upon request)

Help homebound seniors maintain their independence and freedom to age in place by providing essential transportation. Volunteer today!  For additional information, please contact Senior Helpline Services at (925) 284-6161 or Richmond ESC, (510) 620-6511.

• Get Covered! Enrollment Deadline for Health Plan Through Covered California is February 15, 2015

Get your Family Covered! Open enrollment for 2015 health insurance will end on February 15, 2015. Open enrollment for 2015 health insurance plans through Covered California began November 15, 2014 and will end on February 15, 2015. The City of Richmond is continuing its focus on improving community health and is encouraging residents to enroll in quality, affordable health care.

Residents may be eligible for the following affordable health insurance:
•    Medi-Cal, California’ health coverage program for lower-income residents, OR
•    Private insurance plans offered through Covered California www.coveredca.com

To enroll and receive support from certified enrollment counselors with your Covered CA or Medi-Cal application, we invite you to attend one of the two local enrollment events.

• Covered California Enrollment Fair

Saturday, February 14, 2015
Lovonya DeJean Middle School (multi-purpose room)
3400 MacDonald Avenue
Richmond, CA 94805
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
RSVP (link) or call (510) 286-1400

• Let's Get Covered, San Pablo! Community Health Enrollment Event!

Saturday, February 14, 2015
Maple Hall Community Center
#1 Alvarado Square
San Pablo CA 94806
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Please bring proof of:
•         Identity: ID, driver license, or passport for each adult applying.
•         California Address: Any piece of postmarked mail sent to you.
•         Income: Last 30 days of paystubs, 2013 income tax filings, and Social Security Cards of everyone applying (including dependent tax information and head-of-household status).
•         Citizenship or Immigration Status: Birth certificate, permanent resident card, or certificate of naturalization for each person applying.

What you need to know for each family member:
•         Number of people enrolling (whole or partial family)
•         Social Security numbers
•         Birth dates
•         Home zip codes

• 2015 WCCUSD LCAP Community Town Hall Meetings

The West Contra Costa School District (WCCUSD) invites Richmond residents to participate in the upcoming Local Accountability Plan (LCAP) Town Hall Meetings to provide input and suggestions on LCAP funding priorities for schools. The meetings are an opportunity for parents, teachers, students, and community members to engage in the decisions that impact school funding.

• Saturday, February 28th 9:30 AM at Peres Elementary School, 719 5th Street, Richmond

• Saturday, March 7th 9:30 AM at King Elementary School, 4022 Florida Avenue, Richmond

Translation and childcare will be provided at the meetings. If you are unable to attend a Town Hall meeting you can submit your feedback to LCAP@wccusd.net.
For more information about the LCAP, please visit the District website at www.wccusd.net/LCAP

The Local Accountability Plan (LCAP) is the schools district's 3-year plan for how it will use the states Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funding to serve all students, including English learners, low-income students, and foster youth.

• 2015 Historic Preservation Awards

The City of Richmond and the Richmond Historic Preservation Commission invites nominations for the Richmond Historic Preservation Awards, 2015. The purpose of the Historic Preservation Awards program is to increase public awareness of Richmond’s heritage by recognizing individuals, organizations, businesses, and agencies whose contributions demonstrate outstanding commitment to excellence in historic preservation, local history or promotion of the heritage of the City. Awards will be presented in May 2015, National Preservation Month. In addition to public and private buildings and structures, historic preservation projects may include media, publications, presentations and exhibits, parks, burial grounds, public art, oral history, theater productions, events, and video presentations. Below is a list of last year's award winners:

• Port of Richmond and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates for Rehabilitating the Rigger's Loft
• The Women's Westside Improvement Club for Producing the New Point Richmond Street Directory Map
• Kenneth Kokka, Donna Graves, the Blossoms and Thorns Video Committee, and the Contra Costa Japanese American  Citizens League for Creating the Documentary Film "Blossoms and Thorns: A Community Uprooted"
• The Richmond Rotary Club and The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts for Producing "Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle"
• Bruce Beyaert and the Trails for Richmond Action Committee (TRAC) for Preserving Richmond's Shoreline and its History

Eligibility: Any individual, group, organization or agency involved in historic preservation or promoting Richmond’s heritage is eligible to receive a Richmond Historic Preservation Award. The preservation project or activity (or a substantial portion of a large-scale multiple activity project) must have been completed no later than December 31, 2014.

Nomination Form: You may nominate an eligible preservation project or activity by submitting a completed 2015 Historic Preservation Awards Nomination Form to the Richmond Planning and Building Services Department. Additional details about eligibility, evaluation criteria used, and submittal requirements are found in the nomination form which can be downloaded at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/preservationaward.

Nominations are due by 5:00 PM on March 27, 2015. Feel free to call Sabrina Lundy at (510) 620-6705 with any questions you may have.

• Richmond Farmers Market

Although some seasonal items are no longer available, new fruits and vegetables such as cauliflower, strawberries, swiss chards, greens, and red beets are in season. The Richmond Certified Farmers Market sells only what is grown on local farms, which is why fruits and vegetables are picked when they are ripe and ready to eat with lots of flavor! 

So join your friends and neighbors at the Richmond Certified Farmers Market every Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  The market accepts WIC coupons and has EBT tokens. If you have any questions about the market, call (510) 237-7271.

• Information Technology (IT) Department Updates

Website Statistics: Top 10 Webpage visits for the week ending February 10, 2015:

Top website visits by device type

Facebook Fans Statistics

KCRT: Datanet Image of the Week

• Recreation Highlights

Aquatics

Come join us in a fun way to reach your fitness goals. The Richmond Plunge continues to offer adult evening lap swim programs.  Call (510) 620-6820 for more information.

Senior Center

The Richmond Senior Center bustles every week with programs offered to suit every whim; from Zumba, to art, to Bingo, to Tango, there is something for everyone.

Black History

The 8th Annual Black History Celebration, under the coordination of senior center staff and assistance from the Richmond Commission on Aging was held on Saturday, February 7th.  Over 240 participants enjoyed the festivities of the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, Dee Dee Simon, Caden Cotton and many other talented entertainers. Joe Fisher did an outstanding job as the master of ceremonies, and the honorees included former chairperson of the Commission on Aging, Eli Williams.

• Public Works Updates

Facilities Mainenance Division:  Caprenters completed repairs to the City building on Kelsey Street that is leased to the Men and Women of Valor, fixed the stucco wall at Fire Station #67 along with the security fence, repaired the gate of the 12th Street parking garage, replaced ceiling tiles at the Recreation Complex, and made temporary repairs to the Recreation Complex roof.

Temporary Roof Repairs

Painters touched up the paint in the Mayor’s office, and completed the Nevin Community Center kitchen.

Stationary Engineers completed kitchen repairs at the Men and Women of Valor building, and replaced the exhaust fan at Fire Station #67.

Utility Workers cleaned the carpets and floors on the 2nd floor of City Hall, moved panels at the Auditorium, made safety repairs at 440 Civic Center Plaza, and serviced 29 City own facilities.

Moving of Panels from the Auditorium

Electricians installed new receptacles for the Nevin Community Center kitchen, surveyed the street lights on Richmond Parkway from Blume to Lakeside Drives, surveyed the street lights on Robert H. Miller Drive, reset the BART Station Lights, fixed turned traffic signals on 23rd Street/Clinton Avenue and Cutting Boulevard/Carlson Boulevard, marked 26 locations for Underground Service Alerts (USA), repaired the signal lights out on 23rd Street, Broadway Avenue, Barrett Avenue and Carlson Boulevard, re-lit 20 lights along the Bay Trail from Lucretia Edwards Park to Barbara Vincent Park, and installed new security lighting at the Recreation Complex in the parking lot.

Installation of Security Lighting

Marina Lighting Repairs

Parks and Landscaping Division:  General crews continue with the irrigation repairs along the Greenway, fence repair at John F. Kennedy Park, graffiti removal at Nicholl Park, Main Library and the Civic Center, inspected playgrounds, irrigation repairs at Mira Vista and Nicholl Parks, and weeded the Civic Center Plaza.

Hilltop District crews completed general maintenance and tree trimming at Hilltop Lake, continued with the irrigation installation at the Richmond Parkway AM/PM project, planted and mulched along the Richmond Parkway near Hilltop, and completed weed abatement in various location. 

Irrigation Installation in Hilltop Area

Marina District staff completed the installation of safety cable around the new Marina restroom, and planting aroung the restroom.

Cable Installation at Marina Restroom

Tree crews cut or trimmed trees on Harbour Way South, Bissell Avenue, South 19th Street, Garvin Avenue, 17th Street, and Marina Bay Parkway.

Streets Division:  Staff ground and paved 18th Street from Roosevelt Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, performed storm patrol on Monday, and worked from the outstanding pothole list.

Paving on 18th Street

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.

Signs and Lines staff installed 30 new signs and poles, repaired 42 signs and poles, fabricated new signs, installed pavement markers, and repainted 929’ of curb.

Sign Installation

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