 
Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending April 17th, 2015.
The next meeting of the Richmond City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21st beginning with a Closed Session at 5:30 PM, followed by the Special Meeting of the Housing Authority at 6:20 PM, and by the regular meeting of the Richmond City Council at 6:30 PM. To see the most recent City Council agenda use the following link: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/CityCouncilAgenda.
- Doctor’s Medical Center Closing April 21st
As of April 21st, Doctor’s Medical Center in San Pablo will be closing and no longer accepting patients. On April 20th, LifeLong Medical Care will open a new urgent care center across the street from Doctor’s Medical Center in San Pablo (2023 Vale Road).
“Urgent care” centers treat medical conditions that require immediate medical attention (usually within 24 hours), but are not serious enough to require hospitalization and/or are not life threatening. (A life-threatening medical emergency should still generate a call to 911.) LifeLong Urgent Care is an alternative to the emergency room for minor illnesses and injuries, and is made up of emergency room clinicians that are ready to treat all types of medical conditions. No appointments or referrals are needed, and the clinicians can refer patients back to a primary care physician (PCP) for follow up care, or connect patients with a PCP if they do not currently have a provider. Lifelong welcomes all forms of payment, regardless of whether a patient is insured. They accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, Family Pact and most managed care plans including Covered California. Lifelong also offers a sliding scale discount based upon family size and income.
Lifelong Urgent Care will be open 7 days a week, noon to 8:00 PM and walk-ins are welcome. They can be reached at (510) 231-9800 or at www.lifelongmedical.org. LifeLong also has sites that offer primary care and non-urgent care with scheduled visits.
Individuals without private insurance can call Contra Costa Health Services’ advice nurse line for free health advice any time at 1-877-661-6230, Option 1. There are more health care resources for West County residents through the Contra Costa Health Services website.
- San Francisco Bay Trail – Plunge Gap Closure Project
The Plunge Bay Trail Gap Closure Project is designed to create a safer connection between the raised bicycle/pedestrian path in the Dornan Drive Tunnel and the existing on-street portions of the bay trail on South Garrard Boulevard. The work primarily consists of a new, wider sidewalk, street trees and bicycle lanes that combine to create a new bay trail segment. The project is now in the final stages of completion, with final items of work to include sections of street repaving and restriping for uniformity and reinstallation of parking stalls. The project will be complete after installation of way-finding and directional signage, currently estimated for early next month.
- BART Intermodal Improvement Project
On Wednesday, April 15th, BART commenced construction of the Richmond BART Intermodal Improvement Project. The project will include improvements to passenger access and traffic flow at the “intermodal” (i.e. bus and drop off) area as well as the addition of special landscaping areas that will act as filters for any rain runoff to process out harmful materials (such as oil or gasoline, heavy metals, etc.) before the water goes into the storm drain system. BART closed the existing intermodal area and the Amtrak parking area at the Richmond BART station on Wednesday, April 15th. All buses, shuttles, paratransit vans, and taxis will be relocated to other areas near the station.
The work will be completed in September 2015.
Below is a map which shows the new locations for services. Additionally, these maps are being distributed at the station. The new locations are as follows:
- Kaiser Shuttle, Ford Pointe Shuttle and San Pablo Senior Transportation moved to the intersection of 15th Street and Nevin Plaza. All other paratransit services have been moved to El Cerrito del Norte Station.
- AC Transit Bus Stops are moved to the north side of MacDonald Avenue east of 16th Street.
- Taxi services are moved to the west side of 15th Street between MacDonald Avenue and Village Lane, adjacent to the parking structure.
- Golden Gate Transit bus stop is moved to the south side of MacDonald Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets.
- Passenger pick up/drop off area is moved to the sidewalk east of and adjacent to the parking structure.
- ADA pick up/drop off area is moved inside the garage on the first floor.
BART apologizes for the inconvenience this will cause the community and appreciates its patience as it works to improve the functionality of its facilities in Richmond.
- City of Richmond 2015 Community Survey
One of the best ways to improve Richmond’s services is to ask the people that live here what they think. With this in mind, the City of Richmond is pleased to announce the 2015 Community Survey! In the next few weeks, you may be notified that you have been selected to give input that will help the City improve the level of government services and the future of your community. Questionnaires will be sent to a random sample of 3,000 Richmond residents, asking them to comment on the community’s pressing needs and city services.
The purpose of the survey is to help City officials evaluate services, measure resident satisfaction with current services, and to help plan for Richmond’s future. The results from the survey will be included in a final report available to all City officials, staff and residents.
If you are selected, please return the survey before the stated deadline. If you know someone that receives one, please encourage them to fill it out and return it. Your input can help make the City of Richmond a better place to live, work and play. Feel free to contact the City Manager’s Office with your questions at 510-620-6512.
- Wet Weather Storage Basin Project
The Wet Weather Storage Project will allow the City to store wastewater during periods of heavy rain in order to reduce large-volume sewer overflows into San Francisco Bay. Progress continues to be made on construction of the wet weather pump station and storage tank. The concrete roof of the pump station is complete, and plastic liners are being installed on the interior concrete chamber walls. At the tank site, the tank walls and concrete roof have been formed and poured. The contractor is beginning to wrap the concrete tank with steel cable, which will be tightened to provide strength to the tank walls. The new 36-inch diameter pipeline that connects the pump station and tank has been installed, and foundations are being constructed for supporting facilities such as a new electrical building. Construction will continue through the fall of 2015.
- Inventor’s Workshop at the Library
Families with children in grades K-8 are invited to an Inventor's Workshop at the Main Branch of the Richmond Public Library. Offered by staff from the Lawrence Hall of Science, Inventor's Workshops offer hands-on engineering activities designed to engage the entire family.
Using a few simple materials and a lot of ingenuity, participants will explore how engineering and physics come together to make a miniature catapult. Kids can work alone or collaborate to construct and fine-tune their launching machines. Best of all, they get to take their catapult home!
This event is free, requires no advance registration, and will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2015 from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM in the Madeline F. Whittlesey Community Room. The Community Room is adjacent to the Library, at 325 Civic Center Plaza in Richmond. To get to the Community Room, enter from the courtyard to the left of the main entrance.
For more information, please call (510) 620-6557 or visit us at www.richmondlibrary.org. The library is wheelchair accessible. Se habla español.
 
- Comedy Event to Support Richmond Museum
Richmond's own Ronnie Schell returns for a comedy show to benefit the Richmond Museum Association. Comedy Central featuring Ronnie Schell, Will Durst, Kivi Rogers and David Gee on Sunday April 26, 2015 puts the fun back in fundraiser! Tickets are only $30 and are selling faster than a pancake on the SS Red Oak Victory!! Buy your tickets today before the shows sell out!
Tickets to the Ronnie Schell and his Funny Friends can be purchased in three ways. Buy your tickets online now, call 510-235-7387 to buy over the phone, or buy in person at the Richmond Museum of History gift shop! Click here to purchase tickets to the 2:00 PM show or the 7:30 PM show.
All proceeds from this event go to support general operations of the Richmond Museum Association, a 501c3 organization. For more information about Ronnie Schell and his Funny Friends please call the Richmond Museum of History at 510-235-7387.
As always, thank you for your support of the Richmond Museum Association!
- Fire Department Joint Operations Drill with the National Guard
Members of the Richmond Fire Department, East Bay Incident Management Team, and National Guard recently conducted briefings and developed incident action plans to deal with a simulated “weapons of mass destruction incident.” The East Bay Incident Management Team is comprised of fire agencies throughout the Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. An incident of this magnitude requires multiple agencies working jointly over extended periods of time, and involves a considerable amount of organizing of resources at various governmental levels (local, state and federal agencies).
Members of the Joint Operation Center Command Staff monitor developing the plan
The coordination and effort to ensure a rapid and reliable response to large scale events requires regular training, both independently and collaboratively. Each agency must have the technical competency to arrive at such incidents capable of inserting themselves as part of the Command Team or as responders. These exercises develop all responders to speak a common language, define roles and responsibilities, and gain familiarity with each agency’s equipment.
Responders simulating decontamination procedures after an incident
- 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 June 2015.
During the week of April 13th, crews continued the installation of formwork for the raised sidewalks, concrete was be poured for the roadway median underneath and south of the bridge and traffic signal work is substantially complete. For the week of April 20th, concrete pours for the raised sidewalks will commence, the pumps will be lowered into place in the pump station, and the final transition wall pour is scheduled. With this wall complete, roadway construction can begin.
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
Sidewalk formwork placement and roadway median finishing
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.
Much of the time during the past week was spent reviewing City department budget proposals as we prepare the proposed FY 2015-16 budget for the City Council. Other activities and meeting topics during the past week included:
- Met with the Richmond Promise ad hoc working group, including Vice-Mayor Jael Myrick, WCCUSD Boardmember Madeline Kronenberg, City staff, and non-profit partners, to review status of the program, and to hear a presentation from representatives from Contra Costa College regarding how they might assist with the program development;
- Met with representatives from the Baywalk residential development to discuss project status;
- Attended the second community workshop on the Housing Element and Just Cause for Eviction policy;
- Met, together with Public Works Director Yader Bermudez, with representatives from the Hilltop property owners stakeholders group to discuss maintenance issues and the Hilltop Landscape Maintenance District administration;
- Attended the monthly Council of Industries luncheon meeting;
- Met with the City Council ad hoc Education Committee (Councilmembers McLaughlin and Martinez [Vice Mayor Myrick was unable to attend) to review the status of programs and projects impacting education and items of joint interest with the school district;
- Attended the weekly meeting with Housing program staff to review HUD compliance issues;
- Met with representatives from the Safe Return Team to discuss housing policies with respect to formerly incarcerated individuals.
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
- Consolidated Plan and Funding Priorities for CDBG/HOME Funds
The City of Richmond is in the process of updating its Five Year Consolidated Plan for the use of fiscal year 2015-2016 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. The Consolidated Plan and proposed funding priorities will be presented during the May 5th City Council meeting.
The City Council meeting will provide an opportunity for interested parties to make any comments regarding the proposed uses of CDBG and HOME funds. The Consolidated Plan is posted on the City website at:
http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/Index.aspx?NID=98.
The Housing and Community Development will also open a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for prior years’ unused funds on Wednesday, April 15th. For further information, please register on BidsOnline™ at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/bids to receive the actual NOFA. The application deadline is May 15, 2015. Any questions regarding registering on BidsOnline™ can be directed to Ofelia Alvarez in the City’s Purchasing division at: ofelia_alvarez@ci.richmond.ca.us.
The Friends of the Richmond Public Library and Richmond Public Library Teen Services are co-sponsoring a $1,000 scholarship to a Richmond resident who is a senior high public or private school student and will be attending a four-year college in the fall of 2015.
Interested applicants should:
- Provide a copy of a letter of intent/registration to the college they will be attending.
- Include the names of any service/social organization(s) in which they participated.
- Provide the names and amounts of other scholarships awarded.
- Submit a three-page, double spaced, typed essay entitled, Public Libraries in the New Millennium: Programs and Resources that Attract Teens.
Applications will be available in counseling offices at West County high schools and online at www.richmondlibrary.org. Entries must be received by Saturday, May 16th, by 5:00 PM at: Richmond Public Library, 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, Attn: Angela Cox.
- Young Artists Repertory Series
East Bay Center's next 25th Annual Young Artists Repertory Series installment will take place on Saturday, April 25th at 7:00 PM. It is a special series because it provides one of the only opportunities to enjoy more than one resident company on the same stage in the same evening. Performances will be provided by: Iron Triangle Urban Ballet, Richmond Chamber Ensemble, Richmond Jazz Collective, Son de la Tierra, Voices of Reason, Iron Triangle Theater Company, and West African Music & Dance Ensemble.
Saturday, April 25, 2015 7:00 PM
Iron Triangle Theater
Iron Triangle Urban Ballet
For additional updates and information, please visit the East Bay Center’s website at www.eastbaycenter.org.
The suggested donation for tickets is $15 General; $5 children 12 and under/students/seniors 65 and older. Diploma students get in for free!
(Please note that the East Bay Center welcomes all and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.)
You can reserve your tickets on www.brownpapertickets.com
Where: East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, 339 11th Street at Macdonald Avenue, downtown Richmond
Parking: Secured lot across the street from venue, (entrance at Nevin & 12th Street) - $4 for the evening.
- Leaders from Northern California to Convene in Richmond to Discuss Challenges and Solutions to the Diversity and Gender Gaps in STEM Careers
Lack of diversity in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields received national attention recently when the largest technology companies in the country released their diversity numbers. Across the board, African Americans and Latinos made up barely 2% of the workforce. And although women make up more than 50% of college graduates, they represent less than 30% of those working in STEM fields.
This year’s Northern California Summit on Children and Youth, an event that is organized annually by the Richmond Community Foundation, will focus on the complex topic of “Bridging the STEM Diversity Gap – Building the Next Generation Workforce.” The summit will be held on April 30th in the Richmond Auditorium, and will convene more than 200 educators, community organizations, community leaders, elected officials, businesses, and area foundations to share innovative approaches, research driven models, and best practices for building STEM career pathways for our children and youth. The goal of the summit is to demonstrate successful STEM pathways and replicate and scale them up throughout the Bay Area.
The summit will open at 9:00 AM with a welcome by Vice Mayor Jael Myrick, who is launching a local initiative to support President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper Initiative”. The Opening Plenary Panel features Dr. Helen Benjamin, Chancellor for the Contra Costa Community College District, Darien Louie, Executive Director of the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, and Miriam Karpilow, University Programs Manager for Pandora, Inc. Sunne McPeak, President and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund, will moderate the panel.
Erik Moore, Founder and Managing Director for Base Ventures, a company investing in seed-stage technology companies, will be the keynote speaker, and will describe “The Long Walk from Richmond to Silicon Valley.”
The concluding session for the Summit, “I Bridged the Gap,” features a panel of STEM field leaders who will describe their experiences overcoming challenges to pursue careers in STEM-related fields.
Experts from a variety of STEM fields will also present workshops that focus on challenges, learnings and opportunities in STEM education and STEM-related fields, and demonstrate successful programs in practice. An “Interactive Resource Village” will feature information and interactive exhibits from organizations including Chabot Space and Science Center, Contra Costa College, Community Resources for Science, Richmond Solar and Nerd Crossing.
For more information about the Summit program, or to register, visit: Summit.
- Information Technology (IT) Department Updates
Website Statistics: Top 10 Webpage visits for the week ending April 14, 2015:
Facebook Statistics
Weekly total reached increased by 162.7%
People engaged increased by 121.3%
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.
What is the history of EARTH DAY? What activities have you participated in at this event in Richmond? 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.
For more information about the City of Richmond’s Facebook page, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Richmond-CA-Local- Government/139438544014?v=wall
Booker T. Anderson Community Center
The Booker T. Anderson Community Center will host the weekly Community Build Park Program planning meetings for the John F. Kennedy Park rebuild. Beginning, April 22nd, the meetings will be held every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM and will culminate with rebuilding the park on Make a Difference Day, Saturday, October 24th, 2015.
The Eastshore Neighborhood Council held the Lovie McIntosh Annual Easter Egg Hunt*on Saturday, April 4th at the Booker T. Anderson Park. The event is possible through donations raised by the Neighborhood Council. The annual event is always popular and, this year, over 200 were in attendance. There was a dance contest for various ages, a DJ, face painting, a jumper, free food, and an Easter Basket giveaway. The Fire Department participated and the Police Department gave a K9 demonstration. It was a great community event and the children left with smiling faces.
*Correction to City Manager’s Weekly Report for the Week Ending April 10th, 2015
Disabled People’s Recreation Center
Spring break is a great opportunity to combine all levels of programs together and enjoy each other’s company. Monday began the week with recycling at the Richmond Rod and Gun Club. Everyone pitched in to collect bottles and cans, and then sorted all the items to take to the Recycling Center in Richmond. Tuesday, everyone enjoyed music and began making sun catchers to sell at the Senior Information and Health Fair. Wednesday was spent with time at Hilltop Mall, hunting for after-Easter sales; and yes, some good ones were found. Thursday was spring cleaning, and, although there was much to do, everyone had fun through the accomplishments. Friday, a day at Sun Valley Mall began with visiting the participant’s favorite shops, having lunch at the venue of their choice, walking the entire mall and experiencing the shaved ice at Ohana Brothers. It was a great week!
Senior Centers
The Richmond Senior Center had a special birthday celebration for Desiree Grayson, who maintains the facility during the week.
The Annex Senior Center continues the Gentle Gym program every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Another popular program is the time spent playing the card game, Bridge. It is among everyone’s favorite, classic card game, providing hours of challenge.
Shields Reid Community Center
Play ball! Twenty participants from the Shields Reid Spring Break Camp attended the Oakland A’s vs. Texas Rangers game on Thursday, April 9th. Though the A’s lost 10-0, the children had a great time in the sun and in the Little A’s batting cages.
May Valley Community Center
During the Spring Break Camp at May Valley Community Center, children especially enjoyed the many new outdoor games and sports planned by the May Valley staff, with the highlight being the boys vs. girls hockey game. Other camp activities included coloring eggs and traveling to the Hilltop Cinema to see a movie. The camp saw new participants to the programs forging new friendships.
Richmond Plunge
The recent constuction and updates surrounding the facility have been a welcome change and swimmers are considerably happy. The new walkway and bike lane are near completion. Soon, swimmers will be able to enjoy a walk after their swim to Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline using the updated and expanded walkway. Our mushroom fountain outside the Plunge received a beautiful refurbishment and finish last week.
Construction has begun on the West Side Library Roof. The old damaged roof will be removed and replaced. The library will be open on a modified schedule to accommodate construction. The roof should be completed by the end of May 2015.
Facilities Mainenance Division: Electricians installed a new flag pole lighting in front of 450 Civic Center Plaza, replaced the traffic light at Hensley Avenue and Richmond Parkway, installed a new circuit for the park irrigation controller at Shields Reid Park, replaced street light wiring on Carlson Boulevard for street lighting, and completed conduit installation for new flag pole lights at Fire Station #63.
Flag Pole Lighting Installation
Street Light Repair on Richmond Parkway
Utility Workers did outdoor web cleaning throughout Civic Center Plaza, and cleaned the upholstery at the West Side Library along with servicing 29 City owned facilities.
Web Cleaning in Civic Center Plaza
Parks and Landscaping Division: General maintenance crews repaired the vandalized fence at John F. Kennedy Park, cleaned the median on Castro Street, removed fence fabric and lights from old tennis courts at Nicholl Park, placed a mosaic garbage can, performed maintenance on San Joaquin Avenue, irrigation at the Main Library, repaired bathroom door at Nicholl Park, maintenance and tree removal at the Solano Play Lot, cut 51st Street along fencing, replaced leaky valves at Booker T. Anderson and Triangle Parks, performed maintenance at Booker T. Anderson Park, and repaired the broken gate at Boorman Park.
Fence Removal at Nicholl Park
Hilltop District crews started weed abatement on the north side of the Giant Road exit of Richmond Parkway, continued work at the AM/PM landscaping project, completed maintenance on Richmond Parkway from the causeway to Hilltop Drive, mulched at Vista Del Mar and worked in the high fire zone areas.
Off Ramp Weed Abatement
Marina District crews removed a pine tree, weed abated along trails and painted park furnishings.
Pine Tree Removal
Tree crews cut or trimmed trees on or around: Washington Street, Lucas Avenue, 7th Street, Kelsey Avenue and Grove Street.
Tree Trimming
Streets Division: Paving staff worked on potholes on the Richmond Parkway, patched a portion of the 2nd Street Park, worked from the outstanding pothole list, and attended training.
2nd Street Park
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the second Monday and Tuesday and the third Wednesday through Friday in the May Valley, Vista View, Clinton Hill I – III, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay, Point Richmond neighborhood council areas. Crews also swept portions of the Richmond Parkway.
Sweeping on the Richmond Parkway
Signs and Lines staff installed 35 new signs and poles, repaired 65 signs and poles, placed pavement markers such as stop messages buttons and crosswalks, and repainted 176’ of curb.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.
Have a great week!
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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