Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending December 16, 2016.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 20th beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, followed by the special meeting of the Richmond Housing Authority at 6:25 PM, and with the regular City Council agenda at 6:30 PM. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: Richmond City Council Agenda Packet.
- 2. City Hall – Holiday Closure
As a reminder, Richmond City Hall and other programs and facilities, will be closed during the week between the Christmas holiday and the New Year’s holiday (Monday December 26th through Monday, January 2nd). During this period, there will be a substantially reduced maintenance capability. As always, City staff members will be available to respond to emergencies
- 3. Help the Community Services Department Better Serve You
The Community Services Department (formerly Recreation Department) wants to hear from you! The department is currently conducting a survey regarding our programs and facilities. We want to know how we can better serve you and your family through recreational opportunities. Please find and share a copy of the survey here: Community Services Department Survey.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to provide your input by Friday, January 13, 2017. Your responses and identity will remain confidential. The compiled results will be shared with the Richmond community and will be a critical part of our service planning. If you have any questions, please contact Rochelle Monk, Community Services Director, at (510) 620-6511 or rochelle_monk@ci.richmond.ca.us.
- 4. Help Us Update the 2016-2021 Five-Year Strategic Business Plan
The City of Richmond is currently updating its Five-Year Strategic Business Plan (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1785/Five-Year-Strategic-Business-Plan), with an outlook through the year 2021. The Strategic Business Plan was developed to help the City implement actions outlined in the General Plan 2030, as well as other priority issues that impact the quality of life for residents. We would be grateful to hear your ideas for projects/programs on which the City should focus during the next five years (between 2016-2021).
Please go to the City’s webpage, click on the Community Voice icon and look under the “Economic Development Ideas” area to locate the question regarding the Strategic Business Plan (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/CommunityVoice/Ideas?initiativeID=Economic-Development-Ideas-1). Suggestions collected by Monday, January 9, 2017 will be shared with the City Council for possible incorporation into the updated plan.
- 5. City Manager Chronicles
I have listed below some of the topics for meetings that I attended during the past week in the hope that it provides an idea of the varied issues with which our organization deals routinely.
Meetings of note during the past two weeks included:
- Reviewed a budget reporting and analysis software, together with Finance Director Belinda Warner;
- Met with representatives from the City’s various bargaining units, together with Human Resources Director Lisa Stephenson and her staff, to discuss strategies for funding retiree medical payment programs (OPEB);
- Met, along with Planning Director Richard Mitchell and development consultant Alan Wolken, with Alexis Gervorkian, the developer of several residential projects in the City;
- Attended the Richmond Community Foundation holiday event;
- Met, together with Planning Director Richard Mitchell, with Rajiv Parikh, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Real Estate at UC Berkeley, and Emily Marthinsen, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Physical & Environmental Planning and Campus Architecture at UC Berkeley, to discuss development opportunities in Richmond;
- Met with West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Matt Duffy, and members of his staff, along with Senior Management Analyst LaShonda White, Planning Director Richard Mitchell, Housing Director Tim Jones, and Finance Director Belinda Warner, to discuss housing programs for teachers.
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.
- 6. Poetry Reading at Kaleidoscope Café
Richmond’s Kaleidoscope Café hosted an evening of poetry on Sunday evening, December 10th. The poetry reading was organized by Daniel Ari, a Neighborhood Public Art grant recipient in 2016. His project, Richmond Anthology of Poetry (RAP) gathered together poets from Richmond, collected their work for a book, and published the collection with illustrations by Lauren Ari, Daniel’s wife.
Thirty Richmond poets recited original poems to a welcoming overflow crowd at Kaleidoscope, which features open mics, local musicians, and local artists as well as good food and beverages. Michele Seville, Arts & Culture Manager, gave background on the Neighborhood Public Art grant program.
Ari’s project, which lasted about eight months, provided an opportunity for local poets to gather, share, and critique each other’s work in his home.
The book layout is by Jan Brown of Spokewise, also of Richmond, and printed by Norfolk Press of San Francisco. The full title of the book is The 2017 Richmond Anthology of Poetry: 62 Voices from California's City of Pride and Purpose. The cover price is $15. Poets all receive a free copy and may purchase extra copies at $12 poet's rate.
The book is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1600521355. NorfolkPress.com will also have the book for sale. Or order from Daniel Ari at richmondpoetry@sonic.net.
- 7. Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance
The next increase in the City of Richmond’s minimum wage increase goes into effect on January 1, 2017. Effective on that date, the minimum wage as set forth in Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance (RMC 7.108) will be $12.30/hour (compared to $10.50/hour for the State of California effective 2017, and the current $11.52/hour which went into effect in Richmond on January 1, 2016). The Minimum Wage Ordinance applies to any employee who works two or more hours per week.
To advise the business community of this upcoming change, the Employment and Training staff posted notices announcing the increase on KCRT and the City’s website. Packets were mailed to over 1,000 businesses and to the Richmond Chamber of Commerce members to inform them of the change. The information packet includes versions of the official notice in various languages 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 two week period need not pay the City’s minimum wage until they pay over 800 hours or more of employee labor in a two week period. This is the next of three annual increases that will max out at $13.00/hour on January 1, 2018.
For questions and concerns, please contact Gina Baker at (510) 307-8011.
- 8. Community Services Highlights
Love Your Block Orientation- Year 2
On Thursday, December 8th, the Love Your Block team met with their 2016/2017 mini-grant recipients for the first time since their selection. The orientation took place in City Hall’s Richmond Room and opened with a few words from Community Services Director, Rochelle Monk, and Mayor Tom Butt's Chief of Staff, Alex Knox. AmeriCorps VISTA members Stephanie Ny and Nadia Perez then proceeded with a timeline, requirements, and support guides for the next five months (the scope of grant projects). This event was just the first step in helping move these community projects forward and ensuring their success in building a healthier, more livable, and safer Richmond.
Shields-Reid
Shields Reid Achieve Afterschool Program attended the Nutcracker Ballet in Oakland on Sunday, December 11. Before the show, 18 girls, and staff, were treated to a tea party with the ballerinas backstage. The girls from Shields Reid were excited to meet real ballet dancers and dream of being on stage some day with sugar plum fairies and ice queens.
 
- 9. Information Technology
Website Statistics
For the week ending 12/16/2016
Facebook Statistics
Page likes are up.
Twitter Statistics
Tweets increased by 15.2%
Tweet impressions increased by 11.5%
Profile visits increased by 11.3%
Followers are up
KCRT DATANET OF THE WEEK:
City of Richmond Mobile APP UPDATE
The City of Richmond’s mobile phone app is available on the Apple App store and Google Play store. It makes a great holiday gift – especially since it’s free!
This City of Richmond mobile app provides Richmond’s community members with one-stop access to City services and information via mobile devices. The app allows quick and real-time reporting of neighborhood-related issues; viewing the City’s Events Calendar; finding addresses and phone numbers of local businesses, city departments and council members. Locating one of Richmond’s numerous parks, and welcoming libraries and community centers, including reserving rental space for that special occasion are all done with ease!
You may view the City’s mobile app on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i4W1wVvB9fw
The City of Richmond is looking forward to feedback from the community on this upgraded Mobile App. We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us.
- 10. Engineering/CIP Departments
Capital Improvement Projects:
The Auditorium Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements are progressing well. The elevator glass has been installed and the elevator is almost complete.
Auditorium Elevator
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) entrance project continues to press forward despite weather conditions. The sidewalks have been laid and construction continues on the remainder of the entrance.
BART Entrance Project
Streets Division:
Paving crews worked from the outstanding pothole list utilizing hot mix patching, filled sand bags, and performed storm patrol.
Hot Mix Potholing on Shane Drive
Street sweeping staff performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the second Monday through Wednesday and the third Thursday and Friday in the May Valley, Vista View, Clinton Hill I – III, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay, and Point Richmond neighborhood council areas as weather permitted.
Signs and Lines staff repaired 27 signs and poles, installed nine new signs and poles, fabricated 22 new signs, painted 142 feet of pavement and installed nine pavement markings.
- 11. Infrastructure Maintenance and Operations
Abatement:
Abatement crews abated I-80/Central underpass, removed a homeless encampment from the rear of 2800 Esmond Ave, removed graffiti and tons of illegal dumping from various locations around the city.
 
 
Illegal Dumping Removed
 
Graffiti Removal
Code Enforcement:
Code Enforcement Officer Tisdell received a report of illegally dumped garbage and debris on the 700 block of So. 29th Street. Mail and other correspondence was retrieved from the debris. The suspect was contacted and informed that they would be responsible for the illegal dumping and they returned to remove the debris.
So. 29th Street Illegal Dumping
Facilities Maintenance:
Carpenters continue to clean and repair the drop ceiling at Fire Station #66, and repaired the roof of the Richmond Museum.
Painters continued painting at the Annex Senior Center.
Utility Workers scrubbed and waxed floors at the Main Library, set up various rooms for events, and maintained 29 City owned facilities.
Floor Waxing at the Main Library
Electricians repaired the traffic signal at Harbour Way and Chanslor Avenue, restored lighting to path bollards in the Marina, addressed knock down at Hilltop Drive and Rober H. Miller Drive, repaired lighting in the Barrett Avenue underpass, installed a protective sand barrel at Marina Bay Parkway and Regatta Boulevard and continued to support the Nevin Avenue Streetscape project.
Barrett Avenue Underpass Lighting Repair
Parks and Landscaping Division:
General maintenance crews replaced a backflow meter on San Pablo Avenue, repaired irrigation at Burg Park, fixed broken fixtures of the Nicholl Park restroom, repaired the play equipment at Burg Park, and continued with trimming and mulching at Civic Center Plaza.
Burg Park Play Equipment Repair
The tree crew cut or trimmed trees on 18th Street, 23rd Street, 35th Street, 36th Street, Staton Avenue, Robert Miller Drive, Ohio Avenue, and Rheem Drive. Trimmed or cut trees at Barbara and Jay Vincent Park, Marina Green Park, and the Marina right-of-way.
Tree Cutting in the Marina
Hilltop District crews continued weed abatement on the Richmond Parkway, performed maintenance on Blume Drive, ground tree stumps on Blume Drive, begain maintance on the center medians of Blume Drive, continued maintenance around Hilltop Mall business area, and performed general maintenance around Country Club Vista and Bay Vista Parks.
Marina District crews repaired a fence at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, weeded planter beds, ordered new lids to replace stolen lids, painted refuse cans and barbeque pits, and sowed wildflower seeds throughout the Marina.
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
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