Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending April 22, 2016.
The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26th beginning with a Closed Session at 6:00 PM, with the regular agenda commencing at 6:30 PM. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: Richmond City Council Agenda Packet.
- 2. Y-PLAN Presentations at Kennedy, De Anza and Richmond High Schools
Y- PLAN (Youth - Plan, Learn, Act, Now!) is a unique, award-winning educational strategy that empowers young people to tackle real-world problems in their communities through project-based civic learning experiences. Y-PLAN has partnered with the City of Richmond since 2007. Ideas garnered from students involved in the Y-Plan process at their high schools in the past continue to be implemented by the City as part of numerous projects and programs.
Please join community members, educators, and city leaders to hear this year’s students from De Anza, Kennedy, and Richmond high schools present findings and proposals for improving health, including mental health and digital connectivity, in Richmond. The presentations will take place Monday, April 25, 2016, from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Richmond Civic Center Auditorium (403 Civic Center Plaza).
During this year’s effort, Y- PLAN worked in collaboration with community partners, including the Center for Cities and Schools at UC Berkeley, the City of Richmond, Richmond Main Street Initiative, the West Contra Costa Unified School District and Contra Costa Health Services. For more information, contact the Center for Cities + Schools at (510) 642-7155 or www.citiesandschools.berkeley.edu.
- 3. Leaders from Northern California to Convene in Richmond to Discuss Challenges and Solutions to Building the Next Generation Workforce
The Richmond Community Foundation is partnering with West Contra Costa Unified School District to present the 7th Annual Northern California Summit on Children and Youth, Building the Next Generation Workforce, which takes place on May 17th at the Craneway Pavilion from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. This year’s event will feature a career fair for students and teachers, an ideal way to incorporate participation from the target population of underserved youth and students of color.
The Summit will ensure that our communities are ready to fill the employment opportunities available in our region in coming years, including health care, information and communication technology, biotech and many other vocations. In addition to presenting engaging workforce programs that actively train and develop young people for careers, the Summit explores academic, vocational, training, and mentoring programs targeting underserved youth and community college students.
The Summit will include inspiring speakers and presentations from programs throughout the Bay Area, including Marc Philpart from PolicyLink, Sherice Torres from Google, and Joseph Fortuno, a recent graduate of Hercules High School, as well as concurrent sessions and roundtable discussions to tackle challenges and opportunities.
For more information about the Summit program, or to register, visit: Summit 2016.
- 4. Launch of Tool Library Initiative in Richmond
We’re at 41% of our goal!
The Richmond Tool Library is a free service that will provide community members with building, landscaping, and artistic tools to be self-sufficient, take agency over their neighborhoods, and build a more sustainable Richmond. This initiative is the brain-child of Kiana Ward and Guadalupe Morales, two of Richmond’s diligent AmeriCorps fellows.
The crowdfunding campaign for the Richmond Tool Library is now live, and you can donate to the campaign at: https://www.ioby.org/project/richmond-tool-library
The first phase of the initiative is the launch of the project’s crowdfunding campaign to raise $12,598 by May 12th to purchase the remaining inventory of tools as well as a second tool shed. With insurance and fiscal sponsorship from the local non-profit Urban Tilth, and support from the City’s Recreation Department,local labor unions, hardware stores, and individual sponsors, the crowdfunding campaign aims to get financial support from the community that the program will serve.
Check out the video to learn more about the crowdfunding campaign! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGOBN3alGi8
If you would like to donate tools, please contact Guadalupe Morales at 510-620-6553 or email guadalupe_morales@ci.richmond.ca.us
Tool-gether, we can build a better Richmond.
- 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.
Much of my time this past week was spent in working on the FY 2016-17 budget and related organizational issues. Other meetings of note during the past week included:
- Met with Councilmembers Jovanka Beckles and Jael Myrick, together with Housing Director Tim Jones, to discuss standards for future management contracts for Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) converted properties;
- Met with staff from several City departments to review the final Berkeley Global Campus Community Working Group recommendations;
- Attended Police Chief Allwyn Brown’s swearing-in ceremony;
- Attended the monthly Council of Industries luncheon;
- Met with staff from the Planning and Building, Fire, Housing, Code Enforcement, Finance, and Information Technology departments to discuss coordination of housing inspections services;
- Participated in a conference call with Russ Branson, of PFM and the National Resource Network, together with Finance Director Belinda Warner, to discuss the five-year financial projection;
- Attended the PLUS Spring Forum hosted by The Center for Cities and Schools;
- Attended the first Board of Directors meeting of the Richmond Promise, Inc.
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. Richmond Public Library Teens College Scholarship
The Friends of the Richmond Public Library and the Richmond Public Library Teen Services are offering a $1,300 scholarship to a high school student that will attend a four-year college starting fall 2016. Students who are either residents of Richmond or attend a West Contra Costa County high school are eligible to apply. The scholarship is open to both public and private school students. Application forms and scholarship details are available at the Main Library (325 Civic Center Plaza), counseling or career offices West Contra Costa County high schools, and the library’s website: www.richmondlibrary.org.
Entries must be received by Saturday, April 30th, 2016, 5:00 PM
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- 7. Teacher Applauds Richmond Writes! Poetry Contest
The 6th Annual Richmond Writes! Poetry Awards ceremony honoring Richmond student poets was held on April 15th. Mayor Tom Butt joined Arts & Culture Manager Michele Seville, and the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission, in giving out the awards to elementary, middle, high school and LEAP students before a packed, standing-room-only audience of teachers, friends and families at the Richmond City Council Chambers.
Ms. Flanagan, a teacher from Nystrom Elementary School, sent a compelling letter of thanks commenting on the value of the arts in schools:
“Thank you for the wonderful Richmond Writes! anthology and award presentation. Having the Poetry Contest, and honoring the students for their poems, is such a terrific way to let students know that their self-expression and writing is valuable. The arts really change the students' attitude toward themselves, and toward school, for the better. I guess this observation is not news to you, but especially at the lower performing schools, the focus is on the standardized testing. I'm sure all the students will treasure the anthologies. This is a very big deal for us! Thank you again!”
Participating schools included Aspire Richmond California College Preparatory School, John F. Kennedy High School, Juan Crespi Middle School, LEAP, Lovonya DeJean Middle School, Nystrom Elementary School, Salesian College Preparatory School, Verde Elementary School, and Washington Elementary School.
The winners include: First Place: Jimena Villarreal, Gloria Zearett, Yvette Casias, Adriana Rosekrans, Alexander Calderon-Jenson, and Attallah Allan (all from Washington Elementary) ; Second Place: Amalia Clark, Citlali Mendo, Jimena Villarreal, Monsieur Roberts, and Zoe Thorp (all from Washington Elementary); Meylan Gutierrez - Nystrom Elementary; Third Place: Selena Hairston, Liam Flagerman, Anahi Ramirez Vargus, Steen Madsen, and Abigail Hackworth (all from Washington Elementary); Special Merit Award: Paola Rojas – JFK High School.
 
- 8. Richmond-ECIA Community Grant Program Application Now Available!
The Richmond – ECIA Competitive Grant Program is funded through the Chevron Modernization Project Environmental and Community Investment Agreement (ECIA) that was entered into between the City of Richmond and Chevron. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $75,000 will be awarded to Richmond-serving organizations that provide projects or programs focused on the Richmond community, youth, and youth sports. Applications are due on Monday, May 2 at 5:00 PM the City of Richmond City Manager’s Office (450 Civic Center Plaza, Third Floor).
For general information or grant related documents please visit www.ci.richmond.ca.us/eciagrants.
- 9. Tenant and Landlord Resource List
Because of the very difficult housing rental market, the Richmond City Council asked that staff prepare a list of resources that are currently available to assist renters and landlords to advise them of their rights and responsibilities, and that might be of assistance in resolving conflicts over rent increases and other issues.
Resource lists in both English and Spanish are now available on the City’s Housing Policy webpage: housing resources.
We welcome suggestions for other resources to be included on this list.
- 10. Information Technology
Website
Top 10 Webpage views for the week ending 04/22/2016
Twitter Statistics
KCRT DATANET OF THE WEEK:
City of Richmond Website and Mobile APP UPDATE
An upgraded version of the City of Richmond’s mobile phone app is now available on the Apple App store and Google Play store.
The City of Richmond mobile app provides Richmond’s community members with one-stop access to City services and information. You may watch the informational video for an overview of the app available for free at Apple App Store for IOS devices and at Google Play for Android phones.
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.
- 11. Recreation Highlights
Community Center Egg Hunts:
Spring Break Camp was memorable for the May Valley Community Center. Twenty participants attended camp each day from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Recreation staff planned a variety of fun games and activities to keep campers active. Campers’ favorite activities from the week included a Tie-Dye project and a BBQ picnic with friends.
   
Booker T. Anderson Community Center invites you to join in the fun with the line dancing class every Wednesday from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Classes are $5 per season or $20 for the year. We’ll see you soon!
- 12. Department of Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations (DIMO) and Engineering/CIP Departments (formerly Public Works)
The Public Works, Engineering and Code Enforcement/Abatement departments have been reorganized. They are now the Department of Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations (DIMO) and the Engineering and Capital Projects Department (Engineering/CIP).
- Yader Bermudez will assume responsibilities as Director of Engineering and Capital Improvements, and will have overall management responsibility for the City’s capital improvement programs. He will continued his management responsibilities for managing the overall right-of-way maintenance (street and sidewalk repair, pavement management, signs and lines, street sweeping), including oversight of the City’s in-house paving crew. He will also have management responsibility for the City’s traffic and general civil engineering functions, and for encroachment permits.
- Tim Higares, currently the City’s Code Enforcement Manager, will assume the role as Director of Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations. In this role, he will have overall management responsibility for code enforcement, abatement services, facilities management, parks and landscaping maintenance, equipment services, and property/asset management. In addition to his excellent work as the Code Enforcement Manager, Mr. Higares has significant prior public works maintenance experience.
Facilities Maintenance
Utility workers scrubbed floors at Booker T. Anderson Community Center, set up the Auditorium and Council Chambers for various events and maintained 29 facilities.
Floor Scrubbing at Booker T. Anderson Community Center
Electricians repaired a burnt traffic signal controller at 33rd Street and Macdonald Avenue, relamped the light and flag poles in Civic Center Plaza, replaced lights in the basement of the Auditorium, fixed the street lights on Richmond Parkway between Lakeside Drive and Blume Drive, removed traffic cabinet for construction on Nevin Avenue and repaired knockdowns at Hilltop Drive/Richmond Parkway and San Pablo Avenue/Macdonald Avenue.
Cabinet Removal on Nevin Avenue
Parks and Landscaping Division:
General maintenance crews weeded the picnic area at Nicholl Park, continued with median maintenance along Cutting Boulevard, performed irrigation repair at Lamoine and Nicholl Parks, weed on island at 37th Street and Wall Avenue, delivered trash cans for an art project, weeded on Cypress Pathway and Heavenly Ridge Road, repaired play equipment at Rain Cloud Park, completed maintenance at Clinton Play Lot, repaired irrigation at Hilltop Park, and weed abated the North Richmond Ballfield.
Median Maintenance on Carlson Boulevard
Median Maintenance on Cutting Boulevard
The tree crew cut or trimmed trees on South 16th Street, Bissell Avenue, Broadway, Lucas Avenue, 34th Street, Santa Clara Avenue, Carlson Boulevard, Macdonald Avenue, Hartnett Avenue, Cutting Boulevard, and at Marina Green and Martin Luther King, Jr. Parks.
Hilltop Districtcrews continued general maintenance of the Hilltop area, weed abatement of right-a-ways in various areas, repaired damaged sign and completed weed abatement along Richmond Parkway.
Sign Repair in Hilltop
Marina Districtcrews continue to perform weed abatement throughout the area, mowed and edged turf, and checked irrigation systems.
Streets Division:
Paving crews completed the paving of Morwood Drive, began paving and grinding on South 21st Street from Ohio Avenue to Maine Avenue and worked from the outstanding pothole/sidewalk list.
 
Morwood Drive Paving
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the third Monday through Thursday and the fourth Friday in the North Richmond, Iron Triangle, North Belding Woods, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Richmond Annex, Parkview, Panhandle Annex and Eastshore neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines staff installed 11 new poles and signs, painted 893 feet of curbs, repaired 31 signs and poles and installed 13 pavement message and delineations including stop messages.
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
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