Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the weekly report for the week ending June 3, 2016.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7th beginning with Closed Session at 5:00 PM, followed by a Special Budget Study and Action Session at 5:30 PM, and with the regular meetings of the Richmond Housing Authority and the Richmond City Council commencing at 6:25 PM and 6:30 PM, respectively. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: Richmond City Council Agenda Packet.
- 2. Voter Drop-Off Boxes Available at City Hall Until June 7th
Residents can save postage and time with an expanded vote-by-mail program. Contra Costa residents will find it easier to vote in the upcoming June 7th Primary Election, as the Contra Costa Elections Office and city clerks countywide are providing convenient “CoCo Vote-N-Go” drop off locations, prior to and on Election Day.
The secure, steel drop-off boxes have been placed at all Contra Costa city halls and the County Administration Building, located at 651 Pine Street in Martinez. The distinguishable red boxes are available during normal city business hours. Postage is not required with the drop-off box service.
The City of Richmond drop-off box is located at 450 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 300 (City Manager’s Office).
Contra Costa voters can drop their ballot at any city hall, regardless of where they live. City staff members will have the popular “I Voted” stickers available for those who drop off their ballots.
- 3. Richmond Promise Scholars Celebration
On Thursday, June 4th, the Richmond Promise hosted its first annual Richmond Promise Scholars celebration to honor the nearly 400 students who will be making up the program’s inaugural class. Hundreds of students and family members joined together in the Richmond Auditorium to receive their official Promise graduation cords to wear at their respective commencement ceremonies, and to celebrate their accomplishments as they move on to the next important phase in their life journey. Key note speakers, including El Cerrito High’s Crystal Carter, Kennedy High’s Moises Garcia, Erik Moore, and Sarah Espinoza Salamanca (a member of Forbes’ 30 under 30 list), joined officials from the City, School District, California legislature, and United States Congress to make it a very special evening.
For more information on the event and the Richmond Promise, please visit http://www.richmondpromise.org/.
- 4. Richmond Youth Council Hosts West County Youth Summit on June 4th
The City of Richmond’s Richmond Youth Council is hosting a West County Youth Summit at the Richmond Auditorium on Saturday, June 4th, at 10:00 AM. The goal of the Youth Summit is to provide Richmond’s youth with the opportunity to voice their opinions on the direction of their government, while also suggesting ideas to the Richmond Youth Council on how they can more effectively advocate for Richmond’s young people.
- 5. Healthy Village Festival is Coming to Downtown
Kick-start summer at the 7th annual Healthy Village Festival on Saturday, June 11th, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, at the Community Green Space Park (Harbour Way & Macdonald Avenue).
Come Downtown for family-fun activities all about health & wellness including: Produce Giveaway, Cooking Demo, Zumba, Arts & Crafts Activities, Bike Zone & Parking, Freshest Cargo Truck, Health Screenings & Info Booths, visits with Richmond Fire Fighters, Pony Rides, Free Books, Music and more!
Admission is free. For more information, please visit www.RichmondMainStreet.org or call (510) 236-4049.
- 6. 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 week included:
- Attended a field walk of the Chevron Richmond Refinery modernization project site, along with Senior Planner Lina Velasco, and members of the City’s regulatory project team;
- Met with staff members from the Finance Department, City Attorney’s Office, and the Risk Management Division to discuss cost-containment strategies in the City’s risk management programs;
- Met with staff members from the City Manager’s Office, the City Attorney’s Office, and the Port of Richmond to discuss coordination of various tasks necessary to accommodate ferry service coming into Richmond in 2018;
- Attended the Richmond Promise Scholars Celebration (see item [3] above);
- Met with LaShonda White, Senior Management Analyst in the City Manager’s Office, Community Services Director Rochelle Monk, Fire Chief Adrian Sheppard, Police Captain Bisa French, Office of Neighborhood Safety Director DeVone Boggan, and Neighborhood Change Agent Sam Vaughn to discuss five-year strategic planning objectives in public safety.
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.
- 7. FY2016-17 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget
This past week, staff presented to the City Council the updated draft budget for fiscal year 2016-17, which now reflects a projected deficit of $2.9 million in the General Fund. City departments continued with presentations on their programs/services, goals for the upcoming fiscal year, proposed budgets, expenditure reduction options, and potential service level impacts associated with those reductions. Staff will continue working to reduce the projected budget deficit with the goal of finalizing a structurally balanced budget for adoption.
- 8. 12th Street and Macdonald Avenue RFP/RFQ Pre-Proposal Tour
On Thursday, June 2nd, staff from the City Manager’s Office hosted a tour for developer’s interested in the submitting a proposal in response to the City’s Request for Proposal/Request for Qualifications for the 12th Street and Macdonald Avenue site. The tour included an overview of Richmond’s current development projects, a tour of the site property (including meetings with Richmond Main Street and the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts), and highlights of Richmond’s assets. More information on the City’s current RFP/RFQ’s can be found at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/OpportunitySites.
- 9. City Hosts Sign-Up Workshop: Free Home Solar Systems for Qualifying Richmond Residents
This past Wednesday, June 1st, the City of Richmond, in partnership with the nonprofit Grid Alternatives, hosted a sign-up workshop for Richmond’s new solar home energy program, funded through a partnership between the City of Richmond and the State of California. The program provides free solar energy systems for income qualifying Richmond homeowners. The sign-up event included a presentation of program details, an overview of the application process, information on Richmond’s Home Loan Improvement Program and a Question and Answer session. There were 22 households in attendance and, by the end of the evening, 15 households successfully submitted a complete application.
Interested Richmond homeowners who qualify for the program can still apply by visiting www.gridalternatives.org/richmond, or calling GRID Alternatives at (510) 731-1333. Due to the volume of interest, GRID Alternatives appreciates your patience as they respond to all inquiries.
If you are interested in the free home solar program but your roof is in need of structural repair, please contact Jene Levine-Snipes, Housing and Community Development Department, at (510) 307-8132 or by email at, jene_levine-snipes@ci.richmond.ca.us.
 
- 10. Assemblymember Thurmond Office Hours at City Hall
15th District Assemblymember Tony Thurmond will offer satellite office hours in
West Contra Costa County, including at Richmond City Hall. The Assemblymember’s staff representatives are available to meet with constituents by appointment on the following dates in West Contra Costa County. Please call (510) 286-1400, 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment or visit their website www.asmdc.org/members/a15.
Richmond:
- 1st Wednesday of each month from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM: June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2 and December 7
- 3rd Saturday of each month from 9:00 PM -12:00 PM: July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15 and November 19
San Pablo: May 25 and September 28 from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Hercules: June 22 and October 26 from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Pinole: July 27 from 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
El Cerrito: August 24 from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- 11. AC Transit Board of Directors Announce Summer Traveling Meeting Series
The AC Transit Board of Directors will hold meetings at several locations to afford bus riders and residents in other areas of the District a more convenient opportunity to attend and participate. Meetings will begin at 5:00 PM and the full meeting agenda and materials will be posted the Friday prior to each meeting at the following link: AC Transit Board of Directors Summer Traveling Meeting Series.
As at all board meetings, members of the public may comment on any item on the agenda. The public may also speak during “Public Comment” at the beginning of the meeting on items not on the agenda. All speakers are asked to fill out speaker forms, available at the meeting.
- 12. R-Transit is Now a Registered Transportation Provider with Medi-Cal
After a thorough and comprehensive review, the State of California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) approved the City of Richmond R-Transit (Paratransit) as a registered non-emergency ground transportation provider with Medi-Cal.
This approval means that Richmond can now more effectively address the mobility barriers faced by Richmond residents. R-Transit currently provides non-emergency medical trips to and from scheduled medical appointments, trips to hospitals emergency rooms, and transfers between hospitals for people without access to transportation. Future plans include expanding services to Martinez Hospital and the Veterans Hospital in Martinez and other areas of need.
 
Each year, approximately 3.6 million people miss or delay preventative medical care due to their inability to access transportation services. With the closure of Doctor’s Medical Center and an increasing number of people with chronic conditions, trips to medical appointments are a vital aspect of a sustainable healthcare system.
Providing access to medical services and preventative treatment prior to escalating healthcare needs has proven to be a less costly and a more effective means of keeping low income, elderly, and disabled residents out of hospitals and nursing homes resulting in healthier and more independent lives.
Medi-Cal reimbursements will take place as early as June 2016. For additional information, please contact R-Transit at (510) 307-8026.
- 13. Information Technology
Website
Top 10 Webpage views for the week ending 06/03/2016
Twitter Statistics
Tweet impressions increased by 64.3%
Profile visits increased by 31.5%
Mentions increased by 17.2%
Followers are up
KCRT DATANET OF THE WEEK:
 
City of Richmond 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 free City of Richmond mobile app provides Richmond’s community members with one-stop access to City services and information. We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us
- 14. Community Services Highlights
Fourteen teens participated in the second Community Outreach Outdoor Program free day trip to Castle Rock Regional Park in Walnut Creek on May 28th. All participants demonstrated how to set up and break down tents in addition to safely starting a camp fire. They were also engaged in fun activities and games, including basketball and swimming. Everyone had a blast. Space is still available for the remaining two sessions. Sign-up at the Richmond Recreation Complex!
 
 
Applications are still being accepted for the Teen Eco Action Service Learning and Outdoor Adventure program. We look forward to having you!
- 15. Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations
Abatement:
Abatement crews abated overgrowth in alleyways and vacant lots, removed graffiti in various areas and continued with removal of illegal dumping throughout the City.
Lot Overgrowth Abatement
 
Illegal Dumping Removal
 
Graffiti Removal
Parks and Landscaping Division:
General maintenance crews weeded and trimmed at Burg Park, repaired irrigation at the Civic Center, weed whipped the vacant lot near Amend Road, whipped weeds along Morningside Drive, trimmed medians on McBryde Avenue, cleaned weeds from bus stop area on San Pablo Avenue, weeded the Childrens’ Library court yard, and installed new irrigation timer for Mira Vista Park.
The tree crew cut or trimmed trees on 7th Street, 12th Street, 14th Street, 15th Street, 20th Street, 36th Street, South 17th Street, Cutting Boulevard, Macdonald Avenue, Roosevelt Avenue, and Rheem Avenue.
Stump Grinding on Macdonald Avenue
Hilltop District crews continued weed abatement and general maintenance on the Richmond Parkway and worked in high fire zones.
Weed Abatement of Medians on Richmond Parkway
Marina Districtcrews cleaned parks from Holiday weekend and started the process of re-landscaping the large strip south of Regatta Boulevard beyond the Moody Underpass landscaping.
Landscaping on Regatta Boulevard
- 16. Engineering/CIP Departments
Capital Improvement Projects:
Safe Routes to School Project
The Safe Routes to School Project involves installation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, high-visibility crosswalks with in-pavement flashing lights, traffic striping and markings, pedestrian safety signs, sidewalk, curb and gutter and median improvements near Ford, Grant, King, and Lincoln Elementary Schools. Work is anticipated to begin the week of June 6th near Grant Elementary. The City is coordinating the timing of the work with the individual schools in order to minimize the disruption to school activities.
Auditorium ADA Improvements
Construction at the Richmond Auditorium is progressing well. The restrooms have the majority of the rough plumbing complete. The upgrades to the plumbing will assist in meeting the ADA standards when the new fixtures are installed.
Plumbing in Auditorium Restroom
Pavement Rehabilitation Project
Staff is still overseeing the Pavement Rehabilitation project. On the new smoother Ohio, Macdonald, and Barrett Avenues, the new disability access curbs are completed. Soon all streets will be permanently marked.
There is also a new disabled ramp for easier access from the Richmond BART Station to the 19th Street side.
19th Street ADA Access Ramp
Streets Division:
Paving crews dug out and repaired the base on Phanor Drive and Thomas Drive as well as worked from the outstanding pothole list.
Phanor Drive Repairs
Street sweeping performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fifth Monday and Tuesday and the first Wednesday through Friday in the Carriage Hills North Side, El Sobrante Hills, Greenbriar, Hansford Heights, Via Verda, San Pablo Dam Road, Bristole Cone, May Valley, Vista View and Clinton Hill I neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines staff installed 36 new poles and signs, created nine pavement messages, repaired 37 signs and poles, painted 387 feet of curbs and fabricated six signs in-house.
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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