 
Mayor and Members of the City Council:
This is the report for the week ending July 28, 2017.
The City Council is on meeting hiatus until Tuesday, September 12th. Enjoy the summer break!
- National Night Out in Richmond on Tuesday, August 1st
Join one (or more) of numerous block parties in the City of Richmond as the community celebrates neighborhood pride and partnerships as part of National Night Out. The party kicks off in the Target parking lot at 4500 Macdonald Avenue at 5:00 PM, with a current list of neighborhood parties in the following locations:
- Laurel Park - Easter Hill United Methodist Church 3911 Cutting Boulevard
- Crescent Park - 5004 Hartnett Avenue
- Monterey Pines - 608 South 37th Street
- Pullman Point Apartments - 2989 Pullman Avenue
- Coronado - 212 17th Street (Between Florida and Maine)
- Richmond Village - 700 S. 26th Street
- Ventura Watch Group - Ventura (Solano to Clinton)
- Richmond Heights - Tiller Park, Key Boulevard, Sierra Avenue
- 500 Block 32nd Street Watch Group - 32nd Street (Roosevelt to Barrett)
- 600 Block 31st Street Watch Group - 600 31st Street
- North and East Neighborhood Council – 638 28th Street
We hope that you’ll join in the fun, food, and friendship!
- Richmond Urban Garden Tour
On Saturday July 15th, Mayor Tom Butt joined Doria Robinson (Urban Tilth) and Joni Stickney (UC Master Gardeners) to judge the hard working contestants of the Richmond Urban Garden Contest. Ten contestants competed for the grand prize by showcasing their edible, sustainable, and ecologically regenerative home and apartment gardens.
The day began in Pt. Richmond at the Richmond Plunge, followed by a tour that took the assembled group through the Santa Fe, Richmond Annex, Richmond Heights, North and East, and Belding Woods neighborhoods. Apartment and small space gardens were featured, along with professionally designed yards and permaculture extravaganzas. It was wonderful to witness the wide range of ideas and creativity around gardening possibilities in our region.
Thank you to our contestants and our sponsors for this great event.
The day included tours of gardens from Janet Ferraro, Daniel Mills, Brian Ambrosch, Carmen Erasmus, Shelley Trask, Atilla and Lauren Horvath, Angelica Godinez, Cianna Walker, Lizbeth Lubin, Annie Jensen, and Marie Kochaver.
The Watershed Nursery, The Urban Farmer Store, Republic Sanitary Services and the Richmond Tennis Association supported the event with gift certificates, donations, and meal tickets. Each contestant won gift certificates and a native plant. The winners won gardening tools, large plants, and up to $100 to use in local garden stores.
It was a wonderful day, and the Mayor looks forward to doing it again in 2018!
 
 
 
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 this past week included:
- Attended the Investment Committee meeting of the Richmond Promise;
- Welcomed young visitors from Japan, who are working on a Y-PLAN project in Richmond, with help from the UC Berkeley Center for Cities and Schools;
- Met with Fire Chief Adrian Sheppard and Emergency Manager Genevieve Pastor-Cohen to discuss enhancements to the emergency notification system;
- Met with Bike Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Chair Sequoia Erasmus to discuss the work currently being cone by the Committee;
- Attended the monthly budget status review with Finance Director Belinda Warner and members of her team;
- Attended a “check-in” meeting with Chevron representatives regarding the status of the modernization project;
- Attended a meeting, hosted by Councilmember Willis, to hear resident concerns regarding property management issues in Pullman Point;
- Participated in a panel discussion concerning the Richmond General Plan at the Breakfast for Business event, sponsored by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce;
- Met, together with Senior Management Analyst LaShonda White, with members of the Finance Department budget team to discuss development of performance measures for City operations;
- Met, along with Planning Director Richard Mitchell and Administrative Chief Shasa Curl, with a developer interested in downtown Richmond opportunities.
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.
- Concert Helpers Wanted for Music on the Main Events on August 23rd
Are you a fan of live music and outdoor concerts? Do you like working behind-the-scenes at events? If you answered “yes”, then helping out at the 16th annual Music on the Main summer concerts is for you!
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, August 23th
Time: 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Volunteers needed: 3:00 PM – 8:30 PM (two shifts available: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM & 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
Activities may include tasks related to: venue set-up; assembling produce bags; managing vendor and volunteer check-in; monitoring traffic and parking; conducting surveys; hosting youth zone activities and giveaway stations; backstage manager; and venue clean-up.
Additional Details, Requirements, and Preferences:
- No prior experience needed—orientation and training provided onsite by staff
- Small groups or pairs encouraged!
- Community service hours honored
- Minimum participation: two hours; three hours preferred
- Minimum age: 16, unless accompanied by guardian or approved by event coordinator
- Interests: community, arts & culture, special events, youth
- Skills: customer service, bilingual language (Spanish, Chinese) a plus; ability to stand for extended periods of time and/or lift 30 pounds preferred.
Sign-up online here.
For more information: Contact Alicia, outreach@richmondmainstreet.org or (510) 236-4049.
- The Youth Leadership Committee is Back!
Are you a high school or college student looking to become a leader in your community, or do you know someone who is? Are you interested in learning how to create a community service project to create positive change? Join the YLC for the upcoming school year! Applications are now open with workshops to begin in the fall. We’ll have field trips to local excursions and workshop topics on public speaking, presentations, financial literacy, networking, resume-building, and more!
Application open here: tinyurl.com/RichmondYLC17
Contact Guadalupe Morales at guadalupe_morales@ci.richmond.ca.us or call 510-620-6553 for more info.
- Community Services Highlights
Richmond Annex Senior Center Events
On July 12th, 40 seniors were entertained at a Birthday Potluck Celebration at the Richmond Annex Senior Center. Activities included a Tai Chi demonstration, helpful for improving psychological health and blood circulation in seniors, and a wonderful dance by Yoko and Sunshine Girls.
 
Later that month, on July 21st, the Center hosted a presentation by Legal Shield concerning identity theft. Twenty seniors attended the program, and were impressed by the information given by Lanetta Marshall, who excelled at presenting the material and answering questions.
Finally, on July 26th, nine seniors took a field trip to the fabulous Graton Resort & Casino. Reports are that they were very cheerful and excited by the excursion to Rohnert Park.
Website Statistics for the Week Ending 07-28-2017
(Editor’s note: Apparently, a friendly competition has developed among the various City departments to see which one captures the most website visits. This week’s “winner” is the Human Resources Department, edging out the Police Department, and followed by the Richmond Plunge. The Richmond Rent Program has increased its share significantly over the past few weeks.)
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.
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
- Engineering/CIP Departments
The Greenway Ohlone Gap Closure project is continuing on schedule. Crews are currently placing concrete controller cabinets for five streetlight locations located on San Pablo Avenue. They will be along the Richmond and El Cerrito sidewalk illuminating the sidewalk crossing and overpass connection.
Concrete installation for streetlights
Streets Division:
Paving crews ground and paved South 21st Street from Cutting Boulevard to Virginia Avenue, worked from the outstanding pothole list in various locations around the City and hauled pavement grindings.
Paving on South 21st Street
Street sweeping staff performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday through Friday in the; Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Coronado, Metro Richmore Village, Pullman, Cortez/Stege, Park Plaza, Laurel Park, City Center, Richmond Annex, Parkview, Panhandle Annex and Eastshore neighborhood council areas.
Signs and Lines staff painted the “Exchange Zone” at the Police Department, repaired 13 signs and poles, installed 12 new signs and poles, fabricated 6 new signs and painted 100’ of curbs and zoning.
- Infrastructure Maintenance and Operations
Abatement:
Abatement crews performed weed abatement throughout the City, responded to a Police Department request to board up a property that had been breached in the North and East area, assisted in the Point Richmond Neighborhood clean-up, assisted the Richmond Pacific Railroad to remove the illegal dumping from the Santa Fe Area, and removed graffiti and tons of illegal dumping throughout the City.
 
 
Castro/Vernon Lots (North Richmond Area) – before and after
 
Harbour Way/Greenway – before and after
 
Hacienda Clean-Up – before and after
 
Board-Up
 
Point Richmond Neighborhood Clean-Up
 
Rail Road Clean-Up – before and after
 
Illegal dumping – before and after
 
Illegal Dumping - before and after
 
Graffiti Abatement – before and after
Code Enforcement:
Code Enforcement Officer Souza was recently able to locate the property owner, and meet with the owner, at a vacant property that has been severely neglected and occupied by squatters. While conducting the inspection, the squatter was caught inside and ran out of the house. The owner is now occupying the single family home and is in the process of renovation. No citations were issued.
Facilities Maintenance:
Carpenters installed a white board at the Richmond Recreation Complex, installed an ergonomic workstation, stocked materials for the tennis shed, repaired cabinets at Fire Station #64, installed a new door with frame and hardware, framed the tennis shed at Nichol Park and installed ADA compliant extinguisher cabinets at the Auditorium.
Painters prepared and painted the Booker T. Anderson electrical room floor, prepared the women’s locker room at the Recreation Complex, painted the women’s locker room at the Recreation Complex, and repaired drywall prior to painting an area in the Auditorium.
Electricians replaced a damaged street light, completed removing all exterior receptacles in Civic Center Plaza, installed emergency electrical circuits for the Information and Technology servers at the Civic Center, supplied power for the event at the Richmond Plunge, repaired lighting in the Employment and Training building and responded to multiple emergency calls.
Lighting Replacement on Nevin Avenue
Stationary Engineers installed a new water cooler in the Art Center, repaired the sewer lateral in the Richmond Build facility, fixed the dishwasher at Fire Station #62, repaired a circulation pump in the boiler room and cleared a line at the Shields Reid Community Center.
Parks and Landscaping Division:
Hilltop District crews continued maintenance around Hilltop Mall business area, completed irrigation and turf repairs at Bay Vista Park, continued with the Richmond Country Club Vista landscaping project, started maintenance at Vista Del Mar Park, performing tree maintenance on young trees in the area and started weed abatement on Atlas Road and Hilltop Lake.
Weed Abatement on Atlas Road
Marina District crews conducted weed abatement and trimming along Meeker Slough areas of the Bay Trail, continued with irrigation repairs throughout, removed trees at Shimada Park and emptied all trash receptacles.
Tree Removal at Shimada Park
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
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