This message is being sent on behalf of City Manager Laura Snideman

Hon. Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the report for the week ending December 18th, 2020.

Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 21st, 2020. The Special Closed Session begins at 4:30 P.M. and there will be no Open Session. The agenda for the December 21st meeting may be found by clicking this link: December 21st Special Closed Session Agenda.

The following City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020. The Special Meeting of the Richmond Housing Authority begins at 6:25 P.M., followed by the Regular Meeting of the Richmond City Council at 6:30 P.M. There will be no Closed Session on December 22nd. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: December 22nd City Council Agenda.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

The following information is an ongoing list of resources and significant updates regarding COVID-19.

New Stay Home Order from Contra Costa County

To slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed, Contra Costa County, along with five other Bay Area counties, has implemented the State’s Regional Stay Home Order. The following changes are effective Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 10:00 P.M. through Monday, January 4, 2021 at 6:00 A.M. A list of impacted business and other functions can be found here. For the full Contra Costa County Health Order, please visit this link.

1. Announcements and Upcoming Events

Save the Date – Celebrate the Winter Solstice December 21, 2020

The Richmond Public Library and the Friends of the Richmond Public Library will present Margaret C. Murray, local author, as she leads an online celebration of the Winter Solstice with art, music, drumming, and shares readings from her books.  Stay tuned for more information on how to register to view this live streaming program.

Electric Vehicle Financial Incentives Clinic: January 21, 2020

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 ECIA Grant Program Applications are Available!

In 2014, the Richmond City Council approved the Chevron Environmental and Community Investment Agreement (ECIA), which invests $90 million dollars into the Richmond community over 10-years. $6 million of those dollars have been set aside for a competitive grant program, designed for non-profits who serve Richmond in the areas of community, youth, and youth sports. The ECIA has grant awards that range from $5,000, up to $50,000.

Important changes have been made to the grant guidelines. More specifically, all grant applications must be submitted online at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/ECIAapplication. This process is aimed to increase ease of use and minimize risk related to COVID-19.

To kick-off this opportunity, the City will be scheduling two (2) Information Workshops in January to be held virtually via Zoom. To make sure you are notified of these and other capacity-building training dates, please subscribe to the ECIA Competitive Grant E-News Sign-up!

The ECIA Grant Application is due on Friday, February 5, 2021, at 11:59 P.M.

To access the ECIA Grant Application, Guidelines, and more check out the ECIA Grants webpage: www.ci.richmond.ca.us/eciagrants

• City Clerk’s Office

Help represent Richmond on the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District’s Board of Trustees!

The application process is now open to represent the City of Richmond on the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District’s Board of Trustees. The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District is a tax-funded office that provides free services to all county residents for mosquitoes, rats and mice, ground-nesting yellowjackets, ticks, and skunks. The Richmond representative on the District’s Board of Trustees will represent the city’s interests on matters related to mosquito and vector control.  The first term of service will be two years and additional terms of service will be two or four years.  Regular board meetings are held on the second Monday of every other month starting in January. Meetings are held at the District office, 155 Mason Circle in Concord at 7:00 P.M., and the meetings are open to the public.  Trustees are not compensated for service but will be paid up to $100 per month for official business expenses.  Mayor Butt has been tasked with nominating an applicant for the trustee position and that individual must then be confirmed by the Richmond City Council.  Applicants must be a City of Richmond resident and at least 18 years of age.  Please use this link to complete the online application. Please submit your completed application via email to CityClerkDept@ci.richmond.ca.us.

• Information Technology

Transparent Richmond

Check out Transparent Richmond (www.transparentrichmond.org), the City of Richmond’s citywide open data and performance reporting system. The open data platform currently spans 11 city departments and contains over 300 datasets, visualizations, and performance measures, many of which feature monthly, weekly or daily updates.

Transparent Richmond aims to accomplish the following:

• Improve the collective understanding of all city services.
• Automate performance data to help track and meet budget and service goals.
• Leverage evidence-based analysis to develop innovative solutions that improve the quality of city services.

Social Media Statistics for this Week

KCRT Datanet for the Week

KCRT TV Channel 28 – New Episodes of Current Programming

Programming

Current recent specials are Michelle Obama Virtual Grand Opening (video courtesy of WCCUSD),  “RPD Virtual Halloween ,” “Virtual National Night Out,” “National Electric Drive Week”; “Chat with Chief French,” ”NAACP Policing Forum,” the GRID Alternatives’ and City of Richmond’s “No-Cost Solar Workshop,” and the City’s Mask Videos.

New episodes of series programming are “The Jet Set,” ”Creature Features,” and “Sidewalks Entertainment.”

You may find the full schedule at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/3176/Schedule

• Internal Services

Finance

Open Requests For Bids/Request For Proposals

• Library and Community Services

Community Services (Recreation)

Love Your Block COVID-19 Mini-Grant Update: Panhandle Neighborhood Council

In October, Panhandle Neighborhood Council hosted their Sidewalk Chalk Extravaganza! The event was a makeup for their annual end of summer BBQ, which they could not hold this year due to COVID-19. The Sidewalk Chalk Extravaganza encouraged neighbors to make chalk art outside, on their driveways and sidewalk, and admire other neighbors’ art as well.

The project was funded by the Love Your Block COVID-19 Mini-Grant awarded to Panhandle Neighborhood Council.

The City of Richmond Community Services Department Proudly Presents the Virtual Snow Ball King & Queen $2,500 Scholarship!
The Community Services Department is seeking outstanding seniors with academic achievement of 3.5 accumulative GPA, community dedication, and talent to compete for a $2,500 scholarship. Winning Snow Ball King and Queen will be crowned on the 68th Annual Snow Ball Crowning Ceremony.

Requirements: Winning contestants from each school must attend three phases of meetings before the Snow Ball celebration.
Kings & Queens Orientation Friday, November 20, 2020, 4:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Meet & Greet, via Zoom ID - 723 439 1724 PC - 950552. Judging of Contestants Saturday, December 12, 2020, 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Judged by a distinguished panel of judges. Three-minute categories: Speech, Talent, Personal Interviews. Crowning Ceremony Saturday, December 19, 2020, 1:00 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium

For additional questions, contact your school Activity Director/Leadership Teacher or Sharolyn Babb at 510-620-6814 and check out the video explaining the details: https://youtu.be/0n4kmOpQr14

Join us for Pickleball!

Virtual Zumba at Community Services Department (Recreation)

Starting December 8, the Community Services Department will begin a mid-morning virtual Zumba class. All Tuesdays and Thursdays virtual evening classes will still be maintained. 

Program Schedule
Saturdays:                             9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.
Tuesdays and Thursdays:     10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. (Mid-Morning)
Tuesdays and Thursdays:     6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. (Evening)
Cost: $5 per person per class*
Online prepaid participants ONLY

Register and pay online at: https://apm.activecommunities.com/richmond 
Please see below a link to our first Zumba class: https://youtu.be/1LkMozN1_nA

New Adopt-a-Senior Program to Serve Residents Over 55

After all of the interest and support we received from residents in May, Richmond Love Your Block is excited to present: Adopt-A-Senior! We are connecting community volunteers and seniors in Richmond and North Richmond.

If you are over 55 and would like to receive FREE maintenance services for your property, go to tinyurl.com/SeniorAdoptionRequest to be adopted! Services may include: cleaning up debris and litter; removing weeds and tall grass; trimming and pruning plant; painting; and more. Eligibility requirements apply.

If you would like to BE a volunteer and adopt a senior to help them maintain their property go to tinyurl.com/AdoptaSeniorVolunteer. (The Adopt-A-Senior program does not provide any home repairs or other services that take place inside of the home.)

Help us spread the word so we can connect as many seniors and volunteers as possible!

Library Updates

Richmond Librarians take Storytime Virtual

When COVID-19 forced the closure of the Richmond Public Library (RPL) in March 2020, it disrupted many essential family routines.  For more than 250 residents of Richmond and its environs, one of those routines was weekly attendance at a Richmond Library storytime followed by borrowing books and videos for the family to enjoy during the upcoming week.  It is widely recognized that library storytime attendance plays a pivotal role in early childhood development through the enrichment of the early literacy activities of talk, sing, dance and play, but library routines also help families connect to others in the community and help families manage childhood transitions.  Children’s services librarians in Richmond recognize that in times of social isolation, families have a great need to connect to others through language and play and to maintain routines as much as possible.  In response, Richmond librarians are meeting the needs of their community through virtual storytimes available via our Facebook page and the RPL website.  Sheila Dickinson’s very popular family storytime broadcasts live every Wednesday at 10:30 A.M.  Families can tune in and enjoy dancing, singing and stories with Miss Sheila or they can view the video later on Facebook or the RPL YouTube channel.  Sheila is also reading to a class at Michelle Obama Elementary each week.  Movement and Music Storytime for babies is live Monday mornings at 10:30 A.M.   Facilitated by librarian Deborah Bonet, caregivers with infants are invited to listen to stories and learn bounces and songs especially appealing to babies.   RPL has extended its storytime service by adding a Bilingual Spanish/English storytime seen live Tuesdays at 10:30 A.M.  All live and recorded storytimes can be found through the Facebook link on the RPL website home page .  Librarians are also available by phone (510-620-6557) or email (rpl_reference@ci.richmond.ca.us) for help finding books and videos for families to take home and enjoy.  We miss you and look forward to playing with you again soon.

Tableside Service Update

The Richmond Public Library began its Tableside Service on June 15th in an effort to make library materials available to the community while our buildings themselves remain closed.  Since this service has been available, the Richmond Public Library has had 2,020 successful appointments, getting thousands of books, magazines, DVDs, craft kits, and more into the hands of our community.

Remember: our Tableside Service is available by appointment 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, at the Main Library and 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M., Tuesdays and Thursdays, at the Bayview and West Side branches.  Call us at 510-620-6561 for more information or visit us online at http://richmondlibrary.org.

Below are representations of our running total of appointments and the weekly totals for the first 26 weeks with a 4-week running average.

Tableside Service Statistics

Literacy for Every Adult Program- Career Online High School Program

In these times of economic turmoil, education matters more than ever. Through the California State Library-sponsored Career Online High School (COHS) program, the Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP) can provide a pathway for Californians ages 19 and up to achieve an accredited high school diploma. Over 1760 state residents have already graduated from COHS through their local libraries and LEAP is proud to be counted among them.

You can become Career-Ready! Available by scholarship through the LEAP, COHS offers adults the opportunity to complete their high school education and gain career training through a self-paced, supportive, and accredited online program.

High school graduates earn almost $200,000 more over a life-time than those without a diploma, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With Career Online High School, students will earn an accredited high school diploma while preparing for a career in one of eight high-demand, high-growth fields and gain career readiness with a portfolio including a resume, cover letter, and job preparation support.

If you are interested in supporting LEAP by donating for the COHS program or getting involved in volunteer opportunities please contact us at (510) 307-8084 or visit our website at https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/788/Literacy-Program-LEAP to schedule an appointment. Please be mindful that we are unable to accommodate walk-ins at this time.

1. Public Works

Abatement

Abatement crews abated six homeless encampments from public right of ways, performed maintenance at the Port, removed illegally dumped debris and graffiti from various locations.

Homeless Encampment Removal

Port Clean-Up

Graffiti Abatement

Facilities Maintenance

Stationary Engineers performed daily pool maintenance, and Civic Center Plaza boiler inspections, repaired furnaces at Riggers Loft, fixed wiring and safety eye reflectors at Fire Station #68 on the apparatus door, cleared a sink at Station #64, repaired apparatus door at Fire Station #66, and replaced seals on both elevators at 450 Civic Center Plaza.

Furnace Repair

Utility workers pressure washed the Transit Center, cleaned the Main Library courtyard, performed pest control at 440 Civic Center Plaza for ants, removed debris from the Plunge and performed daily disinfecting procedures and maintenance of 29 city owned facilities.

Debris Removal

Parks and Landscaping

General fund crews removed debris from central parks and right of ways, abated weeds along the Carlson Boulevard medians, weeded the Booker T. Anderson parking lot, assisted in removing illegal dumping on the west side, weed abated the Native American Health Center and performed  maintenance at the Corporation Yard.

Carlson Boulevard Medians                Corporation Yard Maintenance

Marina District crews continued maintenance of all parks and parking lots, removed leaves from most areas, removed debris from all park parking lots, emptied trash cans, edged lawns, removed graffiti, installed a bench, spread wild flower seeds in bare areas and mowed all lawns in the parks.

Bench Installation                                              Tree Trimming

Hilltop Districtcrewscontinued general maintenance around the business area, continued with the replanting project Bay Vista Park, continued tree and shrub removal and weed abatement at Hilltop Lake, started irrigation installation at Hilltop Lake, continued weed abatement on Hilltop Drive medians, and performed weed abatement at Bay Vista and Country Club Vista Parks.

Pavement Maintenance

Paving crews completed hotmix patching, installed speed humps, addressed complaints and worked from the outstanding pothole list.

Speed Hump Installation

Street Sweeping crews swept the following Neighborhood Council districts on the second Monday and the third Tuesday through Friday in; May Valley, Vista View, Clinton Hill I, North Richmond, Iron Triangle, North Belding Woods, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay and Point Richmond.

Traffic Signs and Lines crews fabricated 26 signs, installed 14 signs, reset a pole, installed 14 new poles and installed blue and white pavement markings and installed the remaining Holiday ornaments.

Sign Repair/Installation

Pavement Marking Installation

Water Resource Recovery Division

Wastewater Treatment Plant – Fats, Oils, & Grease (FOG)

PLEASE! DO NOT PUT GREASE DOWN THE DRAIN! Heavy grease has been reported at Richmond's sewer treatment plant. Grease clogs pipes and can be detrimental to the function of the plant.

For more information about Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG), please call 510-620-6594.

Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales – Aceites y Grasas (FOG)

¡POR FAVOR! ¡NO PONGA GRASA POR EL DRENAJE! Se ha reportado grasa pesada en la planta de tratamiento de alcantarillado de Richmond. La grasa obstruye las tuberías y puede ser perjudicial para la función de la planta.

Para obtener más información sobre aceites y grasas (FOG), llame al 510-620-6594.

Sewer Lateral Grant Program

The City of Richmond’s Water Resource Recovery Department administers the Sewer Lateral Grant Program. The program reimburses eligible homeowners in the Richmond Municipal Sewer District (RMSD No. 1) for some of the cost to replace their sewer lateral.

The program is open and accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year for sewer lateral work completed between 7/1/2020-6/30/2021.

For more information about the Sewer Lateral Grant Program, please visit www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2130/Sewer-Lateral-Grant-Program or call 510-620-6594.

Macdonald & Virginia Wet Weather Improvement Projects

Local contractor is nearing completion of this project. See pictures and descriptions below.

Local contractor applies tack oil on a manhole prior to placement of asphalt then compacting asphalt and sealing seams on a manhole on Macdonald Avenue and 26th Street.

1. Richmond Promise

Richmond Promise Launches New Scholar Emergency Fund

Through COVID-19 response efforts, our organization has learned that our Scholars continue to need emergency funding support for unexpected expenses and essentials like computers, wi-fi, rent, and food - necessities that can easily impact their ability to stay enrolled. With campus closures still in place, we now aim to transform short-term learnings into sustained support for RP Scholars through/beyond the pandemic. Our 2020 End of Year campaign aims to raise funds to establish the Richmond Promise Scholar Emergency Fund. This fund will become a long-term pillar of what we “Promise” to our Scholars and offer financial support for the unexpected, immediate emergency needs that will make the difference in their ability to continue to stay enrolled and working toward their college goals. Donate and/or discover the story behind the need at www.richmondpromise.org/scholar-emergency-fund 

Early Application Deadline Approaching for Richmond Promise Scholarship!

High School Seniors and General Educational Development (GED) students who live in Richmond and attend public, private, or charter schools under the age of 24 in West Contra Costa County are highly encouraged to apply for our scholarship by the December 31st Early Application deadline. Students must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the California Dream Act Application by March 2, 2021 (Cal Grant Deadline) to be eligible for the Richmond Promise Scholarship. Visit richmondpromise.org to find our application, make an appointment with our college access team for one-on-one support, and view a list of our college readiness workshops for Fall 2020.

Richmond Promise Staff Available for One-on-One Help

For students looking to complete anything from their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the California Dream Act Application, a Richmond Promise Scholarship Application, or help with any other college scholarship application, our College Access team is available to walk through process details in one-on-one appointments. Schedule yours today at bit.ly/virtualsupport_rp.

Calling All Professionals Willing to Share Time, Insight, and Inspiration

Richmond Promise welcomes all professionals willing to give back to their community by virtually connecting with our Scholars to speak to their experience beyond college. “Coffee Chat” Interviews typically last between twenty minutes to an hour, and require no long-term commitment. Those interested should reach out to our College and Career Success Manager, Cynthia Ramirez Parra at cramirezparra@richmondpromise.org

Thank you for keeping up with the activities in the City of Richmond.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.

Thank You!

Laura Snideman
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804
(510) 620-6512

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

See below for options to connect with the City of Richmond.

Connecting with the City of Richmond

Using the City of Richmond Mobile Application:
The 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.  The City of Richmond’s mobile phone app is available on the Apple App store and Google Play store.

We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us

To contact us by phone:

The City’s website (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/) provides a department and staff directory at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/Directory.aspx.

If you’re not sure which department you need to contact, we encourage you to phone the City Manager’s office at (510) 620-6512.

Using the CORConnect Application on the City’s Website:
You can use the CORConnect button on the City’s website (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/) to report any comments, questions or concerns regarding the work being done by City staff.  The CORConnect issues go directly to the responsible department, and the city manager reviews reported issues on a regular basis to determine if City staff members are responding appropriately.  If you do not feel that you have received a satisfactory response, please contact the City Manager’s Office at (510) 620-6512.

To access CORConnect select the CORConnect button on the homepage of the City website.

Alternatively, you can select the COR Connect button on any other webpage on the left hand side of the page.

On the next screen under Report an Issue select Report Issue/Concern to create a report or Search Issue/Concerns to look up a previously reported issue.  You can also look up previously submitted issues to check on the current status if you provided you name, phone number or email when you submitted it. 

On the page, you can also look up information on a parcel, see permits issued and look up business license information.  If you have a current business license you can pay to renew it online with a credit card.

The recommended browsers are: Microsoft Edge, or Microsoft Internet Explorer version 11 using the compatibility mode. It can be found in the upper right corner of Internet Explorer: click on the "gear" icon and select Compatibility View Settings, then add the site to the list and click "Close".

The City of Richmond is looking forward to feedback from the community on CORConnect. We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us

Irene Perdomo
Executive Assistant to the City Manager
City Manager’s Office
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA  94804
Email: Irene_Perdomo@ci.richmond.ca.us
Direct: 510-621-1264
Main: 510-620-6512