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 weeks ending January 22, 2021.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26th, 2021. Closed Session will begin at 4:45 P.M., followed by the Regular Meeting of the Richmond City Council at 6:30 P.M. The agenda may be found by clicking this link: January 26th City Council Agenda.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
The following information is an ongoing list of resources and significant updates regarding COVID-19.
  
Contra Costa Health Services sets goal of 1 million COVID-19 vaccines by Independence Day
Contra Costa County Health Services and its healthcare partners have set an ambitious goal of delivering 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by Independence Day (July 4, 2021). To achieve this goal the City of Richmond and Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) are pleased to announce the collaborative effort to launch a COVID-19 vaccine distribution site in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium. The site will be administering vaccines Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M., beginning Monday, January 25, 2021.
Vaccines will become available to residents based on the California Department of Public Health Allocation guidelines, prioritizing supply and availability based on age, occupational risk exposure, and residence in vulnerable communities. To determine if you are eligible for a vaccine, please visit the CCHS Vaccine distribution page. To receive a vaccine, you may contact your primary healthcare provider for information about how to get notifications of eligibility, or you may schedule a vaccine with CCHS by first filling out an online appointment request form. CCHS will review the application. Those who are eligible for a vaccine will receive instructions on how to enroll for a vaccine.
This week, CCHS also launched its new vaccine-appointment phone line – 1-833-VAX-COCO (1-833-829-2626). Those who are unable to schedule vaccine appointments online can call CCHS and book an appointment Monday-Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. Eligible residents seeking appointments are encouraged to use the online form unless they do not have internet access or have difficulty using the online form.
Other local resources, including links to other healthcare providers in the community now offering vaccine, are available at www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-vaccinated CCHS also has a new data dashboard on its COVID-19 web page, www.cchealth.org/coronavirus, which provides daily updates for the county's vaccination campaign.
Outdoor Dining Update :January 2021
Once the current Stay-At-Home Order is rescinded, we will gladly accept new requests for businesses that wish to apply to use public right-of-way such as sidewalks adjacent to their business, to temporarily expand capacity outdoors by applying for a Temporary Outdoor Dining and Retail permit through the Community Services Department.
The City of Richmond is providing opportunities for businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to utilize public and privately-owned outdoor areas, including parking lots, for outdoor dining and retail use. Applications can be requested by contacting us at CSDregistration@ci.richmond.ca.us.
Visit our website for the application and more information: https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4038/Outdoor-Dining-and-Curbside-Retail
- Announcements and Upcoming Events
AC Transit Bus Crowding Information Now Available for Most Trips
AC Transit has launched the new Rider Capacity Feature on the AC Transit app and on our ACT RealTime webpage. Riders can now find out if the next bus is crowded before leaving with real time rider capacity information on a mobile device or computer.
The rider capacity feature is already embedded into AC Transit’s existing real-time trip planning tools. Please see the ways riders can access them below:
- Download the AC Transit Official app, free on iOS and Android, available in the app store.
- Visit actransit.org/ACTRealTime from your desktop or mobile device
- Call Customer Service at 510-891-4777 and select option 2 or call 511.
- This information is also available from other third-party partners that use our data, like Transit app.
Richmond Fund for Children and Youth FY 2021-24 Request for Proposals and Grant Application Now Available!
On June 5, 2018, Richmond voters approved Measures E and K, known as the Richmond Kids First Initiative, which approved a City of Richmond Charter amendment (Article 15) to require that a portion of the General Fund be set aside to fund youth programs and services. The total projected amount available for FY 2021-2022 grant awards is approximately $1.5 million in the initial year.
To access the RFCY Request for Proposals and grant application, please visit the RFCY Grants webpage at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/RFCYGrants.
To learn more, Department staff will be scheduling pre-proposal meetings to be held virtually on the following dates:
- Tuesday, January 26, 2021: 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
- Wednesday, February 3, 2021: 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
To register for these pre-proposal meetings and inform us of your attendance, please visit the following form: http://bit.ly/RFCYpre-proposalmeetings. Zoom webinar information will also be available on our RFCY Grants webpage and E-News Sign-ups 48 hours prior to the meetings.
To make sure you are notified of these meetings and additional updates, please subscribe to our Richmond Fund for Children and Youth E-News Sign-up. Should any questions arise, please contact youth@ci.richmond.ca.us or (510) 620-6523.
Virtual Cooking Class
Join us on Thursdays, starting on January 21, 2021 through February 11, 2021 for our first ever virtual family cooking class series! Hone your cooking skills from the comfort of your home! For more information and registration details, visit tinyurl.com/richmondrecreation
 
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County Drive-Thru Food Giveaway- Friday, January 29th 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.
 
The Richmond Rent Program Community Workshop Webinar–Rights & Responsibilities for Tenants & Landlords
As part of its continuing outreach to Tenants and Landlords who would like to learn more about rental housing rules and regulations, the City of Richmond Rent Program is offering the following workshop webinar:
Rights & Responsibilities for Tenants & Landlords During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Friday, January 29, 2021
4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Please Pre-Register: https://rb.gy/l1lrou
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Questions? Visit www.richmondrent.org to learn more about the Rent Program, or call or email the Rent Program at (510) 234-RENT (7368) or rent@ci.richmond.ca.us
 
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.
The city plans to add more datasets and visualizations over time and invites the community to propose additional information for the site. To nominate new data and visualizations, visit https://www.transparentrichmond.org/nominate.
Social Media Statistics for this Week
KCRT DATANET FOR THE WEEK
KCRT TV Channel 28 – New Episodes of Current 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.
All-new episodes of “Colour in Your Life,” “Creature Features,” “The Jet Set” and “Sidewalks Entertainment.”
You may find the full schedule at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/3176/Schedule
- Library and Community Services
Community Services (Recreation)
Community Services Newsletter
We have exciting news to share with everyone! To be able to stay connected with our community we have created a Newsletter with updates about the happenings within the City of Richmond’s Community Services Department – Recreation Division. A sneak preview of the Newsletter can be seen by clicking on the below link.
If you are interested in signing up for our Newsletter, you can subscribe by choosing one of the below options:
1) Click the following link: https://conta.cc/3pzPLTg and then click the “Join Our Email List” button at the top of the Newsletter or
2) Email registration@ci.richmond.ca.us confirming you would like to begin receiving the Newsletter and we will add your email address to our mailing list.
We hope you will subscribe and enjoy receiving updates from our division as much as we enjoy creating them for you.
Senior Yoga Classes
We are starting a new 8-week session of yoga class, free of charge on the Senior Launchpad.
This course will be an introduction to Mindfulness and its role in helping us to navigate the ups and downs of everyday life. For many of us, meditation is not easy. Our bodies are active, which makes it difficult to sit still and focus inwards. Therefore, a good complement to a meditation practice is yoga asanas. Yoga asanas are exercises designed to increase circulation throughout the body, lengthen, and strengthen the muscles resulting in flexibility and calming the nervous system. This enables the body to relax in a meditative practice and allows for a mindful state of awareness in everyday life.
This course is offered for FREE on Zoom and each class will consist of 15-20 minutes of lecture and 60 minutes of gentle yoga asanas. This class is ideal for beginners, anyone new to yoga, and anyone just interested. Please visit https://tinyurl.com/SeniorsDPRCLaunchPad to register and get the link to Zoom class.
Participants must complete a COR Activity Registration Form. For more information contact the Richmond Annex Senior Center at 510 620-6812
Classes start Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Class times: Wednesdays, 9:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.
Victoria (RYT 200) is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance and was trained by The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre.
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
Virtual Sports Programs
Join us for our continued series in our virtual sports programs! Find a spot at home or in your yard, and you’ll be able to master all the skills you need in soccer, tennis, or basketball! For more information, contact the Recreation staff listed in the flyer.
Virtual After-School Camps - ACHIEVE and ELEVATE
After-school camps are happening in 2021! We’ll have lots of fun and games with your favorite recreation staff and fellow campers. Register online at tinyurl.com/richmondrecreation.
 
New Adopt-a-Senior Program to Serve Residents Over 55
After all of the interest and support we received from residents in May 2020, 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
Activity Kits for kids – Ask for one!
The Children’s Department will provide an activity/craft kit for kids once a month, in the new year. In January, we offer the same craft for kids and adults, making a God’s Eye craft. Call the Children’s Department to request a kids’ kit. The contents of each kit are slightly different. When requesting a kit, please let us know if we can help you find books and other resources. You can reach us in the Children’s Department at 510-620-6557.
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Making a God’s Eye Craft
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HelpNow is here for you!
Thanks to the generous donation from the Richmond Public Library Foundation, the Library will offer access to Brainfuse’s HelpNow tutors for K-12 students. You can access this service with a Richmond Public Library card. For more information on tutoring, call the Children’s Department at 510-620-6557. To request a new library card, call 510-620-6559, or request a card online at rosie.ci.richmond.ca.us/selfreg
Services include:
- Live Tutoring: Submit a question in the online classroom and receive live, one-on-one assistance from a Brainfuse tutor, 1:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. , Sunday thorough Saturday.
- Writing Lab & Ask a Question: Submit your writing sample, and tutors offer constructive feedback. Or, ask a homework question. Tutors will respond within 24 hours.
- Language Lab: Receive live online help with your Spanish homework from fluent Spanish-speaking tutors.
Do your kids need help with their homework? Do you want access to a live tutor for free?
Adult Program
Do you have fond memories of when you were in elementary school cutting out hearts and getting glue all over the place? Recall making rhymes and poems for that special someone? Then this is the craft kit for you. Get your Special Edition Valentine’s Day Card Making Adult Craft Kit. Each kit contains enough supplies to make 4 cards. Kits are available while supplies last. Make and give a little cheer this Valentine’s Day!
Tableside Service Update
The Richmond Public Library began its Tableside Service on June 15, 2020, 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 2,408 successful appointments, getting tens of 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 31 weeks with a 4-week running average.
Tableside Service Statistics
The Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP) Hosts a Virtual Booth for 2021 Education Fair
This week the Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP) was among the many resources for students and their families during the Community Organization Open House for the 2021 Education Fair. We hosted a virtual booth to provide information about adult literacy services and answer questions for our West Contra Costa County families. LEAP has had the good fortune of working with adult learners who are parents and adjusting to their children attending school online. LEAP is among community organizations that help parents become connected to the digital world and be a greater support to their children.
The 2021 Education Fair, put on by the West Contra Costa Unified School District and Enroll WCC, aims to help parents come together to wrestle with hard questions about how to select a school to meet their child’s needs. This year’s event gave parents and caregivers a chance to explore their children’s unique needs and learn about the incredible opportunities available in our West Contra Costa schools and community. From January 16th to 23rd, families attended virtual sessions to both meet representatives from the schools in our community and engage in panel discussions around specific topics like special education, African American student achievement, dual language immersion, mental health services, the benefits of a large, comprehensive high school compared to those of a smaller high school, the difference between a traditional middle school and a K-8 model, and much more.
If you would like to learn more about the services LEAP offers please feel free to contact our LEAP office at 510-307-8084 to schedule an appointment or visit our website at https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/788/Literacy-Program-LEAP to learn more about the program. Also, please check LEAP’s revamped Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LEAPRICHMONDCA/.
Abatement
Abatement crews abated debris around encampments from North Richmond area, worked at Richmond Parkway medians, removed illegally dumped debris and graffiti from various locations.
   
Clean-up Near Encampments
 
Parkway Maintenance
   
Illegal Dumping & Graffiti Abatement
Facilities Maintenance
Stationary Engineers performed daily pool maintenance and Civic Center Plaza boiler inspections, repaired a freezer in the Property Vault at the Police Department, fixed a wire on the air conditioning unit at the Police Activities League building, reprogrammed the boiler at the Senior Center, investigated a water leak in the restroom of the Native American Center, cleared a sink in 440 Civic Center Plaza and repaired a water valve for pool #2 at the Swim Center.
Freezer Repair
Utility workers replaced broken light fixtures and fixed safety shields at the Employment and Training building, replaced bulbs in the Main Library, performed daily disinfecting of buildings and maintenance of 29 city owned facilities.
Shield Replacement at Employment & Training
Parks and Landscaping
General fund crews removed debris from parks on the west side of Richmond, removed debris from the right of ways, installed bicycle racks in Point Richmond, pest control at 3 parks, removed leaves from Judge Carrol Park, removed debris from all central parks and right of ways, removed debris from soundwalls, installed concrete on Nunn Pathway, trimmed ivy near Creely Avenue, mowed turf, cleared encampment debris at Booker T. Anderson Park and removed litter from Taft Pathway.
 
Cement Repair on Nunn Pathway Debris Removal Booker T. Anderson
Marina Districtcrews continued maintenance of all parks and parking lots, removed leaves from the Esplanade Trail area, edged lawns, shrub pruning along trails, trimmed weeds, installed fresh mulch to Fisherman’s Circle planter, replenished dog waste bags, emptied trash cans and transported green recycling.
Shrub Pruning along Bay Trail
Hilltop Districtcrewscontinued general maintenance around the business area, completed tree and shrub removal on Robert Miller Drive, continued installation of irrigation for fruit trees at Hilltop Lake and performed weed abatement on Blume Drive.
 
Robert Miller Drive Blume Drive Maintenance
Pavement Maintenance
Paving crews performed hotmix patching, fixed potholes from the outstanding list, hauled pavement grindings for recycling and addressed complaints.
 
Hotmix Patching
Street Sweeping crews swept the following Neighborhood Council districts on the third Tuesday through Thursday and the fourth Friday in North Richmond, Iron Triangle, North Belding Woods, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Richmond Annex, Parkview, Panhandle Annex and Eastshore. Please note that there is no sweeping on City observed holidays.
Traffic Signs and Lines crews fabricated 22 signs, installed 13 signs, installed white pavement markings, painted red curbs and installed a railroad crossing symbol.
 
Pavement Markings
Sign 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 performed concrete restoration on the sidewalk at Macdonald Avenue
and Civic Center Plaza.
 
Local contractor performed concrete restoration on the valley gutter at Macdonald Avenue and 32nd Street
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 |
