-
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
-
|
| E-Mail Forum |
| RETURN |
| City Manager's Weekly Report for the Week
Ending August 17th, 2007 August 18, 2007 |
|
Mayor and Councilmembers:
This is the weekly report for the week ending August 17th, 2007.
1. General Plan Advisory Committee received a status report on the San Pablo Peninsula
On Monday, August 13th, the General Plan Advisory Committee and public heard presentations covering the history and status of activities on the San Pablo Peninsula. Over 100 people attended the event. The comments will now be reviewed by MIG, and the outcome of these discussions will be included as recommendations for the General Plan update.
2. El Cerrito/Richmond San Pablo Avenue Joint Specific Plan
The first public meeting on the joint specific plan for San Pablo Avenue will be held on Saturday morning, August 18th from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Fairmount Elementary School. The San Pablo Avenue Community Visioning Workshop will focus on defining a shared vision for the future of San Pablo Avenue. The agenda will include a presentation analyzing current conditions, a visual preference survey to identify desired improvements and small group break-outs (flyer attached).
3. Port of Richmond Expansion
On Tuesday, Finance Director James Goins and Port Director Jim Matzorkis met with representatives from Auto Warehousing Co. to discuss preliminary plans for expanding the Port of Richmond’s capacity for non-container port, specifically autos. Since 2004, Auto Warehousing has operated a vehicle handling facility at the Port Potrero Marine Terminal. The revenues from that initial contract were dedicated to debt service to finance the improvements made in 2004; however, revenues have exceeded expectations to the extent that the 15 year note will be paid off within 5 years. Plans for the expansion include modification of rail lines that will decrease traffic disruptions. Staff members will prepare a draft plan that will include an engineering study, for presentation to the City Council in September.
4. Long Term Financial Plan (aka Business Plan)
The City is initiating efforts to develop a comprehensive Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP aka Business Plan). Contacts are being made with other cities that have exceptional plans. In addition, staff is reviewing a newly-released, definitive book on best practices in developing LTFPs and other elements in order to develop a scope for what the City of Richmond’s ultimate LTFP should include. From this scope, a consultant will be solicited to assist the City in completing its first LTFP. The LTFP is slated for presentation to the Council with the City’s proposed operating budget and capital improvement plan in May 2008.
5. Enterprise Resource Planning System Negotiations
The City of Richmond opened contract negotiations with the two finalist Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) vendors. The City is working closely with its ERP system consultants, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). GFOA is an independent, non-profit organization devoted to advancing the body of knowledge and professionalism in government finance. GFOA has negotiated approximately $1 billion in ERP software licenses and implementation services, included having negotiated contracts with all major ERP software vendors. City and GFOA staff are working hard to complete the negotiations and prepare recommendations for award of the ERP contracts to the City Council for approval in September.
6. Get a Clue @ Your Library Around 650 children registered for the "Get a Clue @ Your Library" Summer Reading Game in the Children’s Room of the Richmond Public Library. The Summer Reading Game uses a statewide theme to keep kids reading while they are out of school. This has been found to improve, or at least maintain, reading skills while children are not in school.
In addition to reading for prizes, there were a variety of programs offered. These special programs are funded by the Friends of the Library and/or grant funds, and encourage people to come to the Library to experience new and interesting things. These programs included:
· June 14th – 150 people attended when the East Bay Vivarium brought reptiles to the library. · June 28th – 55 people attended Board Games at the Library program and played numerous board games. · July 12th – 90 people attended Harry Potter Night event and participated in the craft program, costume contest, guessing game, raffle, and took Polaroid photos with a dragon. Ten $20 gift certificates to Century Hilltop Theatre were given out. · July 14th – As part of the Target Book Giveaway for preschoolers, 37 books were given out. · July 19th – 141 people attended the Swazzle puppeteers as they presented a mystery show called “Rex and Boots, Super Sleuths.” · July 21st – 16 people attended Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book launch party which included crafts, word games, Pin the Tail on Dudley Dursley, and a raffle. 3 copies of the new book given as prizes. · July 26th – Board Games at the Library program – 65 attended. This is becoming extremely popular. · August 16th – 17 people attended the Crime Caper interactive mystery for 8 – 13 year-olds. Children’s staff worked to create props, and set up the community room as the “library.” Children had to figure out who stole the missing bookplate drawn by illustrator Mark Teague. Participants examined clues, talked to suspects, and met at the end to give their insights to “Inspector Fromage.” Everyone received detective-type gifts at the end. Both parents and children thought the program was terrific!
Have a great week!
Leslie T. Knight Assistant City Manager/Human Resources Management Director City of Richmond Human Resources Management Department 1401 Marina Way South Richmond, CA 94804
(510) 620-6600 – tel. (510) 620-6560 – fax Leslie_Knight@ci.richmond.ca.us – email
Submitted by: Lisa Carter, Executive Secretary II for Leslie T. Knight, Assistant City Manager HRM Department (510) 620-6600 – direct |