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| City Manager's Weekly Report for the Week
Ending May 2nd, 2008 May 5, 2008 |
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Mayor and Councilmembers:
This is the weekly report for the week ending May 2nd, 2008.
1. Meeting Notes
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6th, beginning with a Closed Session at 5:30 PM. The regular City Council meeting convenes at 7:00 PM.
2. West Contra Costa County Earth Day Creeks and Shoreline Clean-up Challenge
The City of Richmond helped to celebrate Earth Day this year through action. On Saturday, April 19th, the City of Richmond participated in the first annual West Contra Costa County Creeks and Shoreline Challenge in collaboration with the City of San Pablo, Earth Team, Friends of Pinole Creek, Restoration Design Group, San Pablo Watershed Neighbors Educations and Restoration Association, Urban Creeks Council and the Watershed Project.
On Saturday morning, from 9:00am to 11:00am, over 70 volunteers, with the help of the City’s Environmental Manager and Parks crews, removed trash from three of our local creeks: Baxter Creek (in South Richmond), Wildcat Creek (along 23rd Street), two sites along San Pablo Creek (El Portal Drive and Via Verdi and the El Sobrante Library), and the South Richmond Shoreline (in the vicinity of Shimada Park). In just two hours, volunteers, with the assistance of enthusiastic City Parks staff, pulled and picked over 66 cubic yards (or approximately 3-4 utility truckloads) of debris from our creeks and shoreline, including several shopping carts, tires, plastic, styrofoam, and other debris.
After the morning cleanup, site coordinators and City crews brought some of the trash collected to the West Contra Costa County Earth Day Festival where it was displayed as a part of an informative exhibit on the impacts of trash, littering and dumping on our neighborhoods, waterways and ocean.
3. Point Molate Update
This week, City of Richmond staff and the Navy completed negotiations on the Early Transfer Cooperative Agreement. This means that the Navy and the City, subject to final Council approval, have agreed on a cleanup approach for the remaining 41 acres to be transferred to the City of Richmond, which the Navy will fund for $29,000,000. The California Regional Water Quality Control Board must also still approve the proposed cleanup approach. The Navy has also nearly completed the Feasibility of Suitability for Early Transfer Document. Both of these documents should be available for public comment in June, and staff is tentatively planning to present these draft documents to the Council at its first meeting in June. The completion of these draft documents are two very large steps in the overall early transfer approval process. It is now estimated that the transfer will take place in the first half of 2009.
4. Surveillance Camera Project Update
ADT has installed the 80 surveillance cameras at the Port and is currently installing the rest in the City’s hot spot areas. On Wednesday, KTVU filmed some of the cameras being installed and interviewed a spokesperson from the Police Department. The coverage was good, except that the reporter misspoke when she said 80 cameras were installed in Pt. Richmond rather than the Port and that 30 cameras were to be installed on Macdonald Avenue. The clips can be viewed at the weblink referenced below. There will be a press event in Richmond on May 14th that includes a demonstration of the cameras, a lunch, and presentations by the City Manager and Police Chief. ADT will be sending Councilmembers invitations shortly.
http://www.criticalmention.com/report/4621x19542.htm
5. Launch of Anti-Graffiti Abatement Program
Staff work with Boyles and Associates, the anti-graffiti program consultants that were retained by the City Council, begins next week, with intensive training of all those individuals who are instrumental to the success of the program. The week of training ends on Saturday, May 10th, with a volunteer clean-up day in several targeted neighborhoods of the City.
6. County Health Center Relocation
This past Monday, the City of Richmond and Contra Costa County hosted a joint public meeting concerning relocation of the County Health Center from its existing location at 38th Street and Bissel. As you may recall, the City and County had discussed relocation of the Health Center, in part to facilitate redevelopment in the upper Macdonald area, and in part to allow the County to upgrade this facility to better serve its clients. As you may also recall, the County was considering, as one possibility, relocating closer to the Richmond Civic Center area in an area between 22nd and 23rd at Nevin. Following additional site feasibility studies, the County is now focusing on an area near Doctors Hospital as its first option. We will keep you informed as this project continues to evolve.
7. RichmondWORKs’ Job Fair
RichmondWORKS will be hosting a job fair on May 6, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon at the One Stop Career Center on 330 25th Street, Richmond. Job seekers are being encouraged to bring their resumes and be prepared for on-site job interviews. The participating employers include:
· Target (for the new Richmond Store) · PG & E · Manpower Staffing Services · United Parcel Services (UPS) · Fed EX · Securitas · Senior Helpers (Certified Nurse Aides & Caregivers) · Brinks Security · United Insurance · Bread Project
7. Recreation Department Highlights for the Week
The following are highlights of programs currently being offered through the Recreation Department:
· Watershed Project Program – In collaboration with Recreation Equipment Inc., the Watershed Project Program is offered through the Booker T. Anderson Community Center. The sessions are held at Baxter Creek on Wednesdays, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM, for 1st through 6th grade students. Participants learn how to care for the creek habitat while enjoying and appreciating nature. The program concludes on June 11, 2008. The Recreation department will retain all of the supplies and equipment with the idea of continuing the program.
· Youth Activities at Hilltop Mall – The Recreation Department has partnered with Hilltop Mall to engage youth in recreation activities conducted at the mall. The first activity will be a step and hip-hop activity.
· Sports – The Women’s Basketball League has completed their season. The playoff games were held April 24th through May 1st at the Recreation Complex. Adult indoor soccer will begin at the Recreation Complex in May.
· 26th Annual Senior Information and Health Faire application session – Vendors will have the opportunity to submit applications at the Recreation Complex on May 20, 2008 from 10 AM – 1:00 PM for the Senior Information and Health Faire. Planning for the Faire is ongoing and 43 vendors have already been secured. At least 80 vendors are projected to participate in the event.
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 1401 Marina Way South Richmond, CA 94804
Phone: 510-620-6512 Fax: 510-620-6542 e-mail: bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us |