Mayor and Councilmembers:

This is the weekly report for the week ending February 4th, 2011.

• Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15th.  Enjoy the week off.

• Sacramento Hearings on Redevelopment

The Community & Economic Development Agency Director/ Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Steve Duran and Redevelopment Director Alan Wolken attended state senate budget committee hearings on Governor Brown's proposal to end Redevelopment in California.  The legislative analysts report reinforced the Governor’s proposal.  Over 100 cities and redevelopment agencies were represented.  Staff, along with our lobbyist, was also able to meet privately with Senator Loni Hancock and with Assembly Member Nancy Skinner to discuss ideas on how to preserve redevelopment, and at the same time, provide $1.7 billion to the state from redevelopment agencies in fiscal year 2011-2012.

• Food Ware Ordinance Update

The City’s Food Ware Ordinance went into effect in August 2010.  The ordinance prohibits the use of styrofoam containers in Richmond food establishments.  To date, City staff has visited more than 30 percent of Richmond food providers, including restaurants, food trucks, and organizations that provide food to the public, providing information about the ordinance and sample containers.  Outreach has included business mailers, community meetings, and assistance with finding compostable products.

Many Richmond food establishments have switched to to-go containers made out of paper, aluminum, or other plant-based materials.  After use, aluminum can be rinsed and put in the recycle bin, and paper and other plant-based food ware can be put in the green cart for composting, as part of the City’s residential organics collection and composting program that began in July 2010.

Boilerhouse restaurant staff with compostable food ware

• Peres Elementary School Garden Revitalization Project in the Iron Triangle

 On Friday, January 28th, at Peres Elementary School, a gardening revitalization project was led by the Parent Coffee Club school parents and the school counselor.  Some of the tasks that were initiated included planting seeds, pulling weeds, general clean up and adding compost to raised planters.  City staff from the Health and Wellness working group supported the event by aiding in outreach efforts, coordinating the lending of gardening tools, and working on the garden the day of the event.  This initiative is located in the pilot project neighborhoods in which the City of Richmond Health and Wellness element is being implemented.

  

• Engineering Services Capital Improvement Project Updates

Carlson Boulevard Project:  The contractor will complete Phase 1 (northbound lane #2) of this project next week.  This will result in the re-opening of the side streets and the local neighborhood to limited Carlson Boulevard access along the easterly side of the project.  Last week, Engineering Services met with the Richmond Annex Neighborhood Council (RANC) to review the project and to discuss the various options for the next phases of construction.  The result was a unanimous recommendation by RANC to delay the beginning of Phases 2 & 3 of the project until the end of wet weather.  The intended result is to minimize the length of time of neighborhood disruption by constructing during dry weather without interruption.  Depending on the weather, the project would re-commence toward the end of March with a completion target of mid-June.  The contractor has agreed to this schedule without additional cost to the City.

• Traffic Safety Program:  Kimley-Horn Associates has completed the draft traffic safety study.  A total of 56 locations were selected for an in-depth review or field observation based on the objective project ranking criteria.  Of this list, the top 16 ranking locations with cost estimates totaling within the annual traffic safety program's construction budget are being prepared for construction bid documents.

A public meeting is scheduled to solicit input on the draft Traffic Safety Study in the Civic Center Plaza’s Richmond Room on Thursday, February 10th, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  In addition to the general public, targeted invitations to the public meeting include the Traffic Safety Study's online Survey Monkey participants and all Neighborhood Council presidents.  The project consultant will be available to answer questions on the selection process of project locations, and the pros and cons on the adoption of different types of improvements.   A similar presentation is scheduled with the upcoming February RNCC meeting.

• Public Works Updates

 

• The Facilities Maintenance Division completed relocating all electrical connections from the existing Civic Center Plaza Marquee which will be removed next Tuesday, February 8th, to accommodate the installation of the new LED Marquee.

• Public Works staff completed the installation of the lighting system for the banner announcing the 75th Anniversary of the Art Center coming up on March 26th.

 

• Building Services continues painting portions of the Nevin Community Center in anticipation of the “New Grand Opening” on March 5th and the Art Center for its 75th Anniversary.

• This past week, the paving crew completed the resurfacing of 15th Street from Ohio Avenue to Virginia Avenue.  Next week, they will resurface South 18th Street from Ohio Avenue to Cutting Boulevard.

 

• The Parks Division will continue working along Carlson Boulevard on the repair of the existing irrigation system along the new UPRR fence to start planting vines along the fence.  They will also mulch collections from Cutting Boulevard.  Parks staff will continue renovating the turf on the North Richmond ball field, rehabilitating the irrigation/landscape at the Humphrey Play Lot, and conduct Richmond Parkway vegetation control maintenance.  The tree trimming crew will trim trees along Carlson Boulevard.

• Recreation Highlights

 

• After-School Activities:  On Wednesday, January 26th, thirty-five May Valley Community Center after-school participants enjoyed a fun-filled evening at Chuck E. Cheese. 

• 8th Annual Chinese New Year:  The Senior Center will host the 8th Annual Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, February 5th, from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM (doors open at 4:00 PM) at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium.  The White Crane Lion and Dragon Dancers (the group chosen to close the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade) will start the program.  Festivities will include performances from participants of the Senior Center classes, a fashion show, line dancing and dinner, which will be served from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM.  Tickets are $10 per person and are on sale at the Richmond Senior Center.

 

• Black History:  The Richmond Recreation Complex and the Richmond Tennis Center staff are presenting a Black History educational series entitled “A Retrospective.”  Historical information and biographies will be displayed on a series of posters highlighting African-Americans, including individuals native to the City of Richmond, from slavery, civil rights and the present day. 

• Interactive Puzzle Board at Shields-Reid:  The Shields-Reid Community Center has an interactive puzzle board on display for youth participants to learn interesting facts about prominent African-American individuals in the entertainment, sports, political and scientific fields.

 

 

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!

 

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Bill Lindsay
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804-1630
Phone:  510-620-6512
Fax:  510-620-6542
E-mail:  bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us