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| City Manager's Weekly Report for the Week Ending May 18th, 2012
May 21, 2012 |
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Mayor and Councilmembers: This is the weekly report for the week ending May 18th, 2012.
The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, May 22nd, beginning with a Closed Session at 5:00 PM, and with the regular agenda starting at 6:30 PM.
More than 250 small business owners attended the Sell Big Procurement Fair last Thursday, May 10th at the Craneway Conference Center. The event was hosted by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Point Richmond Business Association, 23rd Street Merchants Association, Richmond Main Street, and California Small Business Development Center. Other event sponsors included the City of Richmond, Bay Area News Group, U.S. Small Business Administration, Mechanics Bank, The Chamber Link, and Nichols Consulting Engineers. Local vendors were invited to this event to participate in workshops covering the following topics:
The event featured best practices from business and government procurement experts and opportunity to network with other businesses. City Finance Department staff members Rose Gibson, Wanda-Mason Lewis, Veretta Edwards, and Ofelia Alvarez, as well as Soco Perez and Janet Johnson, from the City Manager’s Office were in attendance to provide information on the City’s procurement and small business loan programs. The City will continue to work to organize future workshops to support local business procurement opportunities.
The EBCPA expects to pay the loan in full by December 2012.
Every year, the City of Richmond recognizes a number of individuals, organizations, businesses, and agencies whose contributions demonstrate outstanding commitment to excellence in historic preservation, local history, or promotion of the heritage of the City. Steve Gilford for his book “Build ‘Em by the Mile, Cut ‘Em off by the Yard”; East Bay Center for the Performing Arts for the Rehabilitation of the Winters Building; Rosie the Riveter Trust for the Rehabilitation of the Maritime Child Development Center; and Richmond Museum of History for Collecting and Preserving Richmond's History.
Historic Preservation Award Winners and Presenters
As you may know, sales tax is one of the City of Richmond’s most important revenue sources. Data from MuniServices, the City’s sales tax forecasting consultant, indicates that every region in California experienced an increase in sales tax cash receipts for the four quarters ending December 2011. Northern California increased by 9.5% and Southern California increased by 8.2%, resulting in a statewide increase of 8.8%. Richmond experienced an increase of 4.9% in sales tax revenue during calendar year 2011. To date, the low point in sales tax for Richmond during the current recession remains the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2009, and most indicators show that revenues have leveled off. The City’s tax base is led by the General Retail category, which makes up 34.7% of the sales tax revenue, in large part due to large retailers that include Costco, Wal-Mart and Target. Of significance, the category of New Auto Sales increased significantly during the fourth quarter of 2011. The Finance Department will continue to closely monitor the actual revenue submitted by the State Board of Equalization, and the local trends that are developing in Richmond.
This past Monday, May 14th, Finance Director Jim Goins, along with staff from the City Manager’s Office, the Finance Department, and the Recreation, Fire, and Police Departments, attended the Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council meeting to present a financial overview of the City’s current and projected financial position information on the City’s finances. On Thursday, the budget road show continued to the Nevin Center to meet with the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council. The Finance Department was joined by representatives of the City Manager’s Office, Parks Maintenance, Code Enforcement, and Paratransit. Below is a listing of the remaining scheduled community budget meetings.
The Via Verdi Culvert Replacement project has begun with the hillside terrace excavation at the corner of El Portal Drive and Via Verdi, in preparation for the excavation of the existing corrugated metal pipe culvert. The material excavated will be temporarily stockpiled for future use on unused adjacent Rolling Hills Memorial Park property. Sandbags have been placed around storm drain inlets and straw waddles have been placed around material and stockpile areas, in accordance with the project’s storm water pollution prevention plan. Potholing has begun for the purpose of identifying the exact location of the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s 54-inch main line as it dips underneath the existing corrugated metal pipe culvert. This work is critical in order for the line to be protected for the duration of the culvert replacement project. The sidewalk, curb and gutter within the construction area/road closure area along El Portal Drive have been demolished. PG&E is re-routing their electric lines onto temporary poles in order to provide uninterrupted service to the Sobrante Glen residential community. Some additional traffic control and road closure measures have also been implemented. We will continue to keep you informed as this complex construction project moves forward.
At the Cinco de Mayo festival held on Sunday, May 6th, Engineering Services conducted a survey both in English and Spanish on issues regarding pesticides, trash and water conservation. Educating the public on these issues is a State stormwater permit requirement. The stormwater program surveyed 300 festival attendees and collected 111 pledges from Richmond residents alone. Participants of the survey were asked if they would like to pledge to do something to support stormwater quality the following weekend. Typically when a pledge is signed, a high percentage of the signees will follow through on their committed action.
The survey allowed the stormwater program staff to find out what people know about preserving water quality and understand their current practices. Engineering Services staff and a volunteer from the Planning and Building Department discussed in Spanish the best ways to deter pests and conserve water such as with better car washing practices. This, combined with the pledge, provides an opportunity to change people’s behavior to practices that improve water quality through cleaner stormwater runoff. Many participants pledged more than one action.
With sunny weather upon us, the Engineering Services Department’s Pavement Rehabilitation can begin slurry sealing streets throughout the City. Bond Blacktop, Inc, a subcontractor to Ghilotti Brothers, Inc. will begin next week. The streets listed below will be affected on the days noted; some will be affected over a period of two days in order to maintain traffic flow as much as possible. No parking will be allowed in these areas on the days listed. All of the striping and lettering in the streets has already been removed in preparation for this work. Depending on weather/temperature, the slurry areas should dry and open to traffic approximately 4 hours after application. The slurry will be allowed to cure for an additional 10 days and the new striping will be installed during the first week of June.
Saturday, May 12, was the second annual Major Taylor Bike Fiesta! The event was a great success and featured live performances, bike repairs, bike raffles, free food, face painting, free helmets, bike rodeos, helmet decorating, tune ups, family activities and much more on the grounds of Lincoln Elementary. The Bike Fiesta aims to make biking safe and accessible for the whole community and pay homage to Major Taylor, the first African American world champion cyclist. The event was free to the community through a collaboration between Building Blocks for Kids (BBK), the City of Richmond, Contra Costa Health Services, Youth Enrichment Strategies (YES), WCCC Community Wellness and Prevention, Richmond Spokes and the Richmond Police Department.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had scheduled a technical assistance workshop on May 21st to provide information on programs available to assist the community to better understand the cleanup process at the United Heckathorn Superfund Site. This meeting has been cancelled and will be rescheduled by the EPA in the near future. More information on EPA’s technical assistance resource can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/community/resources.htm. Additional site information can be found at: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=2579 or www.epa.gov/region09/UnitedHeckathorn.
Richmond residents are eligible to receive thousands of dollars in stimulus rebates to improve their home’s comfort and energy efficiency and the City of Richmond is helping to get the word out. The City is hosting a free workshop where property owners can learn how to obtain federal stimulus funding and State rebates to make their homes more comfortable and efficient through the Energy Upgrade California Program. Those interested may RSVP at http://r3workshop.eventbrite.com/. The workshop to be held on Thursday, May 24th, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Richmond City Council Chambers, 440 Civic Center Plaza. At this workshop, attendees can: - Sign up for a home energy assessment; Please visit https://energyupgradeca.org/overview or www.richmondenvironment.org for more information on Energy Upgrade California. More information can also be obtained by contacting the Richmond Environmental Initiatives Division of the City Manager’s office at 620-5502.
Current recycling, transfer, and disposal (post-collection) contract service agreements are set to expire at the end of 2013 for West Contra Costa. The City of Richmond and other West Contra Costa cities are participating with the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (WCCIWMA)/ RecycleMore) in solid waste strategic planning and post-collection service procurement. Please consider attending the following important workshops and community meetings.
RecycleMore will hold a special meeting of the Board of Directors to vote to approve the composition of the evaluation team to review proposals for the State of Interest (SOI) service procurement process. You can view the agenda at http://www.recyclemore.com/content/board-meeting-agendas.
David Gray, Goldman School of Public Policy student, will present findings on a white paper evaluating Richmond solid waste services. Those attending will have an opportunity to provide thoughts on garbage and recycling services provided to Richmond residents and businesses. These comments will help inform the strategic planning process and post-collection procurement.
The RecycleMore Board of Directors Strategic Planning Workshop will be June 14th and the agenda will be available at: http://www.recyclemore.com/content/board-meeting-agendas.
Bingo: The Nevin Community Center is now hosting a free Senior Bingo program on Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Prizes, light snacks and refreshments are provided. Golf Celebration: The Youth on Course Golf Program ended on April 26th at the Richmond Country Club. About 20 participants from the Recreation Department, West Contra Costa Salesian Boys & Girls Club, YMCA of the East Bay, and Mechanics Bank, were presented with certificates and their Youth on Course membership cards which gives them access to over 120 golf courses throughout Northern California to play at $5 or less. First 5: In collaboration with the First 5 program, the Nevin Community Center provided instructional Hip-Hop and Soccer classes for kids ages 3 to 5 years of age on Mondays and Wednesdays. At the end of each session, the participants were provided with healthy snacks. Baseball: The Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit and Run Competition was held in Nicholl Park on Saturday, May 12th. Winners from the Richmond competition have qualified to participate in the Sectional Competition in Walnut Creek on Sunday, May 20th. The Recreation Department will be escorting participants from the 7 and 8 year old division, 9 and 10 year old division, 11 and 12 year old division, and the 13 and 14 year old division. Winners from the Sectionals will advance to AT&T Park in San Francisco. In 2008 the City of Richmond had a participant place 4th on the West Coast. Go Richmond!
Facilities Maintenance Division: The carpenters installed structural headers in the Watch Room in Fire Station 67; repaired the entry door to the Engineering Department; installed security mirrors in City Hall; and, installed new closet doors in the gym and corridor doors leading to pool of the Recreation Complex. The painters completed painting 57% of the wrought iron fence around Fire Station 67. The stationary engineers completed plumbing remodeling, replaced water heater, and repaired the engine exhaust system in Fire Station 67; replaced the motor of the HVAC unit in 440 Civic Center; repaired the exhaust system in Fire Station 61; and, removed and replaced the dishwasher in Fire Station 64. The electricians repaired the swim suit spinner in the Plunge; restored many traffic light outages; and, restored many street lights in the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council area due to a bad PE cell that supported half of the area. Repairs were started on a knocked down traffic signal at the intersection of Atlas Road and Monarch.
Parks and Landscaping Division: Parks crews completed
The Tree Crew completed maintenance at126 Glen, 4418 Ohio, and 3806 and 3811 Center. Streets Division: The Pavement Maintenance crew dug out and patched the 800 block and 919 Florida Avenue, 40th Street at Roosevelt Avenue, patched and coated Cutter Lane, and patched South 59th Street at Highland with hot mix.
****************************************************** 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! 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 Bill Lindsay
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