RNCC Meeting Minutes, June 9, 2014
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:02 pm by President Don Woodrow. He then thanked Pullman and Panhandle Annex NCs for the refreshments. He reported that Ray Sitton had passed away and that a card and a collection envelope would be passed around. The money collected tonight will be donated to the Red Oak Victory on Sunday June 12, 2014 in Ray Sitton’s name. We felt this was a fitting tribute to him and his tireless work on the Red Oak Victory ship. There will be a NUSA presentation in July put on by the 2 City staff members and one RNCC member that attended.
2. MSP approval of the Minutes from May 12, 2014
3. Representatives from the following (16) neighborhoods introduced themselves and some gave reports: Belding/Woods, Carriage Hills North, Eastshore, Fairmede/Hilltop, Hilltop Villages, Laurel Park, Marina Bay, May Valley, North & East, Panhandle Annex, Park Plaza, Point Richmond, Pullman, Quail Hill, Richmond Annex, and Richmond Heights.
4. City Department Heads/City Official Reports:
Public Works: Yader Bermudez was not available but his Public Works paving schedule and citywide highlights information was passed out.
Engineering Services: No one was available.
City Manager/Community Coordinator: Rochelle Monk has been very busy with the volunteer programs and they are getting national recognition. She wanted us to know that the City had found a way to print the addresses on the newsletters so all the NCs need to do is put on the stickers. Volunteers of the East Bay has some very good training classes that we may take. National Night Out is soon so please get your applications in soon. Also, if you use a school facility for your meetings, please get your applications into the City so that you are not charged for using the space. So far, Rochelle has entered all of the RNCC line items to the budget including NUSA and the newsletters and it has not been cut.
Mayor’s office: Nicole Valentine gave us some dates regarding the budget, June 17th would be the meeting that you would go to to express your opinion on the budget. June 16th & 17th are the dates for the Homelessness conference, June 21st is the Native American Pow Wow at Nicholl Park, and June 28th is Juneteenth at Nicholl Park. There are also 2 farmers markets in the City now, one at the Civic Center parking lot and the other on 9th Street.
Police Department: Chief Magnus talked about the budget and that many powerful people do not think that code enforcement is a worthy department and if we want to support code enforcement, go to City Council in support of code enforcement and what they do in the City. Crime is down in the City by 25% all around. Residential burglaries are down 40%, vehicle theft is down 47%. There will be a swearing in ceremony for 3 new recruits that have finished the academy and the promotion of Sgt Al Walle to Lt. on Monday June 16th at 10am. They are working with Oakland PD on a DOJ incentive called V10. Beat 7 just had a very successful “coffee with a cop” and other Beats and neighborhoods might want to follow pace. Chief thought that “ice cream with a cop” would be more fun.
Code Enforcement: Tim Higares talked about North Richmond and the work they are doing out there without any mitigation funds. They were given $17,000.00 in mitigation funds to clean up public property in North Richmond. They have collected 1,272 tons of illegal dumping in the last year. If we feel that code enforcement should not be cut during the budget crisis, we need to attend the June 17th City Council meeting to voice our opinion.
Environmental Manager: Lynne Scarpa talked about this being a dry summer and we need to prevent cockroaches and fleas. Use weatherstriping to prevent the entry of cockroaches and other rodents. For fleas use borate on your carpets and in the pets’ beds try to stay ahead of them. Drown them in water so bathe your pets often and use a flea comb to catch them.
Planning Department: Kieron Slaughter talked to us about the sign ordinance and the changes that will be made. If a billboard company (i.e. Clear Channel) want to have a digital sign, they must remove 10 old bill boards and pay the City money. The Pacific East Mall digital sign will have to follow the new sign ordinance, it will not be grandfathered in. There would be signage rights. The sign ordinance is not online as of yet, but will be before it goes to the Planning Commission, possibly in July.
Fire Department: Terry Harris was unavailable, so Deputy Fire Inspector Robin Poindexter was here for the Fire department. She talked about the budget and the possibility of brownouts (having closed fire stations on a rotating schedule) and how we really would rather have our fire stations open all year. She taught us the difference between a fire engine (has water) and a fire truck (carries equipment for ventilating) and reminded us about the fire triangle (heat, air, fuel) and even though you can hold a charcoal briquette in your hand, it is still a heat source and can start a fire if not handled correctly. She also reminded us that all major appliances needed to be plugged directly into an outlet, do not use a power strip.
5. Announcements from RNCC PIO: Garland Ellis announced a class for children on how to paint a mural, the City is having meetings for designing a park in Parchester Village, there will be a second meeting on June 12th regarding what the City would ask Chevron for over and above the $30,000,000 they will be getting as mitigation fees. The Red Oak Victory Pancake Breakfasts start up again on June 15th and the City of Richmond will once again have fireworks on the 3rd of July and you can eat and watch them on the Red Oak Victory ship for $25.00.
6. Presentations:
1) Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, Caitlin Watkins told us that they are opening a new small business development center on July 1st at 15th Street and Macdonald Ave. They already have classes here in Richmond at the Chamber of Commerce and Richmond Adult Education school, to name a couple of locations. Their classes have low or no fees and can help people who have ideas for new businesses turn them into realities. They would love to come to our neighborhood councils to spread the word.
7. Old Business: None
8. New Business: None
9. Adjournment: 8:35 PM
Respectfully submitted by,
Stanly Anderson Recording Secretary
Next General meeting is July 14, 2014. Next Executive meeting is July 21, 2014.