RNCC Meeting Minutes, October 16, 2017
Refreshments available at 6:45 preceding the meeting
provided by Laurel Park and Park Plaza Neighborhood Councils
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:04 by President Stan Anderson.
2. Presidents Report: Bielle Moore will be the speaker at the November General Membership meeting.
3. Introductions and Neighborhood Reports: Castro Heights, Fairmede/Hilltop, Greenbriar, Hilltop, Laurel Park, Marina Bay, Panhandle Annex, Park Plaza, Point Richmond, Pullman, Richmond Heights, Richmore Village, Santa Fe, 23rd St. Corridor.
a. Castro Heights: Castro Heights has a project before the planning department for expedited review to remediate a landslide. The CHNC will be meeting tomorrow.
b. Fairmede/Hilltop: 90 community members met with Mayor Butt and the new owners of Hilltop to discuss and identify new vendors for Hilltop. FHNC will be holding a Carnival on 10-27.
c. Greenbriar: are waiting to get streets paved. Would like the date.
d. Hilltop: New owners of Hilltop attended the last quarterly meeting. They are working on redoing the landscaping on Hilltop Drive—plan is to get rid of trees and plant more that are native to the area.
e. Laurel Park: Myrtle Braxton was present. There was no report.
f. Marina Bay: Expecting report from WETA. New Starbucks is open. Tesla might put in charging stations in Mariana Bay.
g. Panhandle Annex: will meet the Sunday after this meeting at 2P.
h. Park Plaza: The 2nd International Day held at Kennedy Park was very successful with 200 people. Dona Graves from the Richmond History Society to discuss historic artifacts to be included in Mira Flores. There was a discussion of daylighting the creek.
i. Point Richmond: No report
j. Pullman: Met last Saturday. Blocked off the street. 75-80 children came. The police came by to visit. A good time was had by all.
k. Richmond Heights: The Fire Department attended the last meeting and talked about fire safety and prevention. Iron Triangle held a successful picnic last month. The membership is growing.
l. Richmore Village: Have not met recently. Things going well except for uptick of traffic “doughnuts”. Question regarding what is happening with Key West Bank.
m. Santa Fe: No report. The SFNC meets the 4th Thursday of the month.
n. Representative from 23rd Street Corridor announced that there will be trick or treating on Halloween from 4p-6p.
4. RNCC Secretary: Jan Mignone, was not present so minutes of the previous meeting were not distributed or approved.
5. Announcements: RNCC PIO, Madlyn Law announced upcoming events including the Senior Ball, the GRIP Harmony walk, AC Transit community meeting on proposed changes to Bay Bridge, Chess Festival, employment opportunities at MCE, a PAL Casino bus trip, a painting project at Rancho Market, WWCUSD Racial Justice Taskforce, a Clean Up at Nevin Community Center organized by the ITNC, a haunted house event on October 21 in Point Richmond for adults.
6. Departmental Reports:
WCCUSD: Marcus Walton
a. Based on coordinated discussions with WCCUSD, Contra Costa Health Department and BAAQMD schools were closed Thursday and Friday of the previous week because of poor air quality from the fires in the North Bay.
b. A county wide task force has been created to increase racial justice in CCC.
c. A De Anza teacher was one of 2 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year.
d. At last School Board meeting changed second Monday in October to “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
e. A taskforce has been formed to discuss ways to provide housing for teachers.
f. A new “Willful Defiance Policy” is being considered to find ways to decrease suspensions. This will be discussed at November 1.
g. State test scores remain flat.
h. Superintendent is considering expanding K-8 schools to increase capacity and be more competitive with Charter Schools. Many parents take their children out of WCCUSD after 6th grade.
i. An upcoming conference in Oakland will look at ways to deal with Charters and their impact on the resources in the district.
A member asked the School District to reach out to the community when a school related activity is taking place.
DIMO: not present
Police Department: Captain A. Walle, Northern District, & Tim Gray also present
a. Richmond is consistent with national trend for decreased crime, with the exception of property crimes.
b. The PD is making reassignments. Try to keep continuity. Requested that e-mails be updated when personnel changes.
c. RNCC member asked how to handle underreporting of burglaries. Issue of robberies from vehicles parked at Courtyard Marriot was discussed. The police are aware. It was stated that “Corporate Office” won’t let Marriot remind people to lock cars, etc.
d. Sex Trafficking: Beat officers are assigned to problem areas to work on this. Try to provide services to the prostitutes and arrest pimps and Johns.
City Manager/Community Services: Rochelle Monk
a. Rochelle described how to access the Neighborhood Councils on the Richmond City website.
Google Richmond CA., City’s website will come up., Click “Departments”, Click “Community Services”, Will have a choice of “Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council” (RNCC: overview, meeting times, minutes) or “Neighborhood Councils” (N.C.s Most, but not all are hyperlinked.)
b. The department is streamlining NC process for use of Community Centers, reviewing fee structure.
c. Community Services is “rebranding” and will have its own logo. There will be an event to roll out the new identity.
Planning Department: Hector Lopez
a. Noted that 6 of the projects are not assigned to neighborhood councils.
Engineering and Capital Improvements: (???)
a. Just opened pedestrian path on Nevin side of BART Station
b. Working on the slide on Rifle Range Road
c. Working on paving on Richmond Parkway
Mayor’s Office: Sequoia Erasmus
a. In November there will be highlighting solutions for homeless in the community. There will be a movie screening at Nevin Center on homelessness.
b. Nevin Post Office: trying to work with USPS (they are being difficult) to buy the building.
c. Food Week: End of October There will be food awareness activities.
d. Mayors Business Roundtable (October 26, Noon, Hilltop Community Room) Will discuss companies for shops at Hilltop.
e. City Council will be discussing possible annexation of North Richmond. Continue LAFCO process and vote of residents.
f. Announced Arbor Day event on Greenway with Groundwork Richmond.
g. Concerns about homelessness in Richmond. There are increasing numbers of homeless around Nevin. Sequoia stated that an “internal meeting” is scheduled to talk about homelessness. Will include department heads. Working on creating plan for this sensitive, chronic issue. A Homeless Taskforce is visiting camps, shelters to better understand scope and issues. Taskforce will present to the City Council next month. There seems to be a trend of homeless moving to east county. Stan suggests that homelessness be the focus of a discussion at an RNCC meeting.
7. Presentation: First Mile/Las Mile Transportation Plan, Lori-Reese Brown and Consultant Nelsen Nygaard, The city has contracted with the consultants to make a transportation plan focused on how residents can most efficiently travel to and from transit hubs Richmond BART, Del Norte BART, future ferry. Looking at best practices in other municipalities. Getting input from community groups, employers. Had community meeting to discuss findings. A question raised why RNCC not included in the process. There is a lot of information about the project on the city’ website: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/3485/First-MileLast-Mile-Transportation-Strat Solutions for easy access may vary depending on the hub. Possible funding sources: US Department of Transportation monies funneled through the state to localities, ask employers to contribute based on number of workers coming into the community. Member suggested that they should add El Cerrito and Orinda BART stations to plan.
Asked whether or not are planning for new communities like Mira Flores.
8. Richmond Promise: Jesse Stewart, When program started focused on getting word out and getting students to sign up for scholarships. Now are focusing on making college accessible and practices that will ensure success. Recruitment: will be a community wide meeting on October 3 to promote program. Would welcome opportunity to speak at neighborhood councils. Working on peer ambassador program.
Summer melt: refers to numbers who receive scholarships but don’t go to college. Is decreasing dramatically. Governor Brown just signed a bill for free first year at Community College. Bill makes first year tuition free. Richmond Promise monies can be used for books, etc.
9. Old Business:
By-laws amendments distribution. Thank you to Laurel Park and Park Plaza for refreshments.
10. New Business:
None.
11. Meeting Adjourned.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted
Margaret Jordan
Corresponding Secretary.