1 RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA,
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
May 22, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
Richmond Civic Center Auditorium, Bermuda Room
403 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA 94804
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A. SPECIAL MEETING OF THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
The Special Meeting of the Richmond City Council was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Facilitator Henry Gardner.
B. ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Soheila Bana, Claudia Jimenez, Doria Robinson, Cesar Zepeda, and Vice Mayor Gayle McLaughlin. Absent: Mayor Eduardo Martinez arrived at 10:04 a.m. and Councilmember Melvin Willis arrived at 10:19 a.m.
C. WELCOME/INTRODUCTIONS
Henry Gardner reviewed the agenda and stated the allotted time to cover each agenda item. Mr. Gardner introduced himself and gave a brief overview of the many years of his professional experience.
Mayor Martinez and Councilmembers gave comments.
D. REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF THE AGENDA
Henry Gardner listed the goals and objectives submitted by the mayor and council as follows:
1. Funding for new library (renovation of the main library, increase hours of operation for parks and recreation facilities)
2. Create grants manager position with staff support (fill staff vacancies, expand vocational training programs)
3. Improve parking accessibility in neighborhoods (implementation of rental inspection program, tenant protection and rental assistance)
4. Increase sidewalk repairs (maintain and improve parks, illegal dumping)
5. Improve public safety (road repairs for safety, improve maintenance, repairs, and and landscaping on public property)
6. Increase housing supply (increase affordable housing, reduce homelessness)
7. Revitalize business (increase city revenue, develop strategic plan for part)
8. Create paths to home ownership (expand tenant eviction service assistance) E. DISCUSS, DEVELOP, and APPROVE City Council Goals and Objectives and PROVIDE direction to staff.
The council discussed the definition of clear goals and objectives. They also suggested that they rewrite the goals to better fit what they wanted to accomplish. The council also listed top five goals and consolidated categories where there was crossover.
2 The mayor and each councilmember expressed up to five goals as follows:
Councilmember Doria Robinson:
• Increasing access in quality housing
• Increase revenue
• Improve quality of life and community health
• Improve public safety
• Strengthen City’s internal infrastructure to improve work environment Councilmember Claudia Jimenez:
• Increase economic development
• Decrease homeless
Vice Mayor Gayle McLaughlin:
• Housing
• Infrastructure and capital needs
• Increase revenue and workforce development and jobs
• Address shoreline issues and ecological sustainability Councilmember Cesar Zepeda:
• Improve/beautify our streets
• Improve social determinants of health (i.e. hospital, library, etc.) • Improve internal processes (i.e. how people do business with the city of Richmond)
Councilmember Soheila Bana:
• Increase path to homeownership
• Increase access to parks, playgrounds and soccer fields Councilmember Melvin Willis:
• Increasing service delivery
• Improve or provide opportunities to housing relocation services for homeless and evicted
• Improve access to recreation opportunities (i.e. Skate rink) • Renovate the library
• Job training for junior and seniors in high school that are not college ready Mayor Eduardo Martinize:
• Increase accountability (for council and staff)
• Revitalize the Port
• Increasing revenues
• Increase housing
• Increasing public access to city facilities
3 • Improve process to make City information and services more accessible Council combined like items and provided details of what falls under each goal - Overarching City Council Goals:
1. Improve access and quality of housing, and reduce homelessness
2. Increase revenue and improve economic development
3. Improve quality of life and community health
4. Improve public safety
5. Strengthen the City’s Internal Infrastructure
6. Address Shoreline Issues and ecological sustainability F. DISCUSSION OF GOALS SUBMITTED BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL
Click the link below to see the details of the council goals and objectives.
Link to detailed goals/objectives
G. BREAK
At noon, the council took a 10 minute break.
H. RANKING OF TOP 5 GOALS
Continued to the next goals setting meeting (May 31, 2023).
I. DISCUSSION OF TOP 5 GOALS
Continued to the next goals setting meeting (May 31, 2023).
J. DEVELOP OBJECTIVES FOR TOP 5 GOALS
Continued to the next goals setting meeting (May 31, 2023).
K. PUBLIC COMMENT (LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE)
Jim Becker gave public comment regarding housing rental assistance. He requested that the council think about placing money back into the rental assistance pool. He stated that Housing First had launched and 12 people were placed on a job. Mr. Becker shared a thank you message from a resident that received rental assistance.
L. NEXT STEPS AND FINAL COMMENTS
Next Steps:
• Continue Goal Setting discussion – May 31, June 6, June 13, June 20? • Operationalize council goals through inclusion, as appropriate, during Q1 FY 23- 24 budget update
• Propose a consolidated list of objectives under the goals Mayor Martinez gave final comments.
M. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:05 p.m.