Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Presiding: Mayor Gayle McLaughlin · Called to order: 7:10 p.m. · 14 items · 18 votes · 8 public comments

What happened

The council voted down a $2 million amendment to complete wastewater pump station upgrades by December 2007. The project failed when Marquez and Sandhu abstained and Bates voted no, leaving it short of the needed votes.

The council approved a $360,000 contract to Bay Hawk for concrete repairs throughout the city, despite Bates voting no. The city also hired recruiting firms to find a new Public Works Operations and Maintenance Director and Recreation Director for $26,000, with Bates again casting the lone dissenting vote on both items.

The council approved $30,000 for the Homefront Festival celebrating military families, with Rogers voting against the funding. They also provided $17,000 for the annual Juneteenth Parade and Festival and approved hiring Renne, Sloan, Holtzman, & Sakai law firm as Interim City Attorney for $90,000.

The council directed staff to organize community groups for violence reduction planning and declared Richmond a Green Economic Development Area to attract environmentally-focused businesses. They also authorized Contra Costa County officers to enforce illegal dumping laws in North Richmond.

The council scheduled a public hearing to permanently close part of B Street and approved creating a budget for an annual volunteer appreciation ceremony. Discussion of policies for continuing board and commission members' terms was continued to a future meeting.

Auto-summarized from official minutes and vote records

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Attendance

Gayle McLaughlin(Present)
Tony Thurmond(Present)
Nat Bates(Present)
Tom Butt(Absent)
Jim Rogers(Present)
Ludmyrna Lopez(Present)
Maria Viramontes(Absent)
John Marquez(Present)
Harpreet Sandhu(Present)
15 items
Direct staff to organize community groups for violence reduction planning
Passed 7-0Police & Community Safety
Schedule public hearing to permanently close part of B Street
Passed 6-0B Street Closure
Write off unpaid debts owed to the city
Passed 5-1Uncollectible Debts
Award $360,000 contract to Bay Hawk for concrete repairs citywide
Passed 5-1Police & Community Safety
Hire recruiting firm to find new Public Works Operations and Maintenance Director
Passed 5-1Police & Community Safety
Hire recruitment firm to find new Recreation Director for $26,000
Passed 5-1Recreation Director Search
Hire law firm to serve as Interim City Attorney for $90,000
Passed 6-0Interim City Attorney
Establish policy for continuing board and commission members' terms
Passed 7-0Police & Community Safety
Direct staff to create budget for annual volunteer appreciation ceremony
Passed 7-0Police & Community Safety
Approve $17,000 funding for Juneteenth Parade and Festival
Passed 7-0Political Statements
Approve $2 million amendment to complete wastewater pump station upgrades by December 2007
Failed 4-1Wastewater Treatment Facility
Review but take no action on regulating hazardous railcar transport
Passed 5-1Environmental Justice
Consider $30,000 funding request for Homefront Festival by the Bay
Passed 5-1Police & Community Safety
Allow county officers to enforce illegal dumping laws in North Richmond
Passed 7-0Police & Community Safety
Declare Richmond a Green Economic Development Area to attract green businesses
Passed 7-0Political Statements
*April 3, 2007 meeting minutesK-1Item held over to May 1, 2007