On the agenda: Flock vote returns as council weighs wastewater and an $8.2 million question

Richmond City Council returns Tuesday for what promises to be another full evening, picking up unfinished business from its March 3 meeting that ran out of time before members could vote on renewing the city's contract with Flock Safety, while also taking up a major decision on the future of the city's wastewater and stormwater services.

The effluent society

Richmond city officials are asking the City Council to begin a competitive bidding process to find a new private operator for the city's wastewater and stormwater systems before the current contract expires in May 2027.

The recommendation, set for a council vote Tuesday, follows an analysis by consulting firm Watearth that evaluated three options for managing the city's treatment plant, 196 miles of sewer pipelines, and 169 miles of stormwater infrastructure after the existing deal with Veolia Water North America runs out.

City staff and consultants concluded that rebidding the contract to a private operator carries the lowest risk and is the only option realistically achievable within the available timeframe. Taking operations fully in-house would require at least two years of preparation, more time than the city has, while transferring assets to another public agency, such as West County Wastewater District, could take up to seven years.

The city currently pays Veolia roughly $13 million annually for wastewater services and $600,000 for stormwater management. The Watearth analysis estimated a new contract could run between $15 million and $25 million per year.

Officials cited performance problems under the current contract, including repeated sewage overflows that resulted in a 2018 settlement with San Francisco Baykeeper, as reasons not to simply extend the Veolia agreement.

The Flock vote, at last

Two weeks ago, the council heard hours of public testimony about the Flock Safety contract before the clock ran out. A motion to continue the meeting the following day failed 3-4, leaving the matter unresolved while the cameras remained offline.

Tuesday's agenda notes that public comment on the Flock item is closed. The council will proceed directly to deliberation and a vote.

Chief Timothy Simmons is asking the council to choose between two options: restore the full Flock system, including the automated license plate reader cameras that were shut down in October 2025, alongside existing CCTV and drone programs (Option A); or extend only the CCTV and drone programs while leaving the plate readers off and exploring alternative vendors (Option B).

Simmons has recommended Option A, pointing to a 33 percent rise in vehicle thefts since the cameras went dark and citing department figures showing the system assisted in 274 arrests, the recovery of 259 stolen vehicles, and 911 criminal investigations between April 2023 and November 2025.

The ALPR cameras were shut down after a "national lookup" feature was found to have shared Richmond vehicle data with outside agencies, violating city policy and California law. Flock Safety has since disabled that feature for all California agencies and blocked out-of-state data sharing. A July 2025 software update also blocks immigration-related search terms.

Immigration protections briefing

City Manager Shasa Curl and City Attorney Shannon Moore will present a report on Richmond's ongoing and planned efforts to protect residents from federal immigration enforcement, including ICE raids. The item was also continued from the March 3 meeting.

Richmond has a large immigrant population and has long identified as a welcoming city. Advocates are expected to be present and push for stronger commitments. The presentation is described as an initial briefing.

Cheese Park improvements

Councilmembers Soheila Bana and Claudia Jimenez are seeking council direction on a package of improvements for Cheese (La Moine) Park, the only community green space serving residents east of Interstate 80. The proposal includes permanent restrooms, a drinking fountain, playground restoration, safety fencing around the toddler area, and a children's bike garden developed in partnership with Bike East Bay. The bike garden would give young riders a dedicated space to build cycling skills in a controlled setting. Staff would also be directed to consult with the community on adding sports courts, senior activity spaces, teen areas, and fitness amenities, and to address long-standing drainage problems that have made soccer areas unplayable.

If the resolution passes, city staff would be directed to identify funding through the fiscal year 2026-27 capital improvement budget.

Blue Envelope program

Councilmember Cesar Zepeda is asking the council to direct the city manager to create a Blue Envelope Program for residents with autism. Enrolled participants would receive an envelope containing information about their diagnosis and instructions for first responders on how best to interact with them. Zepeda is targeting an April rollout to coincide with Autism Awareness Month. Similar programs have been adopted in cities across the country as a low-cost tool to improve outcomes during law enforcement encounters.

Budget session

The council will receive the fiscal year 2025-26 mid-year budget review covering the period from July 1 through December 31, 2025, and will consider approving mid-year budget adjustments.

The council will also take up how to allocate $8.2 million in reserves that exceed the city's 21 percent policy target. Despite ending fiscal year 2024-25 with a $14.4 million operating deficit, revenues of $233.7 million against expenditures of $248.1 million, the city maintained a General Fund reserve of $62.8 million, roughly 24.2 percent of next year's budgeted spending. City officials attributed the deficit to higher personnel and public safety costs. Staff is proposing to direct $6.32 million toward Complete Streets improvements, $250,000 for environmental monitoring at Point Molate, and $821,368 each into pension and retiree health benefit trusts.

The council is set to receive the city's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Auditors from Badawi and Associates issued unmodified opinions on most city funds but issued a disclaimer on the Richmond Housing Authority and related entities because their financial statements for recent years remain under review.

John Haley Studio public hearing

The council will hold a public hearing on a proposal to rezone the John Haley Studio at 771 Ocean Avenue by adding a Landmark Overlay District designation, a step toward listing the property on the Richmond Historic Register.

The council will also consider a wide range of routine items grouped under the consent calendar, typically approved in a single vote without debate.

Firefighters in line for five percent annual raises

The Richmond City Council is set to approve a three-year labor agreement with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 188 that would cost the city an estimated $4.5 million in additional expenses over its term.

The proposed contract, covering July 2025 through June 2028, includes five percent annual base wage increase. It also expands longevity pay by adding a new tier at 15 years of service and moving the top tier from 25 to 20 years.

Additional provisions incorporate Cesar Chavez Day and Juneteenth as official holidays and expand parental leave to four weeks.

Nature calls at Wendell Park, and Richmond will answer for $432,936

Richmond city officials are seeking approval to spend $2.4 million on sports lighting, synthetic turf, and prefabricated restrooms across three public parks, drawing on federal pandemic relief funds.

A prefabricated restroom structure at Wendell Park carries a price tag of $432,936, under a contract with CXT Incorporated. The factory-built unit will be delivered and installed at the park as part of a broader renovation that also includes improvements at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and Shields-Reid Park.

The City Council is set to ratify agreements with three contractors. FieldTurf USA, Inc. would receive the largest share, $973,209, to install synthetic turf at Shields-Reid Park. Musco Sports Lighting, LLC would be paid $688,293 to install new field lighting at the same site.

Funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package Congress passed in 2021.

On libraries, the council will consider a sole-source contract with Innovative Interfaces for $450,000 to host and maintain the Sierra Integrated Library System through June 2028, with two one-year extension options. The contract also covers interlibrary loan services and an analytics tool. Separately, the council will consider accepting $10,000 in gift funds from Carnegie Corporation of New York for library programs and authorizing a $5,000 payment from those funds to the Richmond Museum Association.

On energy and facilities, the council will consider a $250,000 sole-source contract with Zero Net Energy Alliance to upgrade lighting infrastructure at City Hall and enroll the building in Marin Clean Energy's Virtual Power Plant Program. The contract runs through September 2026.

The council will approve a contract with Excel ADR for up to $252,000 to administer alternative dispute resolution services for public safety workers compensation cases through December 2028, and a minor amendment to an actuarial services contract with Prime Actuarial Consulting, increasing the payment limit by $7,600 to a total of $17,100 and extending the term through June 2027.

On public works and infrastructure, the council will consider a sole-source contract with CSW/ST2 for up to $148,780 to support the design phase of the Harbour Way South and Wright Avenue rail crossing project through December 2028. The council will also consider accepting the Ferry Point Sewer Pump Station project as complete and authorizing an increase of $131,366 to the project authority to cover final costs, along with recording a notice of completion with Contra Costa County. A sole-source contract with Ninyo and Moore for up to $292,700 is also on the calendar for environmental oversight and monitoring at the Boorman Park remediation site.

On community and economic development, the Arts and Culture Division will present a status update on its ongoing efforts to hire an Arts and Culture Manager and administer the Mini Grants Program and other public art initiatives. The council will also consider co-sponsoring a free Asian American and Pacific Islander community celebration at the Richmond Auditorium on May 2, organized by the SAFE Center, with programming expected to include cultural exhibits and educational activities.

On financial policies, the council will consider adopting updates to the city's financial policy guidelines, and will receive the Investment and Cash Balance Report, Monthly Overtime Reports, Documentary Transfer Tax Report, and retiree benefit reports for January 2026.

The Housing Authority, meeting in special session before the regular council meeting at 5:55 p.m., will consider a contract amendment with RK Roofing and Construction for gutter replacement at Nystrom Village, increasing the payment limit by $322,000 to a total of $592,000, with an extended term through June 2027.

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