On the agenda: port finances, youth programs, and fire safety

The Richmond City Council's January 6, 2026, meeting will address approving a nearly $300,000 contract to relocate the historic SS Red Oak Victory ship, discussing in closed session a liability claim filed by former Police Chief Allwyn Brown, and reviewing Port of Richmond financial reports and an independent evaluation of youth grant programs. The council will also consider a proposal requiring non-combustible fencing in high fire-hazard areas and elect a new vice mayor for 2026.

A ship comes in

The Richmond City Council is set to approve a nearly $300,000 contract to begin planning the relocation of the SS Red Oak Victory, the last surviving ship from the 747 vessels built at Richmond's Kaiser Shipyards during World War II. The council will consider awarding the contract to Oakland-based Liftech Consultants, Inc., for preliminary design work on a new dock structure to relocate the historic cargo vessel next to the San Francisco ferry parking lot, bringing it closer to the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park.

Built in just 87 days in 1944, the Boulder-Class cargo ship transported munitions from Port Chicago to the Pacific Theater in early 1945. The vessel has served as a museum ship since 1998, when the Richmond Museum Association brought it to the city as a monument to the thousands of shipyard workers who contributed to the war effort.

Currently berthed at Basin No. 5 at Point Potrero Marine Terminal, the relocation would free up Basin No. 5 for commercial maritime leases, generating additional revenue for the port. The Port estimates the total project cost between $16 million and $20 million, with construction of the new dock representing the largest unknown expense.

A chief's complaint

The council will discuss a claim against the city filed by Allwyn Brown in a closed session at 5 p.m., according to the agenda, though the nature and details of Brown's complaint have not been publicly disclosed.

New business items

Counting the cargo

Council members will receive a financial overview of the Port of Richmond, including revenue sources, tariff structures, and funding mechanisms for larger infrastructure projects. This presentation, continued from the December 16 meeting, comes as the city seeks to understand the port's economic operations and future capital needs.

Measuring youth's moment

The council will review an independent evaluation by WestEd assessing the impact of the Richmond Fund for Children & Youth grant programs from fiscal years 2021 through 2024. The third-party evaluation report, also continued from December 16, will provide insights into how effectively the fund has served Richmond's young people over the past three years.

Embers and defenses

Councilmember Soheila Bana and Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda are asking staff to draft an ordinance requiring homeowners' associations in high-fire-hazard areas to adopt architectural design guidelines for non-combustible fences and gates. The proposal directs staff to study California Assembly Bill 3074 and Senate Bill 504, which establish an ember-resistant "Zone Zero," and return within 60 days with a draft ordinance establishing similar protections in Richmond.

The council's consent calendar includes more than a dozen items covering city operations, infrastructure projects, and community programs:

Words and images for hire

The City Manager's Office is seeking approval of contract amendments with Justin Page Design Co. (increasing the payment limit by $10,000 to a total of $20,000) and Folger Graphics (increasing by $100,000 to a total of $235,000) to expand their scope for additional citywide design and printing projects. The amendments require appropriating $110,000 to support these services.

A committee takes shape

A resolution would authorize the creation of the Black Resiliency Project Community Advisory Committee and establish its purpose, membership, meeting procedures, and conflict-of-interest requirements.

Experts on call

The Community Development Department is requesting authorization for on-call financial and economic analysis services contracts not to exceed $500,000 per vendor for a three-year term, with options for two additional one-year extensions. These services would support multiple departments, including Community Development, Economic Development, Finance, the Port of Richmond, and the Richmond Housing Authority.

Art meets appetite

Two contracts totaling $250,000 would fund public art at the Allen Brothers Steak and Seafood Facility, with Hungry Ghost Productions receiving up to $210,000 for mural design, fabrication, and installation, and Debra Koppman receiving up to $40,000 for mosaic tabletop work. The projects are funded by private developer arts contributions and would run through December 31, 2026.

Keeping boats afloat

The Fire Department is seeking a sole-source contract with Jet Dock Systems, Inc. for up to $100,000 over three years (January 2026 through January 2029) to repair and maintain the department's boat lift, with options for two additional one-year extensions at up to $20,000 per year.

Grants and compliance

Five Richmond nonprofit organizations will each receive $10,000 grants through the city's Environmental and Community Investment Agreement for fiscal year 2025-2026, totaling $50,000 in Category 3 awards approved by the City Council. The recipients are Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, Richmond Community Tennis Association, Fierce Advocates, House of Loving Hands, and Inspiring Communities, all of which had applied for but were not initially funded under the competitive grant categories in the ECIA program established through a 2014 agreement with Chevron Products Company.

Tracking the work

The Community Services Department is requesting approval of a $27,999 sole-source contract with LCPtracker for web-based labor compliance monitoring software to track compliance with the city's Local Employment Program Ordinance and Business Opportunity Ordinance.

When cars need moving

The Richmond Police Department is requesting three-year contracts with five vendors, Oliver's Tow Inc., Civic Center Auto Care, Certified Towing, Checker's Towing, and Bay Area Tow Inc., for citywide rotational tow and automotive services. Each vendor would be limited to $50,000 per year, with total annual spending capped at $250,000. The contracts would run from January 2026 through December 2028, with each vendor having the option to renew for two additional years at up to $100,000 per vendor, bringing the total potential contract value to $250,000 per vendor.

Making streets complete

The Public Works Department is seeking approval for a construction agreement with Bauman Landscape and Construction Inc. for the 13th Street Complete Street Project. The base contract amount is $3,993,481.50, with an additional 10% construction contingency of $400,000, bringing the total not-to-exceed amount to $4,393,481.50.

The closed session begins at 5 p.m., followed by the regular city council meeting at 6 p.m., at the Community Services Building, 440 Civic Center Plaza.

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A chief's complaint

New business items

Consent calendar items