Richmond City Council to take up city attorney transition, budget adjustments & major capital projects

The Richmond City Council will meet Tuesday, December 16, for a lengthy session that includes closed-door labor negotiations, a major change in city legal leadership, budget actions, and approval of multimillion-dollar public works and port projects, as well as the mayor's State of the City Address.

Richmond city attorney resigns, interim replacement named

Richmond's city attorney, Dave Aleshire, has resigned from his position, effective December 31. The council is expected to accept his resignation at its December 16 meeting and appoint Chief Assistant City Attorney Shannon Moore as an interim replacement.

Aleshire, a partner at the law firm Aleshire & Wynder, was appointed interim city attorney in December 2021 and became permanent city attorney in July 2022. His resignation came during a follow-up meeting with an Ad Hoc Committee that had conducted a 360-degree evaluation of his performance. Despite his departure from the top position, the city plans to retain his firm on a consulting basis for $150,000 to work on ongoing projects.

Moore will receive a 15 percent salary increase to $341,391 annually while serving as interim city attorney, according to the staff report. The city plans to launch a recruitment search for a permanent city attorney, with the Ad Hoc Committee overseeing the process. The arrangement will save Richmond approximately $1.65 million from the previous contract, which cost about $400,000 per quarter, though additional funds will be needed for recruitment and personnel costs in the City Attorney's Office.

Fiscal review shows $3.1 million deficit

Richmond City Council will review the city's 2024-25 fiscal year results with staff reporting a $3.1 million operating deficit, but approximately $4.6 million still available for discretionary spending on council-approved projects and programs.

The deficit resulted from actual expenditures of $257.9 million exceeding revenues of $254.8 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2025. Despite the shortfall, the city maintains a fund balance reserve of $62.2 million, well above the required 21 percent reserve level of $54.6 million.

Council to approve 15.76 percent wage increases for union workers

The Richmond City Council is set to vote on new labor agreements with two units of Service Employees International Union Local 1021 that would provide five percent annual wage increases over three years, according to agenda documents.

The agreements cover both general employees and part-time workers, with contracts running from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. Union members ratified the tentative agreements reached in November, and the deals now require final council approval. The general employees' contract is estimated to have a fiscal impact of $2.3 million in fiscal year 2025-26, rising to $2.7 million by 2027-28. The part-time unit agreement has a smaller impact, ranging from about $25,000 to $28,000 over the three years.

The general employees unit also gains a new longevity pay structure, with workers receiving one percent of base pay after 10 years of service, three percent after 15 years, and five percent after 20 years. Professional development funding for general employees increases by $500 to $1,250 per fiscal year.

The contracts incorporate previously approved side letters that added Cesar Chavez Day and Juneteenth as holidays and expanded parental leave to four weeks. City representatives and union officials began negotiations in April 2025 after the previous contracts expired June 30.

Richmond youth fund evaluation

The Richmond Fund for Children and Youth delivered measurable benefits to the city's young residents over its first three years, according to an independent evaluation.

The WestEd evaluation found that $9.1 million in funding supported more than 58,000 youth encounters through 56 programs operated by 46 community organizations between fiscal years 2021 and 2024. The term "encounters," explained only in a footnote, refers to youth served per quarter and includes duplicate counts for participants in multiple programs or across multiple quarters, so the figure reflects repeat participation rather than unique individuals. Programs operated across 120 sites citywide, with most participants reporting gains in confidence, leadership skills, and academic engagement.

The fund, established through voter-approved measures in 2018, focused on Richmond's most vulnerable populations in neighborhoods with high poverty rates. Programs spanned six priority areas, including out-of-school enrichment, education support, behavioral health, and violence prevention. Organizations also leveraged the city funding to secure an additional $1.5 million in outside grants.

City staff will return to the council in early 2026 to discuss the potential renewal of the fund, as set forth in Article 15 of the city charter.

$2 million in Hellman Foundation grants

The City of Richmond has been awarded two $1 million grants from the Hellman Foundation to advance park equity initiatives and urban forest management. The grants will fund development of a comprehensive urban forest management plan and continued design work for the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center.

The urban forestry grant will support a citywide tree inventory and create maintenance protocols for trees on public property and rights-of-way. The project includes selecting tree management software, developing long-term forestry goals, and updating the city's tree ordinance. The MLK Recreation Center funding will support community outreach, environmental review, and schematic design development for the facility's revitalization.

The grants represent the second round of Hellman Foundation funding for Richmond's park equity efforts. In 2024, the city received $250,000 in grants for similar projects nearing completion. The foundation has committed more than $12.5 million total to the Richmond Park Equity Project.

The collaborative brings together community organizations, including Rich City Rides, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Pogo Park, Urban Tilth, Rising Juntos, FIERCE Advocates, and Trust for Public Land, along with city departments, Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia's office, East Bay Regional Park District, and other partners. The initiative is currently in its second phase, which runs through 2027 and emphasizes power-building, systems change, and implementing park renovations.

The council is expected to vote to accept the grants and authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary agreements.

State of the City Address

Mayor Eduardo Martinez is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the City address, outlining accomplishments and priorities for the coming year.

Major capital and infrastructure projects

A series of major capital and infrastructure projects are on the consent calendar. The council is expected to consider approval of a construction contract exceeding $24 million for the revitalization of the Richmond Main Library, along with an additional architectural services amendment of $382,909 tied to the same project, for a total architectural services cost of $3.7 million.

Other public works items include a $240,671 contract for pedestrian safety improvements on Macdonald Avenue at Nicholl Park, a $33,900 amendment for Yellow Brick Road street lighting enhancements, $110,000 for park improvement project management at Shields-Reid Park, authorization for $84,450 in change orders for Miraflores Sustainable Greenbelt interpretive signage, a $3.75 million contract for on-call construction management services with Interwest Consulting Group, stormwater and wastewater inspection services with SewerAI Corp, and a $125,000 annual cost-sharing agreement with Caltrans for state highway electrical facilities within the city.

Port of Richmond projects

At the Port of Richmond, the council will review multiple items, including a financial overview of the Port enterprise fund, selective demolition and site security work at Terminal 1 for $283,000, and planning services related to the relocation of the SS Red Oak Victory totaling $299,797. The agenda also includes acceptance of a $750,000 California Energy Commission grant and approval of a related long-term consulting contract with Moffatt & Nichol not to exceed $750,000 tied to offshore wind planning efforts running through June 30, 2030.

Arts and culture funding and policy

Arts and culture funding and policy will receive significant attention. The council is set to approve neighborhood public art mini-grants totaling up to $160,000 for thirteen selected artists, increase annual allocations for three major arts organizations (East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, NIAD, and Richmond Art Center) from $150,000 to $200,000 each for the remaining two fiscal years, and receive updates on the Richmond Arts Corridor project with a $15,000 contract amendment. The council will also receive a biannual arts and culture report and the city's Health in All Policies 10-year report.

Additional new business directs staff to develop a transparent process for hiring an arts and culture manager and to revisit the city's grant administration process in response to concerns raised by artists.

Election-related actions are also on the agenda. Councilmembers will consider a resolution formally calling the June 2, 2026, primary municipal election and setting regulations for candidate statements and election administration.

Boards and commissions

The council will consider several appointments and expansions to city boards and commissions. Mayor Martinez will recommend appointing May Cooper to the Workforce Development Board. (If this is the same May Cooper we went to school with since second grade, hi!)

Jake Goldman Rogers to fill an unexpired term on the Richmond Recreation and Parks Commission ending October 26, 2026.

The council will also direct staff to work with the Mayor's Office to establish a Sister City Commission and develop its bylaws through an ordinance.

Additionally, the Macdonald Avenue Corridor Task Force will expand by four new stakeholder positions to be filled through the standard boards and commissions process.

Other consent calendar items include approval of contracts for planning and design services, on-call building plan check and inspection services not to exceed $1 million per firm over three years, a $90,000 amendment for interactive zoning map GIS application development with Canopy Mapping, a $250,000 contract amendment for financial consulting with Keyser Marston Associates, budget book compilation services with ClearGov for $78,117, library broadband services contract amendments with Imperial County Office of Education, police forensic DNA testing services with an additional $100,000, marine vessel maintenance with Bay Marine Boatworks for up to $300,000 over three years, and solid waste franchise amendments with Golden Bear Transfer Services extending service terms through 2035.

The council will also receive monthly financial reports, including investment and cash balances, overtime reports, documentary transfer tax data, OPEB and pension reports for October 2025, along with the annual developer fees report. Reports from the police chief and public works director on crime statistics and abatement activities are also included.

Legislative and waste management updates

The council will receive a legislative update from State Senator Jesse Arreguin regarding bills and budget actions taken in 2025, and a presentation from the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) on the new solid waste Post-Collection Agreement and rates starting January 1, 2026.

Proclamations and recognitions

The meeting will include proclamations honoring retiring city employees Mary Phelps, Robert Chalamedos, and Laura Canelo, recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance sponsored by Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda and Councilmember Jamelia Brown, and celebrating Richmond Police Chief Bisa French for her service and contributions to the Richmond community.

The meeting begins at 3:30 p.m. with closed session, followed by the regular session at 6 p.m. at the Community Services Building, 440 Civic Center Plaza.

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Additional consent calendar items

Legislative and waste management updates

Proclamations and recognitions