There’s a lot happening at City Hall and quite a bit of it doesn’t always make it into the headlines or even onto the City Council agenda.

Over the past several months, I’ve been spending a lot of time working behind the scenes with City staff, fellow Council members, community organizations, and residents to keep important projects moving forward, address longstanding neighborhood concerns, and make sure District 3 has a strong voice in decisions happening across Richmond.

Here’s a snapshot of some of what I’ve been working on.

Taking on Some of the City’s Big Issues

In addition to our regular City Council meetings, Council members serve on committees, commissions, task forces, and temporary Ad Hoc Committees that dig more deeply into specific issues.

I’m currently serving on several:

• City Manager Recruitment Ad Hoc: Helping guide the important process of recruiting and selecting Richmond’s next City Manager.
• City Attorney Recruitment Ad Hoc: Working with my Council colleagues on the recruitment process for our next City Attorney.
• Wastewater Ad Hoc: Digging into issues surrounding Richmond’s wastewater system and the decisions we need to make to protect residents, our environment, and the City’s long-term interests and to support a process to.
• Major issues:

• RFP for new vendor to run our waste water facility

• Flooding storm drains
• Keller beach sewer system
• RecycleMore: Representing Richmond in regional management of our post collection solid waste: recycling, waste reduction, and solid waste services.
• Macdonald Avenue Task Force: Continuing our work to bring attention, investment, businesses, activity, and new life to Richmond’s historic downtown corridor.
• I also serve as the Council Liaison to the following Boards, Advisory Committees and Commissions:
• Urban Forestry Advisory Committee
• Parks and Recreation Commission
• North Richmond Mitigation Fee advisory BoardIn this role, I work to bring information back and forth between these bodies and the council and support the initiatives created by these bodies.

These assignments don’t always get much public attention, but they are an important part of the work of being a Councilmember and many of the decisions discussed in these smaller groups eventually come before the full City Council.

Moving District 3 Projects Forward

Closer to home, I’ve also been working on several projects and issues that directly affect District 3 neighborhoods.

Mira Flores Plume — I continue to stay engaged on the environmental issues surrounding the Mira Flores site and the underground contamination plume, pushing for answers, accountability, and a path forward that protects nearby residents.

Pullman Community Benefits Agreement — As projects and investments move forward in and around Pullman, I’m working to ensure Community Agreements made by Cannabis industry are followed through on so the Pullman Neighborhood Council can invest in their neighborhood as was intended.

Pullman Park — I’m continuing to work with residents and City staff on the future of a park for the Pullman neighborhood and how we can create a new neighborhood park that can better serve Pullman families and kids.

Veterans Housing on Carlson Boulevard — I’m working to bring greater attention to the proposed veterans housing project on Carlson Boulevard and to make sure the Council and community understand the project, its potential benefits, and what will be needed to move it forward.

Atchison Village Road Safety Improvements — Residents have raised concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety in and around Atchison Village. I’m working with staff to identify improvements that can make neighborhood streets safer for people walking, biking, driving, and simply getting around their community.

Atchison Village Park Replacement — I’m also working to advance the replacement of the Richard Boyd Park Playground, so residents have a safe, welcoming, high-quality community space.

Keeping an Eye on Projects Already Underway

Sometimes the Council’s job isn’t to start something new, it’s to make sure projects we’ve already committed as a city, actually get completed. I’ve been regularly checking in with City staff and requesting updates on several major projects:

• Nystrom Village — Continuing to track progress on this important housing redevelopment and what is needed to keep it moving.
• MLK Park and Community Center — Following the progress of this long-awaited investment and pushing to make sure the community stays informed as the project advances.
• Boorman Park — Staying engaged with staff on improvements and the future of this important neighborhood park.
• Mira Flores Development — Continuing to track the larger Mira Flores development and the steps necessary to finally transform this long-vacant site into a productive part of our community.

The Work Between Council Meetings

One thing I’ve learned serving on the City Council is that some of the most important work happens between Tuesday night Council meetings. It happens in conversations with residents, meetings with City staff, neighborhood council meetings, site visits, committee meetings, phone calls, emails, and sometimes a lot of persistent follow-up.

My goal is to keep pushing these projects forward while making sure residents know what is happening and have opportunities to shape the decisions affecting their neighborhoods. 

There is still plenty of work ahead, but I’m excited about the progress we’re making  and I’ll continue sharing updates through the D3 Dispatch so you can follow along and, most importantly, get involved.