Richmond council authorizes up to $50,000 for strike support and approves multiple contracts including Craneway inspection

The Richmond City Council on Friday approved an emergency measure directing the city manager to identify short-term supports for families affected by labor negotiations between United Teachers of Richmond and West Contra Costa Unified School District and authorized up to $50,000 in available funds for emergency programming or other services as determined by staff. Council member Jimenez moved the item and the measure passed by recorded roll call with Council member Brown absent.

City Manager Shasta Curl told the council staff had already been reviewing options and could use the authorized funding for staff overtime, extended community-center hours, or partnerships with nonprofit providers. “It’s just essentially a not-to-exceed $50,000 so that it could include staff overtime, it could be calling in staff that were potentially not scheduled to work, it could include partnerships with nonprofit community groups,” Curl said.

Union leaders and educators who spoke during public comment urged quick action. Gabrielle Micheletti, vice president of United Teachers of Richmond, thanked the council for bringing forward supports and emphasized the district’s staffing crisis; Francisco Ortiz, a classroom teacher and union member, said more than 2,000 students in the district are without a teacher.

Beyond the emergency item, the council approved several contracts and actions in a single meeting:

- Craneway Pavilion condition assessment: The council authorized a contract with RDH Building Sciences for a pre-inspection and condition assessment of the Craneway Pavilion not to exceed $169,500 for work to be completed within 65 days of contract execution. Planning staff said the study will assess structural systems, perform a Phase I environmental assessment, and evaluate pier and underwater conditions given the site’s location on bay piers. City planning manager Avery Stark said the assessment will inform negotiations with the current leaseholder and identify maintenance needs and capital-cost estimates.

- Richmond Art and Light construction contract: The council adopted a resolution approving a construction contract with W.R. Ford for the Richmond Art and Light project in the amount of $374,000, with a $37,400 (10%) change-order contingency. The grant-funded project, administered under a cooperative agreement with Caltrans’ Clean California program, includes underpass lighting, sidewalk widening, crosswalk improvements and mural maintenance or replacement at McDonald Avenue, Barrett Avenue and San Pablo Avenue.

- Bayview Avenue preliminary engineering: The council authorized a preliminary engineering services agreement with Union Pacific Railroad Company related to the Bayview Avenue grade separation safety and bike lane improvement project and approved transferring $37,376 in unspent funds to support the work; staff said the design remains in progress and construction is anticipated in 2026.

Council members stressed speed and transparency in implementing the strike-support item. Council member Wilson asked whether staff can realistically stand up services in the next few days; Curl replied staff will do "the best we can" and will email the council and publish information for the community once plans are assembled. Council member Jimenez and others suggested working through existing contracts or amendments to expedite partnerships.

The meeting record shows the emergency item and the listed contracts passed by roll-call votes; Council member Brown was recorded absent for these votes. The council directed staff to report back as plans and procurement steps solidify.