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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06271989 - IO.7 TO: Board of Supervisors _ FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE DATE: June 19, 1989 o ----------- '►'i SUBJECT: CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A COUNTY CONSERVATION CORPS Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Acknowledge receipt of this status report from our Committee on the development of a County Conservation Corps and endorse the program concepts as presented. 2. Direct the County Administrator's Office and the planning group to continue discussions with Chevron USA,the City of Richmond,the Richmond Unified School District,Richmond Sanitary Service, the East Bay Regional Park District, the Community Development Department and other public agencies and private industry on the feasibility of this public/private partnership effort. 3. Develop cost estimates for the program components identified in the attached report from the County Administrator's Office. 4. Direct the County Administrator's Office and the planning group to contact the East Bay Conservation Corps on the feasibility of their being the program operator. 5. Direct the County Administrator's Office to make a further status report to our Committee on this subject September 25, 1989. Continued on attachment: YES Signature: Recommendatio unty dministrator Recommendation of Board Committee ppr ve Other.• Signature(s): TO POWERS SUNNE WRIGHT MC PEAK Action of Board on: June 27, 1989 Approved as Recommended x Other Vote of Supervisors I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN x Unanimous (Absent 111 ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: Abstain: Attested of y /9 8 cc: County Administrator Ph Batchelor, Clerk of the Board ofSupervisorsand County Administrator By Deputy Clerk CLVM:eh(io-7bo) BACKGROUND: On December 6, 1988 the Board of Supervisors adopted six recommendations from the Finance Committee in a report entitled"Gap Between the Rich and Poor Update". On May 22, 1989 the Board of Supervisors referred this issue from the Finance Committee to our Committee. From those recommendations the concept of a County Citizen's Corps was formulated to work in assisting disadvantaged neighborhoods to improve their environment. One such problem was the need to foster positive images for the neighborhood's residents. One way of helping to foster such a positive image is to rid disadvantaged neighborhoods of litter and garbage by utilizing a County Citizen's Corps. Conservation Corps have a long history of success. The idea of utilizing citizens to accomplish work designed to promote the public welfare while at the same time learning work and life skills was first effectively implemented during the Great Depression in the Civilian Conservation Corps. During the past 25 years this concept has been replicated in several federal programs: the National Youth Administration, the Peace Corps, the Job Corps, the Neighborhood Youth Corps, the Youth Conservation Corps and others. State programs have also been developed,the most successful and continuous of which is the California Conservation Corps. In recent years,the Corps concept has expanded to urban communities which are experiencing ever growing numbers of unemployed minority youth and deteriorating public facilities, property and self-esteem. Nowhere is this situation more evident than in North Richmond, where beyond the various socio-economic problems prevalent in any disadvantaged area, there is a general deteriorated physical image that serves as a constant negative reminder to the community. In North Richmond this has only served to reinforce citizen perceptions that they are not receiving their fair share of public services and that the gap is widening between the more affluent surrounding communities and their own. Community residents have expressed a need for extensive cleanup and ongoing maintenance activities. This needs to be done in conjunction with litter prevention techniques such as landscaping; fence or berm construction; placement of litter and recycling receptacles; as well as signs to discourage future littering. These activities would be more effective in keeping the area litter free than periodic cleanups. In recent months,a planning group led by the County Administrator's Office with top managers from Health Services, Social Services, Community Development, Community Services, Housing Authority, Private Industry Council and the Career Development Program in the Personnel Department have been meeting to develop the concept of a County Citizen's Corps to implement physical enhancement projects. More recently,this group was expanded to include the feasibility of a majorprivate partner,Chevron USA,participating in a pilot program for the North Richmond area. Preliminary discussion has also been initiated with the Richmond City Manager who has indicated a willingness to discuss more specific involvement of the city government. Our Committee believes that this group should also be expanded to include the Richmond Unified School District and the Richmond Sanitary Service. Particularly because of the availability of Measure AA bond funds from the East Bay Regional Park District we believe that the appropriate staff from the Community Development Department should be included in this planning group to determine whether these funds can be coordinated with the other aspects of the program. - 2 - ur- Th 'e general consensus thus far is that there is a need to create a multi-faceted strategy for enhancement of self-esteem, of the environment and of the physical image of the area. This would include a variety of litter cleanup,litter prevention,tree planting and general beautification projects, code enforcement and recycling projects. This strategy would have to include the following components: * A cornerstone of such a program would be the need to discuss with local industry its role as a private partner and the need to augment funding. Industry funding could be used to purchase equipment, landscaping and construction materials and to underwrite the cost of compensating those residents engaged in the Corps or Career Development Programs. * Litter removal, litter prevention through landscaping, reconstruction of litter receptacles and placement of signs for receptacles in public use areas. * Beautification projects such as replacing or planting trees, pruning and eliminating brush that attracts littering and graffiti removal. * The development and implementation of a comprehensive public education and information program for the North Richmond community. This approach would involve informing the public and promoting change in attitudes and behavior. This effort should carry the theme of pride in an improved area focusing on youth organizations and schools, senior citizen's groups, local ministers, homeowners associations and private industry representatives. * Exploring ways to build cohesiveness among various residential communities so thatthe County Citizen's Corps concept encourages people from more affluent communities to assist in the rebuilding of the less affluent North Richmond community. This would serve not only to help with the rebuilding process but would also educate those people in more affluent communities about the economic diversity that exists within the County. * Considering a long-term solution to permanent employment questions raised in the report on the "Gap Between the Rich and Poor". Individuals employed in the County Citizen's Corps should be referred to the County Career Development Program for personal development workshops, counseling and examination for full-time permanent entry level employment opportunities with County departments. Our Committee believes the budget for this pilot program can be supported by a public-private partnership between public agencies and private industry. Generally,the concept would provide for the County to organize, manage and supervise the program with financial support augmented by local industry. Anticipated program components would include program management and supervision, abatement activities, landscaping and renovation activities, area renovations, tree planting and County Citizen's Corps salaries. Given this programmatic outline phase, additional questions which require further exploration include: * Program acceptance by the community. * Eligibility requirements. * Participant selection process. * Payment of County Citizen's Corps participants. * Pilot program timeframes * Supportive services * Transportation * Worksite insurance * Maintenance of effort and funding * Educational services Based on the above we have made the recommendations which are contained above. We will make a further status report to the Board of Supervisors in September.