Council Hires Beverly Hills Veteran as Interim Manager, Orders Surveillance Review

Richmond's City Council closed one chapter and opened another Tuesday night, unanimously appointing a veteran city manager to steer the city through a leadership transition while launching a contentious independent review of license plate reader technology that could leave the city without camera coverage for months.

• Beverly Hills veteran Mark Scott unanimously appointed interim city manager at $182.74/hour, effective Oct. 3, bridging a leadership gap while a permanent search continues
• Departing City Manager Shasa Curl presents five-year legacy: $330M+ in grants, fiscal recovery from state high-risk list, lowest homicide rate in decades
• Council orders independent review of license plate reader effectiveness in divisive 4-1-2 vote, risking months without camera coverage as Flock contract nears expiration
• $3.5M Axon surveillance contract runs out of clock — presentation started but meeting adjourned before public comment or vote; item continued
• Police union launches charter amendment drive for 187-officer minimum staffing and demands armored rescue vehicle after Key Boulevard shooting

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The Surveillance Standoff: Data Before Dollars

Richmond's sharpest policy fight Tuesday centered not on a yes-or-no vote on cameras, but on how much the council should know before it decides.

The basics: The city's current license plate reader (LPR) contract with Flock Safety expires Dec. 31. Staff has proposed a $3.5 million amendment to the city's existing $8.5 million Axon body-cam and Taser contract, adding LPR cameras, CCTV, and a drone-as-first-responder program. Item W7, introduced by Councilmember Sue Wilson, asked whether the council should first hear from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and commission independent statistical analysis of whether LPRs actually reduce crime in Richmond.

Why it matters: The timeline is razor-thin. Police Chief Tim Simmons warned that a 90-to-120-day Axon transition means the council must decide by November or face roughly four months without any camera coverage. "We're looking at probably a 4-month window. So that's why the item is here now, was so that there would be no downtime," said Chief Simmons.

Where things stand: Wilson argued the council has received only vendor-supplied information about LPR effectiveness. "We now know for a fact that the surveillance industry, including companies like Flock and Axon, they have a sophisticated public relations strategy that includes training people on how to communicate with decision makers like us," she said, pushing for a peer-reviewed counterweight.

Vice Mayor Doria Robinson surprised observers by declaring her support for the cameras themselves while backing the data review: "I support license plate reader cameras. I believe that they are a 21st century tool that we shouldn't bar use of."

Councilmember Claudia Jimenez, a co-sponsor, pressed for comprehensive data, while Councilmember Soheila Bana suggested the council's focus should be on contract-level data protections rather than a binary cameras-yes-or-no debate.

A coalition of community organizations — Reimagine Richmond, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Rising Juntos, and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network — submitted a joint letter supporting a pause. Public commenters Natalia Soto and Andrew Melendez read portions of the letter into the record, citing SB 34 compliance concerns, data sharing with more than 2,700 non-California agencies, Axon contracts with federal immigration enforcement, and a petition with 200-plus signatures opposing both Flock and Axon.

The other side: RPOA President Ben Terrio called the item "a joke," dismissing the EFF as biased. "EFF published in August that license plate readers should not exist under any vendor, any policy, any retention, period. They're suing San Jose on this technology right now," he said, adding that vehicle thefts rose 33% when Flock cameras were previously turned off.

Councilmember Cesar Zepeda raised a sharper concern about litigation risk. "Brian Hoffer sent us a letter months ago saying if we continue with FLOC, which we're no longer doing, or ALPRs, he will move forward with the lawsuit. He works closely with EFF," Zepeda said, questioning why the city would invite an organization whose legal partner has threatened to sue Richmond.

Chief Simmons emphasized that the proposed Axon system differs structurally from Flock: "Data sharing is off by default. This is another difference from moving away from FLOC, where FLOC is designed as an open system. Axon is designed as a closed system." He added that officers must enter a specific offense category before any search returns data, and no federal agency has access to Richmond's database.

Wilson clarified her intent: "There's 2 pieces to what we're proposing. One is a presentation from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. And 2 is to bring in another organization to do objective statistical analysis of Richmond data."

Decisions: The council voted 4-1-2 to direct the city manager to coordinate an EFF presentation targeted for Oct. 6, subject to availability, and to bring back the scope of work and fiscal impact for a third-party statistical analysis by the same date. (For: 4 — Councilmember Jimenez, Councilmember Wilson, Vice Mayor Robinson, Mayor Eduardo Martinez; Against: 1 — Councilmember Zepeda; Abstain: 2 — Councilmember Jamelia Brown, Councilmember Bana.)

The companion item — the actual $3.5 million Axon contract amendment (W1) — was read in and Chief Simmons began his presentation, detailing an RFP process that notified 830 vendors and received six responses. But the meeting adjourned before public comment or a vote could be taken. The item will be continued.

What's next: The Oct. 6 meeting is shaping up as a high-stakes session. If the EFF presentation and statistical analysis scope come back on schedule, the council will face a decision on the Axon contract with the Dec. 31 Flock expiration looming. Any further delay compresses the transition timeline and raises the prospect of a months-long gap in camera coverage.

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A City Manager's Exit: Curl Leaves Richmond Transformed

Richmond's council chambers turned into something between a farewell gala and an institutional debrief Tuesday as City Manager Shasa Curl delivered a comprehensive presentation of her five-year tenure — and every councilmember and nearly a dozen staff members rose to pay tribute.

Why it matters: Curl's departure marks the end of a period in which Richmond went from a city on the state's high-risk audit list to one with investment-grade bond ratings, 21% reserves, and a grant portfolio approaching the size of its general fund. The incoming interim manager inherits a pipeline of projects and a workforce that staff described in deeply personal terms.

Where things stand: Curl's presentation ticked through the numbers: removal from the state high-risk designation, four consecutive balanced budgets, improved Moody's and S&P bond ratings, 92 net new hires, and 132 promotions. "We've again been removed from the high-risk designation from the state of California. We've adopted balanced budgets for 4 years. We've improved our Moody's bond rating and S&P bond ratings," she said.

The grant haul was staggering — more than $330 million secured, approaching Richmond's general fund revenue. Major capital projects included the $34.2 million library renovation, Hacienda Heights $75 million rehabilitation, the Downtown Food Court, the Richmond Ferry Terminal, and rebuilt parks at Shields-Reed, Borman, Wendell, and Booker T. Anderson. On homelessness, Curl reported: "Our point-in-time count dropped from 487 in 2023 to 257 in 2026." She also cited 48 supportive housing units coming online and the lowest homicide rate in decades — six in 2025.

Staff tributes were unusually emotional. Fire Chief Aaron Osorio offered a striking benchmark: "In the last 25 years, she's the first city manager that the fire department has not experienced cuts under. She's only built and helped rebuild the fire department."

Deputy City Manager LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager Nikki Mastey, Public Works Director Daniel Chavarria, and Community Development Director Lena Velasco all spoke, as did Police Chief Simmons.

Vice Mayor Robinson credited Curl with transforming her district: "For the first time, I feel like we honestly had a champion in the city for our district."

Mayor Martinez was reflective: "I also understand that no one can work as hard as you. I think it's impossible. And I think you chose Richmond to be a city manager because you knew the challenge that it is."

What's next: Curl's last day is Oct. 2. Interim City Manager Mark Scott takes over Oct. 3, inheriting a portfolio that includes the Axon contract decision, ongoing labor negotiations, and a permanent city manager search being conducted by Bob Murray and Associates.

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Beverly Hills Veteran Steps In as Interim Manager

The council unanimously approved the appointment of Mark Scott as interim city manager, pulling the item from the consent calendar for a brief but pointed discussion.

The basics: Scott is a retired CalPERS annuitant with 14 years as city manager of Beverly Hills and interim stints in multiple California cities. He holds a BA from Cal State Fresno and an MBA from Stanford. Under Government Code Section 2122, he will be compensated at $182.74/hour with no additional benefits. His term runs from Oct. 3 to no later than April 30, 2027.

RPOA President Ben Terrio used the moment to deliver a message to the incoming manager, urging Scott to prioritize labor relationships and involve unions in the permanent city manager recruitment.

Public commenter Cordell Hendler praised the selection, expressing excitement about hiring a former Beverly Hills city manager.

Decisions: Approved 7-0.

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Police Union Sounds the Alarm

Key Boulevard Fallout and a Charter Fight

RPOA President Ben Terrio used open forum to press two urgent demands. Nineteen days after a Key Boulevard shooting in which an officer was struck by gunfire on arrival, Terrio called for an armored rescue vehicle as an urgency item: "19 days. It's been 19 days since the Key Boulevard shooting, and an officer was shot the moment he arrived. Dozens of rifle rounds tore through homes, cars, and patrol cars."

Terrio also announced a longer-term play: "The RPOA has begun collecting signatures for our public safety funding and minimum staffing charter amendment for the election after 2026, and it sets a floor of 187 officers." He noted the union has also filed a complaint with the Public Employment Relations Board over unfair labor practices.

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Residents Push Back on Nicoll Park Tree Removal

Two Richmore Village residents used open forum to protest the unannounced removal of eucalyptus trees at Nicoll Park. Mayor Martinez described hearing chainsaws, making frantic phone calls, and convincing a park supervisor to halt the work. The supervisor later informed residents all four trees would be cut based on an independent arborist report. Residents demanded access to the report and meaningful input into mitigation plans, noting the trees predate the neighborhood and provide habitat for owls, raptors, and monarch butterflies.

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Minor Items

• Surplus Property Authority consent calendar approved unanimously (7-0).
• Consent calendar (remaining items after V4A removal) approved unanimously (7-0), including item V1B regarding the Polluters Pay Settlement Fund community engagement update related to the $550 million Chevron settlement.
• Items W2 (creative financial report) and W6 (veterans housing project at 338 Carlson Blvd) continued to Oct. 6.
• Proclamation honoring Richmond Soul, the youth soccer and volleyball nonprofit serving nearly 400 families annually for 23 years.
• Proclamation recognizing Concilio de la Comunidad at Contra Costa College, a student-led club that grew from 4 founders to 59 members in two years advocating for undocumented students.
• Public commenter Javonka Beckles urged the council to expand and maintain EV charging infrastructure, noting chargers near the Richmond Arts Center are often blocked and those near the library are not working, forcing residents to charge in El Cerrito or Pinole.
• Public commenter Najari Smith of Rich City Rides pitched a pilot roller skating rink at the newly paved lot in Marina Bay.
• Public commenter Crescent requested stop signs and speed bumps near an elementary school in Belding Woods and raised concerns about pedestrian safety on 23rd Street.