The Man Behind Richmond's Renaissance
Crime is down, business is up, and the city is avoiding major budget cuts thanks to Bill Lindsay, perhaps the Bay Area's best city manager.
By John Geluardi
- Joseph Schell
- Richmond's Galaxy Desserts is one of the fastest growing businesses in the Bay Area.
Early each morning on Richmond's waterfront, just a few hundred feet from where thousands of men and women once feverishly assembled Navy ships, military jeeps, and half-track tanks during World War II, a new type of assembly line busily produces fresh, gourmet desserts.
Galaxy Desserts has been touted as one of the fastest growing businesses in the Bay Area. Its two hundred production workers steadily handcraft delectable crèmes, tarts, cheesecakes, mousse cakes, and the company's most celebrated item — the three-ounce French croissant, which has so much morning goodness in its fluffy folds that Oprah Winfrey has featured it five times on her favorite things list. The Oprah exposure brought such an onslaught of new orders (the company now makes upwards of 75,000 croissants a day) that Galaxy needed a larger kitchen. So the company moved from its San Rafael facility in 2005 to Richmond, where it found an ideal geographical location, competitive leasing rates, and enterprise zone tax incentives.
"I don't think any business looks forward to navigating city departments, but the City of Richmond has been more than functional; if I have a question, I know who to call to get it answered right away," said Galaxy CEO Paul Levitan. "We're entrepreneurs so we keep thinking about growing, and right now that would involve growing in Richmond."
While it's enjoying phenomenal success, Galaxy is just one element of Richmond's newfound renaissance. It's a startling turnaround for the hardscrabble city. For the past six decades, the mere mention of Richmond has conjured an image of the massive Chevron oil refinery looming over a bleak industrial landscape and violence-ridden neighborhoods where the heartbreak of each homicide bled freely into the next. But over the past six years there has been a profound change. A new spirit in city government has helped transform industry, the quality of life in the city, and Richmond's grim reputation. The city has undergone a facelift, citizens are attending community meetings and events in unprecedented numbers, and new businesses — many of them green — are bringing economic opportunities back to town.
While other cities are desperately contending with debilitating budget deficits and struggling to maintain public safety and other basic services, Richmond has produced balanced budgets and enjoys a full complement of police officers. The combined efforts of city departments and community members have resulted in meaningful reductions in violent crime. And the city has completed numerous civic and neighborhood revitalization projects that have given Richmond a new air of vitality and community health.
There are many reasons for Richmond's rebirth, but there's widespread agreement in the city that much of the credit goes to the leadership of City Manager Bill Lindsay, who took over as the city's top administrator in 2005. "You have to acknowledge Bill Lindsay's role; he has brought a lot of integrity to Richmond," said John Gioia, who represents Richmond on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. "The culture of any organization originates at the top. If the leadership is one of integrity and hard work, that message flows through the rest of the city departments. And that's filtered out to the business community. Now the reputation of Richmond is that Bill Lindsay has brought integrity to the process and businesses have confidence that they will get a fair hearing."
Richmond's new reputation has been paying off. Not only have dozens of new businesses like Galaxy come to town in the past six years, but the city has negotiated valuable contracts at its port. The city recently signed long-term deals with Honda and Subaru to offload car carrier ships at the city's port, which will bring in close to $90 million in revenue over the next fifteen years.
And there could be another rosy spot on the city's financial horizon. Richmond is a finalist in the competition to host the second Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory campus. The two-million-square-foot project would create hundreds of high-quality jobs and draw dozens of new lab-associated businesses to the city. Richmond is considered a strong contender because of its proximity to the UC Berkeley campus and because the university already owns a ninety-acre plot of land on the city's waterfront. The lab is expected to make its decision by November.
As for Lindsay, he takes a hands-on role in bringing new business to Richmond and in some cases he's been the deciding factor, said Redevelopment Executive Director Steve Duran. "When we need to show a prospective business that they are important to the city, Bill always makes himself available to meet with the owners to let them know that Richmond is open to growth and if they have any problems, he's available," Duran said. "And people do go to him directly. He has such an open-door policy; I don't know how he has time to do anything."
Lindsay was born and raised in Walnut Creek, where he still lives with his wife Meg. They have two children: a son, Ian, who is in college, and a daughter, Sarah, who, after graduating, followed her father into public service and is currently working for AmeriCorps.
At 55, Lindsay still has a boyish look, though he has some gray showing in his otherwise thick hair. His sincere manner belies a quick wit that is often self-deprecating and has been a valuable asset at city functions. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale and an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. After graduating he committed himself to public service, and before coming to Richmond, he was the city manager of Orinda, a leafy, well-heeled suburb whose kinship to Richmond is at best paradoxical.
Comments (17)
Showing 1-17 of 17
Dear John Geluardi,
Thanks again for a great article on Richmond, and the conversation it has started here. I continue to be impressed with the people in Richmond new and old. The folks who stayed behind after the "mortgage meltdown" are a beautiful piece of our history, with amazing stories of Richmond past and present. They tip their hats on the street, and are just generally welcoming and warm. These folks, many from places like Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana are truly precious and valuable from a social standpoint, too. I mean, where else can you meet a woman who picked cotton in Mississippi before getting a scholarship to UC Berkeley? You cannot beat the diversity of this town!
PS We just opened a little bicycle repair shop here and have high hopes. Please come visit us sometime!
Justine & Slimm Buick
http://www.BicycleArtSalon.com
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three cheers for Bill Lindsay and Chief Magnus.
However, I am not voting for the sales tax increase for many reasons, including the fact that the City is not being upfront with where this money will go, including no clause of HOW to fund our schools. Also, they did NOT add in an ending date....all the other cities do that.
Despite that, Mr. Lindsay is worth his salary times 100!
great article. I however do not support the increased sales tax that was also written without a sunset clause....however our City Manager has done a great job.
I think I will vote yes on the sales tax. That way we can keep our level of services and be prepared for the imminent growth, now that the secret is out. Thanks a lawt EBX! ;)
Thanks for the great story. Makes me proud to be a Richmond resident. Wound up here by accident, and have no intention of leaving ... we already knew much of this from mingling with the friendly folk here in town!
Justine & Slimm Buick
Bicycle Art Salon
Here is one man doing what he’s suppose to and he gets the big Golf Clap. It seems in Richmond, someone actually doing what they’re paid to is such anomaly that it necessitates a story be written. While Mr. Lindsey is clearly a good thing for the city, he’s simply One Man in a sea of corrupt city employees--many who do little or nothing for their huge checks. . . .and then there’s that little matter of crime. Fact: Crime has not fallen as they claim. It’s just been spread out through the city rather than concentrated in one or two areas. Data is now collected differently skewing the crime results. Many neighborhoods who typically had little or no problems are now dealing with shootings, escalated burglaries and assaults. Many during the day. In this era of Progressive Richmond, dissenting views are not welcome. Those who aren’t donning rose-colored glasses are shunned and silenced, while those who are deaf and dumb to the continued crime and circus parade in the streets.
I like his transparent and open-door policy, too. Particularly, how he listens so well and make sure he has all of the "facts" before proceeding.
I think Lindsay's being too modest. I believe that the city is INDEED doing "swimmingly" particularly in my neighborhood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRD9RwMJ--w
You can be assured that Bill will bring in new business and fix the infrastructure. Then again, I guess it all depends on where you live.
I have to say that I totally agree with the comments made about Isiah Turner...The guy was a complete crook and alot of good hard working people lost their jobs due to his greedyness and ignorence he did nothing but line his pockets with kickbacks and other laundered government money...Have a nice day everybody :-)
It is rewarding to read of this progress, and though I do not live there, Richmond is a part of our entire community in the Bay Area. As it improves, so do we all - and our support for the good leadership there should be heard. As with me, this article also might convince many reading it to go see the progress for ourselves, enjoying the places mentioned. In view of the fact-based indicators of a city on the rise, here's a salute to Richmond's citizens, its city government - and City Manger Lindsey in particular.
I must take issue with the characterization of Isiah Tuner as a "mediocre director of Employment and Training." I served as Chair of the Private Industry Council while Isiah was Director of Employment and Training in the City, and I can attest that his political connections at the State and Federal levels generated lots of extra money for the City, and his political skills locally created Richmond WORKS and caused many employers to sign contracts promising to give Richmond WORKS first opportunity to place new employees. He also created the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program. I don't know whether he was a good administrator of the Employment and Training Program and the negative characterizations of him in the article as City Manager are fair, but give him some credit for the good things he did do.
I have lived in Richmond, same N and E MacGreggor home, since 1950. Bill Lindsay and Chief Chris Magnus have saved our City...plain and simple. They bring the word "class" back to the City Government. Both are fair-minded, hard working, honest, intelligent, courteous, down-to-earth, well respected gentlemen. Both are extremely well liked and respected. I might add that they have a great sense of humor which helps with the different people that make up this City Government....
As a 24 year Richmond homeowner, I think it's a great, overdue article. Excelent summary of Reese's'/firefighers' chicanery. What scum! Onward, Richmond, Onward!
Actually sales tax receipts were up 12% in CQ1 2011 vs. CQ1 of 2010 for Richmond, and tax receipts are projected to continue to accelerate. The proposed tax increase represented as measures C & D on the June ballot was pushed by West Contra Costa Unified School District and the teacher's union. If passed, it will make Richmond's sales tax rates one of the highest in the State.
Meanwhile, an additional $3B will be going to schools now that the state of CA has figured out that their income and sales tax receipts have gone up by $6.6B
I don't support measures C&D, but do support the great job that Bill Lindsay and Chief Magnus have been doing. We have seen a lot of very positive changes in Richmond in the last several years.
The article states that we are financially stable compared to where we used to be, but that we are facing a $5M deficit next year, and that the sales tax increase is "vital to the city's continued financial health."
But however we feel about the tax increase (I don't necessarily support it - I'm just pointing out why our city manager says we need it), in the 27 years I've lived in Richmond, I've seen a lot of changes. The past 6 years, in my opinion, is the longest period of positive change I've seen. I have high hopes for the continuing increase in our quality of life, and we didn't have to sell out to anyone to get it.
great that we are financially stable. so WHY are we having an EMERGENCY TAX MEASURE on our Ballot in June?
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