Government of Richmond, Virginia

The government of Richmond, Virginia, headquartered at Richmond City Hall in Downtown Richmond, is organized under the Charter of Richmond, Virginia and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system.[1] The mayor is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for the administration of city government. The Richmond City Council is a unicameral body consisting of nine members, each elected to represent a geographic district. The city of Richmond is located in the 13th Judicial Circuit of Virginia, and its court system consists of a circuit court and four district courts.[2]

City Hall in Richmond, Virginia

Richmond's government employs approximately 4,000 people.[3] The city government is responsible for public education, correctional institutions, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, and welfare services.

Mayor's Office
See also: List of mayors of Richmond, Virginia

The current Mayor of Richmond and 80th in the sequence of regular officeholders is Democrat Levar Stoney. Stoney was elected in the 2016 Richmond mayoral election and succeeded Dwight C. Jones, a Baptist pastor and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Mayor's Staff
Position Individual Assumed Office
Chief of Staff Lincoln Saunders[4] January 1, 2017[5]
Senior Assistant to the Mayor Laura Harrison[4]
Senior Policy Advisor (Community Engagement and Liaison to LGBTQ Community) Osita Iroegbu[4]
Senior Policy Advisor (Youth Initiatives) Eva Colen[4] May 22, 2018[6]
Policy Analyst Margaret Anderson[4]
Constituent Services Manager Tameka Jefferson[4]
Executive Staff Assistant to the Mayor Terelle Robinson[4]
Executive Assistant Lela Jefferson[4]

Office of the Press Secretary to the Mayor

The Office of the Press Secretary to the Mayor serves as the public relations advisor to the Mayor and the Chief Administrative Officer and is the primary contact for the news media. As of June 2020, Jim Nolan served as the Director of Communications for the office of the Press Secretary.[7]

City Council

The Richmond City Council consists of nine members, each elected to represent one of the nine Richmond Voting Districts for a four-year term. The City Council is responsible for creating and amending local laws, providing policy and government oversight, appointing members to boards and commissions, and approving the annual city budget. The City Council elects one of its members to serve as council president and one to serve as vice president, each for two-year terms. There are six standing committees, each consisting of three City Council members and one alternate: Finance and Economic Development; Health, Human Services and Education; Land Use, Housing and Transportation; Governmental Operations; Organizational Development; and Public Safety. The Council President reviews all proposed legislation and assigns it to the appropriate standing committee according to subject matter. The standing committee then reviews the proposed legislation and returns its recommendation to the full Council.[8]

The Richmond City Council uses ordinances and resolutions to create and amend local laws and to affect local government operations. In the City of Richmond, City Council ordinances have the effect of local law and are codified in the Richmond Code of Laws.[9] City Council resolutions generally do not have the effect of law but instead are used to express the Council's will, intent, or policy on a particular matter. Resolutions are also generally used to appoint individuals to serve on local and regional boards, commissions, committees, and task forces. As of 2020, there are approximately fifty such groups that help provide oversight on various topics, programs, and services.[10]

Richmond City Council Members

As of January 2021, the Richmond City Council consisted of:

  • Andreas D. Addison, 1st District (West End)
  • Katherine Jordan, 2nd District (North Central)
  • Ann-Frances Lambert, 3rd District (Northside)
  • Kristen Nye, 4th District (Southwest)
  • Stephanie A. Lynch, 5th District (Central)
  • Ellen F. Robertson, 6th District (Gateway), Council Vice President
  • Cynthia I. Newbille, 7th District (East End), Council President
  • Reva M. Trammell, 8th District (Southside)
  • Michael J. Jones, 9th District (South Central)

[11]

Richmond City Council Offices

The Richmond City Council appoints and provides oversight of six offices.

  • The Office of the Council Chief of Staff provides support to the City Council through policy analysis, budget analysis, project analysis, public information management, and public relations.[12]
  • The Office of the City Clerk is responsible for sharing information about City Council so that citizens can be engaged in legislative and policy processes, providing administrative and technical support to the City Council, and preserving official records.[13]
  • The Office of the City Auditor was established by the Charter of Richmond, Virginia to provide auditing services to city agencies.[14]
  • The Office of the City Attorney serves as the legal advisor of the City Council, the Mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer and all departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the city government.[15]
  • The Office of the City Assessor of Real Estate is responsible for the annual reassessment of real estate, the property rehabilitation program, the real estate tax exemption process, and providing public access to property information through the city's real estate database.[16]
  • The Office of the Inspector General is responsible for preventing, detecting, and investigating allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse committed by city employees.[17]

Other Elected Officials

Article VII, Section 4 of the Constitution of Virginia requires each county and city to elect a treasurer, sheriff, Commonwealth's attorney, clerk, and commissioner of revenue.[18]

Commonwealth's Attorney

Commonwealth's attorney is the title given to prosecutors in Virginia, who are elected for four year terms.[18] As of June 2020, Colette McEachin was the Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Richmond with a term ending in 2021. McEachin assumed the role of interim Commonwealth's Attorney upon the resignation of Michael Herring on July 1, 2019.[19] McEachin ran unopposed as the Democratic Party candidate in the 2019 special general election to fill the remainder of Herring's term and was elected with 97.6% of the vote.[20]

Richmond Circuit Court Clerk

Virginia circuit court clerks are elected for eight year terms.[18] As of June 2020, Edward F. Jewett served as the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk with a term ending in 2028.[21] Jewett, formerly the chief deputy clerk, assumed the office of Interim Circuit Court Clerk in 2014 upon the retirement of Circuit Court Clerk Bevill M. Dean.[22] He was elected as Circuit Court Clerk in a 2014 special election to fill the remainder of Dean's term.[23] Jewett ran unopposed as the Democratic Party candidate in the 2019 general election and was elected with 98% of the vote.[23]

Richmond City Sheriff

Sheriffs in Virginia are elected for four year terms.[18] As of June 2020, Antoinette V. Irving was the Sheriff for the City of Richmond. Prior to assuming the office of Sheriff on January 1, 2018, Irving worked in the Henrico County Sheriff's Office for over 25 years, where she was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of major.[24] In the 2017 Democratic primary, Irving was successful in her third consecutive attempt to unseat the incumbent, Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr., who was running for a fourth term.[25] Irving narrowly defeated Woody in the Democratic primary, receiving 51.7% of the vote,[26] and she won the 2017 general election with 61.5% of the vote.[27]

Richmond City Treasurer

As of June 2020, Nicole R. Armistead was the Richmond City Treasurer.[28] Armistead ran as the Democratic Party candidate in the 2017 general election and was elected as city treasurer with 47% of the vote.[29]

Agencies
Department Director
Animal Care and Control Christie Chipps Peters[30]
Budget and Strategic Planning Jay A. Brown[31]
City Treasurer's Office Treasurer Nichole Richardson Armstead[28]
Community Wealth Building Valaryee N. Mitchell[32]
Economic Development
Emergency Communications Stephen M. Willoughby
Finance
Fire and Emergency Services Fire Chief Melvin D. Carter
Housing and Community Development
Human Resources Mona Adkins-Easley
Human Services Reggie Gordon[33]
Information Technology Charles Todd
Justice Services Dawn Barber[34]
Minority Business Development
Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
Planning and Development Review
Procurement Services
Public Utilities
Public Works Bobby Vincent Jr.[35]
Richmond Police Department Chief Gerald M. Smith[36]
Sheriff's Office Sheriff Antoinette V. Irving[37]
Social Services Shunda Giles[38]
Sustainability

Courts
See also: Virginia General District Court
See also: Virginia Circuit Court
  • Richmond Adult Drug Treatment Court[39]
  • Richmond Circuit Court[40]
  • District Courts
    • Richmond Civil General District Court[41]
    • Richmond John Marshall Criminal-Traffic General District Court[42]
    • Richmond Marsh Criminal-Traffic at Manchester General District Court[43]
    • Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court[44]

Independent agencies and or partnerships
  • Community Development Authority
  • Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority
  • Greater Richmond Transit Company
  • Economic Development Authority
  • Office of the General Registrar
  • Port of Richmond
  • Richmond Ambulance Authority
  • Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitor's Bureau
  • Richmond Public Schools
  • Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority
  • Virginia Department of Health's Richmond City Health District

See also

References
  1. "City of Richmond Charter". Virginia Law. Commonwealth of Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  2. "Courts in Circuit and District 13". Virginia's Judicial System. Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  3. "About Us - Richmond, Virginia Human Resources". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  4. "Mayor's Staff". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  5. "Mayor-elect Levar Stoney announces senior staff appointments". WTRV.com. WTVR CBS 6 Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  6. "Stoney taps new senior policy advisor for youth initiatives". Richmond.com. Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  7. "Office of the Press Secretary to the Mayor". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  8. "About the Richmond City Council". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  9. "Code of the City of Richmond, Virginia". City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  10. "Richmond City Council Appointments to Boards, Commissions, Committees and Task Forces". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  11. "Richmond VA > City Council > Contacts". rva.gov. Archived from the original on 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  12. "Office of the Council Chief of Staff Organizational Chart" (PDF). richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  13. "Office of the City Clerk Mission". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  14. "Office of the City Auditor". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  15. "Office of the City Attorney". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  16. "Office of the City Assessor of Real Estate". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  17. "Office of the Inspector General". City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  18. "Constitution of Virginia, Article VII, Section 4". Virginia Law. Commonwealth of Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  19. "Richmond's top prosecutor, Michael Herring, resigning to take job at McGuireWoods". richmond.com. Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  20. "Richmond City 2019 General Election for the Office of Commonwealth's Attorney". Virginia Historical Elections Database. Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  21. "City of Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  22. "Longtime Richmond court clerk Dean retiring". richmond.com. Richmond Times Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  23. "Richmond City 2014 General Election for the Office of Clerk of Court". Virginia Historical Elections Database. Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  24. "Richmond Sheriff's Biography". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  25. "In surprise primary loss, Richmond Sheriff Woody knocked out of running for fourth term by Irving". richmond.com. Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  26. "Richmond City 2017 Democratic Primary Election for the Office of Sheriff". Virginia Historical Elections Database. Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  27. "Richmond City 2017 General Election for the Office of Sheriff". Virginia Historical Elections Database. Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  28. "About the City Treasurer". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  29. "Richmond City 2017 General Election for the Office of Treasurer". Virginia Historical Elections Database. Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  30. "Richmond Animal Care and Control Staff". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  31. "Office of Budget and Strategic Planning". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  32. "Office of Community Wealth Building Staff". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  33. "Department of Human Services Staff". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  34. "Department of Justice Services Administration". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  35. "Department of Public Works Administration". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  36. "Stoney announces new Richmond Police chief as Interim chief steps down after 11 days". richmond.com. Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  37. "Richmond City Sheriff Biography". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  38. "Department of Social Services About Us". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  39. "Richmond Adult Drug Court". richmondgov.com. City of Richmond, Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  40. "Richmond Circuit Court". Virginia's Judicial System. Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  41. "Richmond Civil General District Court". Virginia's Judicial System. Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  42. "Richmond John Marshall Criminal-Traffic General District Court". Virginia's Judicial System. Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  43. "Richmond Marsh Criminal-Traffic Manchester General District Court". Virginia's Judicial System. Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  44. "Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court". Virginia's Judicial System. Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
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