Mayor of the City of Richmond, Virginia
Incumbent
Levar Stoney
since December 31, 2016
StyleThe Honorable
Term lengthFour years
renewable once
Inaugural holderWilliam Foushee
Formation17th century
Salary$125,000
Websitewww.ci.richmond.va.us/Mayor/index.aspx

The Mayor of the City of Richmond, Virginia is head of the executive branch of Richmond, Virginia's city government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city, state and federal laws within Richmond, Virginia.

The mayor looks over a city budget at roughly $765 million a year.[1]

Current mayor

The current mayor is Democrat Levar Stoney, who was elected on November 8, 2016. Stoney took office on December 31, 2016. Stoney was reelected to a second term in 2020, and will be ineligible to run in the 2024 election due to term limits.

Cabinet

The mayor of Richmond contains a multi-member cabinet of advisers that assist the mayor on city policy decisions. The following individuals are part of Stoney's cabinet.

Position Individual Party Assumed Office
Senior Policy Advisor for Innovation Jon Baliles[2] Democratic January 19, 2017
Senior Policy Advisor for Engagement Lisa Speller-Davis[2] Democratic January 19, 2017
Senior Policy Advisor for Opportunity Thad Williamson[2] Democratic January 19, 2017
Senior Assistant to the Mayor Rushawna Senior Democratic January 19, 2017

History of the office

Richmond's original City Hall building, used from 1814 to 1874

In May 1782, the Virginia General Assembly expressed desire to move inland, to a place less exposed to British incursions than Williamsburg. Richmond had been made the temporary capital after urging from Thomas Jefferson years earlier, and it was soon decided to make the move permanent.[3]

Two months later, on July 2, a charter was written up, and the city was incorporated. Twelve men were to be elected from the City at-large and were to select one of their own to act as Mayor, another to serve as Recorder and four to serve as Aldermen. The remaining six were to serve as members of the Common Council. All positions had term limits of three years, with the exception of the mayor who could only serve one year consecutively. A vote was held at a meeting the following day, and Dr. William Foushee, Sr. was chosen as the first mayor.[4]

In March 1851, the decision was made to replace the original Richmond City Charter. It was decided that all city officials were to be popularly elected. After the 12-year tenure of William Lambert and his short-term replacement by recorder Samuel C. Pulliam, elections were held, with Joseph C. Mayo coming out on top.

Mayo was deposed in April 1865, weeks before the end of the American Civil War, when Union forces captured the city.[5]

The system set forth by the Second City Charter worked as long as the City was small and most voters knew personally, the qualifications of the men for whom they were voting and the requirements for the jobs to which they were elected.

Beginning in 1948, Richmond eliminated the popularly elected mayor's office, and instituted a council-manager form of government. This lasted until 2004, when the City Charter was changed once again, bringing back the popularly elected mayor. Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder was elected mayor that year. Of Virginia's 38 cities, only Richmond does not have a council-manager form of government.

Offices appointed

The mayor has the power to appoint the directors and administrative leaders of the following city offices and departments:[6][7]

  • Chief Administrative Officer
  • Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Department of Finance
  • Department of Public Works
  • Department of Human Resources
  • Department of Human Services
  • Department of Information Technology
  • Department of Justice Services
  • Departments of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
  • Department of Planning and Zoning Review
  • Department of Procurement Services
  • Department of Public Utilities
  • Department of Public Works
  • Department of Social Services
  • Office of Budget and Strategic Planning
  • Office of Minority Business Development
  • Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
  • Office of the Mayor
  • Office of the Press Secretary
  • Richmond Fire Department
  • Richmond Police Department
  • Richmond Public Library
  • Richmond Public Schools

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CITY OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA Biennial Fiscal Plans For Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 ADOPTED The New Oakgrove-Bellemeade Elementary School Completed January 2013 Capital Improvement Program For Fiscal Years 2014 -2016" (PDF). City of Richmond, VA. RichmondGov.com. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mayor Levar M. Stoney Announces Administration Appointments". City of Richmond Blog. City of Richmond. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  3. ↑ Masoff, Jason (2011). Our Virginia : past & present. West Palm Beach, Florida: Five Ponds Press. ISBN 9781935813125.
  4. ↑ Little, John Peyton (1933). History of Richmond. Petersburg, Virginia: Dietz Printing Company. pp. 56–63.
  5. ↑ Potterfield, Tyler (2009). Nonesuch Place: A History of the Richmond Landscape. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1596294158. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  6. ↑ Avellino, Kelly (February 9, 2017). "Richmond Mayor Stoney replaces Fire Chief, several other department heads". WWBT. nbc12.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  7. ↑ "City of Richmond - Organization of the Local Government - 2010-11" (PDF). City of Richmond, Virginia. richmondgov.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
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