The CAO Position, Pothole Fixing, and Free Smoke Detectors
Cheers RVA!
Today will be mostly sunny with a high of 68 and a light breeze. Temperatures are expected to drop down to 38 in the evening.
the juice:
City Council met Monday evening with a generally light agenda, with multiple items being continued as they were not discussed in committee last week due to the snow.
The Richmonder reports a 352-unit apartment complex on 23 acres near North Highland Park was approved by the council as part of the consent agenda.
The land will be re-zoned from industrial to residential, and the developer will be able to avoid paying some real estate taxes with the commitment to make the housing available to households earning 60% of the area median income.
the pulp:
An out of control Budget box truck damaged multiple vehicles off Forest Hill Avenue on West 46th St. Sunday evening, via Elizabeth Holmes at WTVR. The driver left the truck parked nearby and fled the scene. No injuries were reported.
A pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle and killed Friday night has been identified, according to South Richmond News. The man was attempting to cross Hull Street Road mid-block in an area without crosswalks. The driver remained on the scene and no charges have been filed so far.
Beginning today the city will begin a push to address the current 600 service requests for potholes, via WWBT. Residents can report a pothole online at RVA 311.
Don’t have a smoke detector in your home? The city fire department will come to your home and install one, free of charge, via a tweet from RVA Dirt that quotes Councilor Reva Trammel at Monday’s Council Meeting.
the dive:
Samuel Parker from the RTD dives into the “awkward, complicated” job of the chief administration officer for the city.
The CAO is essentially the CEO of the city and heads over 30 administrative departments, including finance, public utilities, human resources, and parks and recreation.
While the CAO is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the mayor, the position often pays two to three times more than the mayor, with the previous CAO Lincoln Saunders earning $334k in 2024.
Mayor Avula’s search team is currently reviewing dozens of potential candidates and expects to a make a recommendation in the first quarter of this year.
The interim press secretary Julian Walker said:
officials are looking for a person with “integrity, creativity, vision, relevant experience in municipal budgeting or financial management (and) a proven record of organizational and personnel leadership,” among other qualities.
Read the full article here.
the vibe:
Have a rosy day RVA!
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