A Thriving Richmond 

Mayor Avula applauded the jointly-sponsored RES. 2026-R038, endorsing the City of Richmond’s legislative agenda for the 2027 Virginia General Assembly session. The resolution sets forth legislative proposals and requests the Richmond delegation to the General Assembly “to take legislative action consistent with and in vigorous support of such recommendations; to support other legislative action recommendations; and to encourage other organizations and individuals to support such recommendations.”  

 "My administration and City Council are committed to advocating for our residents' together and maximizing what we can accomplish in partnership with the Commonwealth,” said Mayor Danny Avula . “In the past, Richmond often had a divided agenda. Today, we’re moving forward with a clear set of priorities that reflect what our residents need and deserve.” The resolution identifies budget and legislative priorities and the City’s policies positions for the coming 2027 General Assembly session.  

Thriving City Hall 

Council also voted 7-2 to support Mayor Avula’s ORD. 2026-081to establish an updated approach for publishing the City’s payment register to promote transparency and accountability of public funds. Earlier this year, Mayor Avula proposed the ordinance to establish an updated approach to publishing the City’s payment register, with the goal of increasing public access to payment data while ensuring the system is practical, accurate, and compliant with privacy laws. The Avula administration is committed to maximum transparency, especially when it comes to City expenditures, while honoring individuals’ legitimate privacy concerns and data security protocols. 

“I’m extremely proud of our team for working through a long-standing, inherited, and very complicated pain point and finding a path forward that provides proactive public access to the City’s spending data,” said Mayor Avula. 

Publication had been suspended prior to Mayor Avula’s administration. In June, the City published the FY25 payment register. The FY26 Payment Register will be available on the City’s Open Data Portal by December 27, 2026 in accordance with the 90-day implementation period established in the ordinance. Additionally, the monthly publication of the register, starting with July, August, and September 2026, will be available on the Open Data Portal by the end of calendar year 2026.  

Thriving Families 

 A series of ordinances introduced by Mayor Avula were adopted to support Richmond families experiencing financial hardship and housing instability.  

ORD. 2026-282 provides $700,000 to Area Congregations Together in Services (ACTS) to administer the City’s Family Crisis Fund, an initiative which provides emergency financial assistance to families in need. The ordinances also extend an agreement with HomeAgain to continue operating a 50-bed, year-round emergency shelter for families through November 30, 2027.    

Hey Richmond, It’s your mayor, Danny.  
  
I want to update you on something I know a lot of Richmonders care deeply about: the City’s use of automatic license plate reader technology, particularly our relationship with Flock.  
  
Last month, I promised that we would begin to reevaluate the City’s use of ALPR technology generally, and of Flock, the City’s vendor, specifically. I encourage you to go watch that video, and you can find the link in the description below.  
  
Today, I am announcing that the City will not move forward with the Flock ALPR contract when it’s up for renewal.  
  
This past Tuesday, Henrico County announced that they’ll also begin reevaluating their use of ALPR and have decided to move away from Flock. Now that Henrico has decided to end their contract with Flock, it clarifies the picture for me because Flock, specifically, is now less useful as a tool. Crime doesn’t stop and start at the City-County line, and part of what makes this technology a useful crime-solving tool, is our ability to work together with our regional partners. I’m encouraged to see that the region is joining us in grappling with this issue, an issue that is clearly so important to so many residents.  
  
However, the commitment I made to you all last month was to listen well and make a full, community-informed decision about the City’s use of ALPR technology.  
  
My team has started putting engagement sessions together so that we can hear from Richmonders whose lives have been impacted by violence and who want us to do everything we can to keep them safe, as well as Richmonders who are concerned about how the technology could be misused, particularly those who have experienced disproportionate policing, or have fears about that.  
  
Lastly, the General Assembly will be taking up issues related to license plate reader technology this session, and that work will be incredibly helpful in charting a path forward here in Richmond and across the Commonwealth.  
  
I’ll continue to pay attention to the deliberations and decisions that will come from our state-level leadership and ensure we’re responsive.  
  
So, while I've made a decision about the Flock contract, we have more work to do to ensure we’ve heard from residents who care deeply about this issue.  
  
As we move forward in this work, I promise to keep you updated on this topic. Thanks, Richmond. 

This notice is being provided to alert the public that an Electoral Board meeting is scheduled.

Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location:
City of Richmond Office of Elections
2134 W. Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227
2nd Floor Conference Room

The agenda for this meeting will be posted once it has been reviewed and approved by the Electoral Board. Please note that the agenda is subject to change. Items may be added, removed, or modified prior to or during the meeting, as permitted by law.

Members of the public who wish to speak at the meeting must submit their request by email to Executive Assistant, Caitlin Shelton, at [email protected] no later than Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

This meeting will be recorded.

Additional updates related to meeting logistics will be communicated as necessary.

Agenda

The City of Richmond Office of Elections will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2026 for the Indigenous People's Day holiday observance.

The City of Richmond will be closed Monday, October 12, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. All city offices, including City Hall, will be closed. We will return to our regular business hours on Tuesday, October 13. 

• There will be no trash collection or bulk and brush collection on Monday, October 12. All collections will be delayed by one day. Collections scheduled for pick-up on Monday will be picked up on Tuesday and so on through Friday, October 16. 
• The East Richmond Road Convenience Center (ERRCC) Landfill, located at 3800 East Richmond Road, will be open on Saturday, October 10, and will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12. ERRCC will reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
• Recycling services will operate as normal on Monday, October 12.
• All Richmond Public Libraries are closed on Monday, October 12, and will reopen on Tuesday, October 13. 
• RVA311 will be closed on October 12. The public will have 24/7 access to self-service via RVA311.com and mobile apps. RVA311 will reopen on Tuesday, October 13. 
• Richmond Public Schools are closed on October 12 and will reopen on Tuesday, October 13.
• All Parks and Recreation offices and community centers are closed Monday, October 12 and will reopen on October 13.
• The Department of Public Utilities Call Center is closed Monday, October 12 and will reopen on October 13. For utility emergencies, customers should call 804-646-4646, and press Option 1. For gas leaks, leave the area and call 911. 
• Richmond Animal Care and Control will be closed on Monday, October 12. RACC will reopen by appointment only on Tuesday, October 13, and will have regular walk-in hours on Wednesday, October 14. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an opportunity to honor Native histories while recognizing and learning from the Tribal Nations and Native people who continue to shape Virginia today. On October 10, 2022, the City of Richmond, through a joint proclamation from the Mayor and City Council, officially established Richmond Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Learn more: 
Virginia Indians - Learn about Virginia’s 11 state-recognized Tribal Nations, including their locations and recognition history, and access additional resources on Virginia Indian history, education, environmental review, and Tribal engagement. 

Virginia Tribal Education Consortium | VTEC - Explore Tribal-led educational resources on Virginia Indian history, sovereignty and culture, along with information about member Tribal Nations, oral histories, educational programs, and resources for students and educators 

Honor. Learn. Build Relationships.

For the City's full holiday calendar, please visit the holiday closings page.