BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Richmond City Council boards and commissions encompass local and regional government/non-government boards, commissions, committees and task forces. Each body focuses on differing topics and responsibilities such as advising Council, creating policy, or governing.

Per Richmond City Code § 2-773:

Each board or commission shall be classified according to its respective level of authority as follows:

Advisory: A board or commission is classified as "advisory" if its purpose is to provide advice and comment to the Council, the Mayor or any City agency.

Policy: A board or commission is classified as "policy" if its purpose is to promulgate public policies or regulations, adjudicate regulatory or statutory violations or make decisions binding on City agencies or members of the public, whether or not such decisions are subject to appeal.

Supervisory: A board or commission is classified as "supervisory" if its purpose is to be responsible for agency operations, including approving requests for appropriations, appointing an agency director who is subordinate to the board or commission and ensuring that the agency complies with all statutory directives and directives of the board or commission.

Additional information regarding boards and commissions may be found within the Richmond City Code at the following link: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeI…;

Additional information about a particular board or commission may be found on the boards and commissions application portal link below: https://apps.richmondgov.com/applications/boardscommissions/index.aspx

The boards and commissions website provides information regarding:

• Members
• Terms
• Vacancies
• Meetings
• Board composition (applicant requirements)
• Obligations
• The application process
• Upcoming vacancies
• Online and .pdf applications

*Vacancies are also posted to the City Clerk's announcements webpage and to the City Clerk's blog. 

Upcoming vacancies are posted under the drop-down buttons to the left (Computer) or below the "Contact Us" (mobile phone/tablet), the Clerk's application portal, and to the Clerk’s announcements webpage. 

All applicants must live and/or work in the City of Richmond, unless otherwise specified. 

Unsure if you live in the city? Click here to use the City Assessor's property search tool to verify your address. A tutorial is available on the Clerk's citizen's guide webpage.

For more information regarding individual board and/or commission membership requirements, visit the Clerk's application portal linked below, or review where a vacancy is in the process to the left (computer) or by scrolling down below (mobile phone/tablet): https://apps.richmondgov.com/applications/boardscommissions/index.aspx

1. Select a board or commission of interest from the provided list and click “View Details” on the right side of the screen. 
2. Underneath the header “Composition” you will find the requirements for members and applicants to the board or commission of interest.

Applicants will receive an e-mail confirmation upon receipt of their application(s) detailing which Richmond City Council Standing Committee will review the application for recommendation to Council. 

• The confirmation will also indicate the tentative date, time and location of the standing committee meeting in which consideration of the application may take place.  
• Applicants are not required to be present at such meeting; however, the committee could elect to conduct interviews or require the completion of a questionnaire for certain vacancies.  
• Applicants are encouraged to verify standing committee meeting agendas and schedules prior to making plans to attend. Updated information may be found on the city's legislative website Legistar. 
• Appointment recommendations by Richmond City Council Standing Committees are forwarded to City Council for final determination. 
• City Council will vote on recommendations by a formal vote. 
• Once an appointment decision is made by the Richmond City Council, applicants are advised of the decision via e-mail or mail. Applicants who are appointed will be provided information regarding their appointment term.
• Applicants who were not selected for appointment or reappointment are also notified via e-mail.

Per Resolution No. 1993-R295-273, adopted October 11, 1993, no person is eligible to serve at any one time on more than two boards, commissions or committees appointed by the Council and no person serving on the Board of Zoning Appeals shall be eligible for appointment by the Council to serve on any other board, commission or committee, subject to certain exceptions. 

Please note that time commitments vary. Meeting times, dates, locations and frequency are scheduled as needed. Appointment terms may be project-oriented and exist for a few months or more long-term that may last for up to four years.

Incumbents will be contacted regarding interest in continued service prior to the end of their term via e-mail. 

• The reappointment e-mail will include a copy of a reappointment application.
• Incumbents are to submit reappointment applications by the date signified within the reappointment e-mail. 
• The Clerk's office will send confirmation via e-mail once the reappointment application is received. 
• From that point forward the reappointment process is the same as the appointment process indicated in the above FAQ.

Most appointments are volunteer/non-paid positions.

Applications submitted for positions for which there is no vacancy will remain on file for consideration for a period of six months pending an opening on the requested entity.

1. An application for appointment or reappointment is completed by interested applicants and submitted to the Office of the City Clerk.
2. The Office of the City Clerk distributes all applications to the appropriate Richmond City Council Standing Committee for review.
3. After reviewing each application, the standing committee recommends the applicant deemed most appropriate for each particular position.
4. Once the standing committees have made their recommendations of applicants, the Office of the City Clerk presents the recommendations in the form of a report, which is distributed to all Councilmembers in advance of a Richmond City Council Formal Meeting at which the appointments will be considered.
5. At any time after the Office of the City Clerk has presented the recommendations of the standing committees to Richmond City Council, any Councilmember may make a motion to appoint any or all of the recommended applicants.
6. Once Richmond City Council has adopted this motion to appoint, the applicants cited in the motion are deemed appointed.
7. Appointees must take an oath of office, administered by a qualified member of the Office of the City Clerk, following appointment but prior to the next formal meeting of Richmond City Council. If an appointee fails to take the oath of office in this time frame, Council may reconsider the motion, reject that appointee, and appoint a replacement.

Richmond Code of Laws
Chapter 2 - Administration
ARTICLE V. - BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND OTHER AGENCIES
Link to the Code of Laws

Questions  Contact the Office of the City Clerk.