Posted November 6, 2024

RICHMOND, Virginia – Effective Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the City of Richmond has decided to deactivate its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and return to normal operations following election day.

On Tuesday, the staff at the Emergency Operations Center monitored the city and polling sites closely throughout the day. They maintained continuous communication with local law enforcement agencies, election officials, and first responders to ensure a coordinated response to any potential issues. Fortunately, as the day unfolded, there were no significant incidents to report. There were no reported instances of violence, disruptions, or security concerns arising during the elections. The commitment and collaboration among the various city agencies were instrumental in ensuring that the election day proceeded peacefully and efficiently.

“Our goal was to ensure a safe and secure voting experience for the residents of Richmond,” Stephen Willoughby, Director of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response said in a statement. “The deactivation of the EOC will allow us to assess our strategies and make necessary adjustments for future activations, ensuring we are continuously improving and enhancing public safety in the City of Richmond.”

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The city of Richmond’s Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response sustains citizen trust by providing reliable emergency preparedness management and communications services in a timely and efficient manner. DECPR is designated as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the City of Richmond’s E-911 telephone system and is charged with the appropriate routing of all E-911 and non-emergency calls for service. The department is also responsible for the coordination of all emergency radio and telephone communications for public safety agencies in the City of Richmond.

Posted on November 4, 2024

Effective Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, the city of Richmond has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as a precautionary measure for Election Day 2024. This proactive measure ensures that various city agencies can effectively collaborate and address any potential challenges to maintaining safe and fair elections throughout the day.

At this moment, officials have determined that there is no specific threat to the integrity of the elections in Richmond; however, the EOC will serve a crucial role as a centralized hub for city agencies to collaborate. The center will facilitate the coordination of resources, effective communication, and the implementation of action plans aimed at promptly addressing any potential disruptions or challenges that may arise.

“While we expect a smooth election process, we must remain vigilant and prepared,” Stephen Willoughby, Director of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response said in a statement. “Residents can be assured that the city is committed to implementing every necessary measure to ensure that the electoral process is secure and accessible for all voters.” Residents are encouraged to visit the city's website, official social media accounts, and local media channels to stay up to date on critical incident-related information, local emergency plans, and preparedness resources.

All press requests for information and interviews relating to the election day EOC activation should be directed to AskOSC@rva.gov, 804-646-0687, or 804-646-0707.

Posted on October 31, 2024

Richmond, VA – The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) met the October 16, 2024 deadline to submit, to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), an inventory map that identifies the material of water service lines. This deadline is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), which requires a continued focus on eliminating lead lines across the nation.

The interactive map, available to the public since March 2024, identifies what is known about the material of the service lines that deliver drinking water to homes and businesses. The City has been building this map for the past two years, primarily using information obtained from City records. However, customer action is needed to help in this identification process by the completion of a survey. This on-line survey, which takes on average 10 minutes to complete, requests information on the customer owned, water service line material. This vital information will aid in development of a long-term, lead replacement plan. This replacement plan will define the effort needed to meet EPA’s regulations requiring that all lead pipes be replaced within 10 years.

DPU is sending 85,000+ letters to Richmond residents beginning TODAY as part of the LCRR regulations. The requirement states the City must notify persons served at properties where the service line material is unknown or confirmed to be lead or galvanized within 30 days of the map submittal. These letters are required annually, which is why we are continuing to strongly encourage customers to complete the survey.

“The Department of Public Utilities takes its mission to provide safe, clean and reliable drinking water to its customers very seriously. We play a critical role in ensuring the public health of our community is always foremost and eliminating lead service lines is part of our mission work,” says April Bingham, DPU senior director.

Richmond’s drinking water has always met and usually exceeds standards set by EPA and VDH. DPU continuously monitors the safety of its drinking water, with continuous testing for numerous substances. The results of these tests are shared with VDH monthly and published annually in the City’s Consumer Confidence Report.

We remind citizens that eliminating the risk of lead getting into drinking water is a shared responsibility. Richmond’s drinking water does not contain lead when it leaves the treatment plant. Rather, instances of lead in water can occur from water service lines made of lead as well as internal plumbing materials. A portion of each water service line is owned by the City (public), and a portion is owned by the property owner (private).  

The City will continue work to eliminate the risk of lead from drinking water. More information on lead in water or the Lead Free Water Program can be found here or by calling the 804-646-8600.

Posted October 30, 2024

90 percent of the 228 recommendations made in 2017 were implemented, partially implemented, or an alternative solution was found

Richmond, VA – Today, Mayor Levar Stoney announced the release of an updated city government performance review during his last 100 days in office. Jim Burke and Linda Pierce, who conducted the 2017 performance review, were hired again earlier this year to comprehensively assess the City of Richmond’s progress on the 228 recommendations provided in the 2017 report. Jim and Linda are consultants from Teo Consulting.

According to their analysis, 90 percent of the 228 total recommendations were either implemented, partially implemented, or an alternative solution was found, showing significant progress on city government operations since 2017. 

“After the release of the 2017 report, my commitment was to be about the fix – to break down silos and unnecessary bureaucracy and create a strong cross-functional team that delivers for Richmonders,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “As this report undeniably shows, we have made significant progress to improve core city agencies and make this city stronger than it was a decade ago.”

In 2017, during Mayor Stoney’s first 100 days in office, he commissioned a comprehensive performance review of city government. That review was released on May 25, 2017, and revealed “a need for improved financial controls and reporting (Finance), better hiring processes and career development (Human Resources), streamlined procurement practices (Procurement) and upgraded and integrated technology (Information Technology).”

These four departments have been the main focus of the core improvements made since 2017 given that they touch almost every other city department and can impact service delivery.

“Despite unprecedented hurdles like a global pandemic, civil unrest, and leadership turnover, the City of Richmond remained steadfast in its commitment to continuous improvement,” said Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer. “We made some big moves over the past eight years, such as the overhaul of Human Resources, the implementation of the purchasing card program, and thorough engagement of our workforce, that have significantly improved the efficiency of how we operate and the overall culture of City Hall. I am proud of the progress we’ve made.”

The following are highlights of the progress made to date based on the consultant’s comprehensive qualitative assessment of all city departments: 

• In 2017, we noted that Human Resources, Procurement, Finance, and Information Technology were negatively impacting the functioning of all the other areas within City Hall in various ways. The current heads of each of these departments have taken action to improve the effectiveness of their areas, thereby positively impacting City Hall. 
• Several heads of other departments and offices noted that they have seen significant improvement in the response time of Human Resources and Procurement. HR underwent a significant reorganization in 2023. The P-card system has had a positive impact on all departments.
• We heard that Finance and IT are working closely together to make much-needed improvements.
• Finance has increased their staffing levels and is raising the bar on the qualifications for new staff.
• Unlike in 2017, we heard of increased collaboration across all areas. This needs to continue and expand, but collaboration is moving in the right direction. This is an important cultural shift.
• Similarly, staff (especially those who have been part of this administration for most or all the time) highlighted the improvement in the culture and morale within City Hall since 2017. The City has implemented a number of programs to retain skilled employees and to recruit highly qualified people to City Hall. 

Detailed information about each recommendation can be found in pages 18-130 of the attached report. On pages 1-17, you will find information reflections from the consultants on major themes and trends, as well as information about the report’s methodology.

• Download the consultant's presentation
• Download the full report

Posted October 28, 2024

Richmond, VA – On Thursday, October 10, the City of Richmond in partnership with Sail250® Virginia and Virginia Museum of History and Culture announced Tall Ships RVA as an affiliate harbor of Sail Virginia℠ 2026. With this announcement, Richmond becomes one of five Affiliate Harbors to host the tall ships.

Sail250® Virginia Host City Norfolk and it’s 10 Sail Virginia℠ 2026 Affiliate Harbors will welcome more than 60 tall ships, military, and character ships from around the world over two weekends, June 12 – 15, 2026 and June 18 – 23, 2026.

The year 2026 marks the 250th Anniversary of the nation’s founding in 1776, the United States of America’s Semiquincentennial.  For this milestone occasion, a fleet of the world’s most magnificent international tall ships, historic character vessels, and modern military ships, will again sail into the harbors of Virginia as part of the national Sail250® tour.

During June 2026, ships from 20 countries are expected to fill the harbors of Richmond, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, and Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Region to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. “This is an incredible opportunity to recognize and celebrate the importance of our military maritime services and highlight the strong partnership between Virginia and the world,” said Mayor Levar Stoney.

The City of Richmond has partnered with the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to plan and implement this historical event.

“As we look ahead to 2026, Richmond is not just anticipating an event, we’re preparing for a transformative experience that will unite people from all walks of life along the beautiful shores of this great city. Tall Ships RVA is more than a festival; it’s a journey into our shared maritime history, a celebration of sailing, and a commitment to our community and environment,” said 7th District Councilwoman Dr. Cynthia Newbille.

Richmond’s events will take place the weekend of June 12-15, 2026.

Updates will be provided as planning moves ahead on rva.gov.