Year-long overhaul strengthens accountability, transparency, and efficiency to advance Mayor Avula’s vision for a Thriving City Hall  

Mayor Avula and City leaders today announced the relaunch of its purchasing card (P-card) program following a year-long overhaul that strengthened financial controls, increased accountability, and advanced the Administration’s commitment to building a Thriving City Hall. The redesigned program will allow approved departments to make necessary purchases efficiently while operating under strong controls and oversight. 

When Mayor Avula took office in January 2025, one of the recurring challenges identified by residents, employees, and the auditor was the need for greater confidence in the City’s stewardship of public resources. As part of the Administration’s commitment to the first pillar of the Mayoral Action Plan (MAP), building a Thriving City Hall, Mayor Avula directed a pause of the purchasing card program in April 2025, and launched a comprehensive overhaul to address audit findings, strengthen oversight, and rebuild public trust.  

Over the last year, the City’s Department of Procurement Services (DPS): 

• Reduced the number of active purchasing cards from more than 300 to 67, 
• Implemented stronger internal controls, 
• Revised the purchasing card and expenditure policies, 
• Developed a robust, required training program, and 
• Established new compliance monitoring and reporting tools.   

As a result of the overhaul, 12 of 16 audit recommendations have been fully implemented and closed, three are pending formal closure, and the remaining recommendation is being finalized for submission. 

The City has now relaunched the program with 74 active purchasing cards that have been approved under the redesigned program. The program will remain in a controlled implementation phase for 60-90 days while evaluated for compliance and performance before considering any expansion.  

“A Thriving City Hall starts with getting the basics right. When I came into office, I committed to being honest about what was working, what wasn’t, and where we needed to improve. The P-Card relaunch is a powerful example of the kind of transformation my Administration is working to achieve across City Hall every single day,” said Mayor Danny Avula.

“The relaunch of the purchasing card program represents months of work to strengthen internal controls and improve oversight. With our redesigned program, we’ve created the strongest foundation possible for responsible spending, better compliance, and effective service delivery,” said Rene Almaraz, Director, Department of Procurement Services. “We will continue evaluating the program’s effectiveness while ensuring accountability remains at the center of every transaction.” 

“The path forward has been clear from the start: find the problem and fix it. The City is delivering operational improvements that lower costs for residents. These improvements reflect steady, accountable execution and the kind of good governance that builds a stronger Richmond for all Richmonders,” said Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald, II.  

For more information about the P-Card Program, including the P-Card Tracker, visit  rva.gov/procurement-services/p-card-progress. 

Richmond, VA — The City of Richmond anticipates beginning the first phase of accumulated debris removal at the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge this week. Funded by the Department of Public Utilities as part of a Supplemental Environmental Project with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, this phase will remove approximately 17 tons of debris, representing about 2% of the estimated total accumulation.

When work begins, equipment will be mobilized and staged on the east end of Belle Isle at Northeast Point Beach. The beach and the path leading to it will be temporarily closed during operations. Access to the Potterfield Bridge will remain open.

The first phase of debris removal is expected to be completed in less than two weeks. Work will include removing debris from the log jam area, transporting it to the staging site and hauling it to a local commercial wood waste recycling facility, where it will be recycled into mulch.

As a pilot project, this initial phase will provide valuable insight as the City evaluates long-term solutions for managing debris accumulation in the area. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will closely monitor the work as the contractor refines the removal process and the City evaluates options for expanding future debris removal efforts.

“This initial debris removal effort is an important step toward improving the long-term health, safety and accessibility of the James River corridor around the Potterfield Bridge,” said Chris Frelke, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “We are grateful for the support of the Department of Public Utilities, which allows us to test cost-effective methods for removing debris and evaluate approaches for future cleanup efforts.”

The Richmond Department of Transportation (RDOT) is inviting residents, businesses, and community stakeholders to provide feedback on several newly proposed transportation projects designed to improve safe access to reliable and frequent transit service and enhance the choices people can make to walk, ride transit, or bike.  

As a follow up to GRTC Board’s announcement of fare-free transit and to celebrate Bike Month, these projects support the City’s Complete Streets initiative to provide space for all users and to promote access choices as a multimodal city.  In addition, our Vision Zero initiative, a multidisciplinary strategy aimed at eliminating traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries, is also advanced as these strategies are applied to change the built environment on the High Injury Street Network.

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), street reconfigurations—often referred to as “road diets”—can improve safe access for all users by calming traffic and managing speeds to improve overall quality of life in Richmond’s communities.

The City is currently seeking public input through two separate surveys focused on dedicated transit lane and bike infrastructure through a quick-build process.

Survey #1: 

This survey focuses on proposed dedicated transit lane improvements intended to improve safe access to reliable and frequent fare-free transit routes while supporting Richmond’s growing multimodal transportation network.

Projects featured in the survey include dedicated transit lane improvements on:

• US Route 1 James River Bridge between Riverside Drive and South 2nd Street
• Chamberlayne Avenue between Overbrook and Mitchell Street

Survey Link #1: https://arcg.is/08y8Hv0

Survey #2:  

This survey focuses on street reconfigurations for bicycle infrastructure improvements intended to better management speeds and provide safe, comfortable space and access for people walking, biking, rolling, taking transit, and driving.

Projects featured in the survey include street reconfigurations on:

• Midlothian Turnpike 
• Leigh Street Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge 
• Westwood Avenue and Hamilton Street Corridor

Survey Link #2: https://arcg.is/0Lqf8P

“These projects touch important streets on the high injury network and reflect the City’s continued commitment to creating safe access to jobs, housing, and services.  We manage speed by promoting human-centered design that works for everyone,” said Andy Boenau, RDOT Director. “Whatever age, ability, or mode, these human-centered designs expand transportation choices, improve affordability for all, and support safer access throughout our city. Community feedback is critical as we continue building a more accessible and connected Richmond.”

For more information about DPW programs and projects, visit www.rva.gov/public-works or email AskPublicWorks@rva.gov.

Actions Advance Mayor Avula’s Vision for a Thriving City Hall  

At tonight’s meeting, Richmond City Council introduced amendments to  ORD. 2026-090  that strengthen the City’s collective bargaining framework. The action reflects the City of Richmond’s continued commitment to fostering productive partnerships with labor organizations that support employees, strengthen City services, and help build a thriving City Hall that delivers results for residents.  

Mayor Danny Avula expressed full support for the introduced amendments to ORD. 2026-090, which seek to clarify and sharpen the legislative intent of Richmond’s original collective bargaining ordinance. These amendments reinforce the City’s commitment to a fair, transparent, and effective negotiations process.  

Since 2022, Richmond has been a statewide leader in public sector collective bargaining, becoming one of the first localities in the Commonwealth to establish bargaining units across its workforce. Through collaboration with employee representatives, collective bargaining has helped strengthen City services and build a more effective partnership with the employees who deliver them. Mayor Avula’s recently approved budget fully funds collective bargaining commitments for sworn police and fire personnel and other union-represented employees. 

“Building a thriving City Hall that meets community needs and delivers results starts with investing in the people who keep Richmond running every day,” said Mayor Danny Avula.  “I’m grateful to our labor partners for bringing their priorities forward, and to Council for advancing these amendments.Public sector collective bargaining has strengthened our workforce and improved our ability to deliver services to residents. It’s an important tool, and I’m proud to stand with Councilmembers in support of these amendments,” said Mayor Danny Avula. 

Mayor Avula also recognized Council’s work on the proposed Real Estate Tax Deferral Program (ORD. 2025-282 ). 

“I want to thank Council for pursuing our shared goal of supporting residents amidst rising costs of living. I especially want to acknowledge the implementation timeline because it is important that the Administration have time to build a thoughtful and realistic plan. We look forward to working with Council during the implementation period to better understand the operational and fiscal requirements involved.”   

Additionally, Council voted to pass ORD. 2026-059.  

“I am fully committed to delivering the highest quality emergency services for all of our residents,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “I am excited and look forward to working with Council on a future ordinance to codify the implementation plan for a co-located model that will do just that.”  

These actions support Mayor Avula's first strategic pillar: building a thriving City Hall that delivers results for residents. By strengthening partnerships with employees and carefully evaluating new affordability initiatives, the Administration and City Council are working together to improve City government and better serve Richmonders. 

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Richmond, VA — Due to an issue with the air conditioning system in City Hall, the building will move to virtual operations today, Monday, June 8, 2026. In-person services at City Hall will be suspended. Some City services will be available virtually and at other City locations. 

At this time, the City Council informal and formal meetings scheduled for this evening (at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively) will proceed as planned.  

Residents are encouraged to visit rva.gov and follow the City of Richmond’s social media channels for updates. 

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La administración municipal operará de manera virtual el 8 de junio de 2026

Richmond, Virginia — El Ayuntamiento (“City Hall”) operará de manera virtual hoy, lunes 8 de junio de 2026, debido a un problema con el sistema de aire acondicionado del edificio. Todos los servicios en persona en el Ayuntamiento estarán suspendidos; sin embargo, algunos servicios municipales estarán disponibles de forma virtual por Internet y en otras instalaciones de la municipalidad.

En este momento, las sesiones informal y formal del Concejo Municipal programadas para esta tarde (a las 4:00 p.m. y 6:00 p.m., respectivamente) se llevarán a cabo según lo previsto.

Recomendamos que visiten nuestra página de Internet,  rva.gov , y sigan los canales de la Ciudad de Richmond en las redes sociales para obtener las actualizaciones más recientes.