By virtue of the authority vested in the United States of America, Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Code of Laws, and the Richmond City Charter, the Mayor of Richmond and Richmond City Council, the governing legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia in The United States of America, do hereby and officially proclaim on behalf of:

Richmond LGBTQ+ Friendly Community

Whereas, Richmond City Council, the governing legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia, and the Mayor of Richmond, in the United States of America, do hereby unite in solidarity and common purpose to recognize, honor, and celebrate the diversity, shared humanity, and civil rights of our LGBTQ+ community; and

Whereas, Each of us should be able to love who we love without the fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence, or exclusion based on gender identity or sexual orientation; and

Whereas, Richmond has an extensive and rich queer history and proudly includes people of all ages, races, and ethnicities who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, and beyond - who deserve the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities shared and enjoyed by all; and

Whereas, Leading the nation, in 1991 the nonprofit Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth (ROSMY), now known as Side by Side, was established as one of the first dedicated LGBTQ+ youth support organizations in our country, and Richmond is now home to a full prism of LGBTQ+ groups; and

Whereas, Richmond is a leader in supporting its LGBTQ+ community by establishing non-discrimination laws, hiring a LGBTQ+ Liaison, forming a Human Rights Commission, expanding transgender-inclusive care for city employees, and recognizing same sex marriages from other states for city government employee spousal benefits; and

Whereas, In 2011, Richmond was one of the earliest cities in Virginia and the South to proclaim a city LGBTQ+ Pride Month (Richmond LGBTQ+ Pride Month), and in 2013 the first to proclaim Richmond LGBTQ+ Pride Day (first held in 1979) and Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance; and

Whereas, On October 6, 2014, Richmond hosted the first legal gay marriage in the South; and

Whereas, Leading the state, in 2018, Richmond hosted Virginia's first official Black Pride event, Black Pride RVA, produced by UGRC on behalf of the BI-POC LGBTQ+ community and, in 2019, the first celebration of Virginia's Hispanic LGBTQ+ community, Viva RVA!, held by Diversity Richmond; and

Whereas, Over the past decade and a half, Richmond has recognized, embraced, and honored local Richmond LGBTQ+ trailblazers, advocates, and celebrities, such as Guy Kinman, Jr., Rodney Lofton, Donnie Corker, and Judge Tracy Thorne-Begland; and

Whereas, Richmond's many years of advancement and advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights has earned it a rare perfect annual score since 2020, of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index; and

Whereas, Richmond has served as a stalwart LGBTQ+ ally by creating the first citywide Equity Agenda, raising the Progress Flag at Richmond City Hall, supporting state legislation such as the 2020 Virginia Values Act, LGBTQ+ Rainbow crosswalks, and ensuring protection of LGBTQ+ people in Richmond and beyond;

Now, Therefore, Richmond City Council and Mayor Danny Avula do herby proclaim and establish the City of Richmond as an official Richmond LGBTQ+ Friendly Community, in perpetuity; declare Richmond a safe place for LGBTQ+ people to live their lives freely, openly, authentically, and protected from harm; and bring this to the attention of all Richmond residents in honoring our thriving inclusive community.

Signed,

The Honorable Danny Avula, Mayor
The Honorable Cynthia I. Newbille, Council President
The Honorable Katherine L. Jordan, Council Vice President

Today, City Council will meet to review Mayor Danny Avula's nominees for both the Acting Chief Administrative Officer and permanent Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Keep reading to learn more about the process!

Why do we need an acting CAO?

The day-to-day work of Richmond city government requires a CAO: They provide final approval on a wide variety of administrative items and also needs to be available 24/7 in the case of an emergency. In fact, when the CAO leaves town, we temporarily designate a deputy as the "acting CAO" in case something requiring immediate response comes up.

Because there will be some time between Mr. Donald's confirmation and start date — which is standard for people moving from one leadership position to another — the City will need an Acting CAO to keep us on track. Mayor Avula has nominated Ms. Sharon Ebert, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic and Community Development, for that acting position.

Thank you for your service!

"I'm so grateful to Ms. Ebert for her willingness to take on this expanded responsibility, and I have full confidence in her ability to fulfill the duties of the Acting CAO role with excellence and professionalism. I'm also absolutely thrilled to introduce Mr. Donald to City Council and the residents of the City of Richmond. I'm looking forward to working with Mr. Donald as my partner in building a thriving Richmond that leaves no one behind," said Mayor Danny Avula.

Timeline

• June 6, Outgoing Acting CAO Sabrina Joy-Hogg departs. Mayor Danny Avula announces nominee for CAO, Odie Donald II.
• June 9, Richmond City Council reviews the mayor's Acting CAO and permanent CAO nominations. City Council votes to confirm the nominations.
• June 9 - July 9, Pending confirmation, Ms. Sharon Ebert serves as Acting CAO.
• July 9, CAO nominee, Odie Donald II joins the City of Richmond as permanent CAO. Ms. Ebert continues her role as DCAO.

Richmond is getting ready to welcome a new Chief Administrative Officer! Part of that process involves understanding who a CAO is and what they do. Dr. Thad Williamson, Senior Policy Strategist in the Mayor's Office, has all the answers we need.

So, what is a CAO?

Under Richmond City's charter, the mayor appoints a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) with strong executive and administrative qualifications. This person has virtually all of the formal authority to run the city's administrative operations. The CAO is responsible for personnel decisions, financial and administrative activities, and close relationships with City Council.

City agencies do many different things and city employees bring many different disciplines and skillsets to their work. The CAO is like an orchestra conductor, who guides each agency and ultimately each employee in playing their distinctive part in the City's collective success.

What is the difference between the mayor's job and the CAO's job?

The charter describes the mayor as the "chief executive officer of the city" and the "head of government." This person is elected by Richmond's residents, and one of their most important responsibilities is appointing a qualified CAO. Because the mayor is elected, they might have a range of different professional experiences. A CAO provides expertise in navigating a public administration environment.

The mayor is the public face of city government and engages the community, and the CAO brings management expertise to the day-to-day work of City Hall. The CAO fills many of the functions that a city or county manager would do elsewhere. The ideal is that you have a mayor who articulates a clear vision and policy direction for the City and then the CAO can supervise the details and implementation of that vision. Think of it as a chief executive officer (mayor) and chief operating officer (CAO). In practice, Mayor Danny Avula-who does have significant professional experience in public sector leadership-and [CAO] will work closely together to address the City's challenges at both the policy and operational levels.

What skills and experience does a CAO need?

The CAO has to have a wide-ranging skill set. They need the ability to process lots of different kinds of information in real time, including information about policy, financial, and personnel issues. They have to be a good and confident decision-maker who establishes a process for catching and fixing mistakes. They have to be able to assemble strong teams of people. The CAO needs hands-on, detailed knowledge of everything going on at City Hall so that they can be responsive to questions not only from the Mayor, but from City Council and the wider public.

How did we go about finding a CAO?

Our charter says that "The mayor shall appoint a CAO, subject to the advice and consent of a majority of the members of city council, who shall be chosen solely on the basis of his/her executive and administrative qualifications." This means that the mayor is responsible for locating a CAO, and then that appointment is approved by City Council.

There needed to be a thoughtful process to find the right person with all the necessary skill sets. Mayor Avula promised an open, national search while campaigning for office. The City has evolved so much in the past decade that we needed to look across the country to find the person who was best suited to take Richmond to the next level.

What else should the public know about Richmond's CAO?

The CAO will become a familiar figure in our communities. You'll get to know more about the CAO through City Council meetings and other public sessions, like Council district meetings.

The City of Richmond is a complex municipal organization with some long-standing challenges, and the CAO's work is critical for addressing those challenges. It takes a lot of courage, confidence, and skill to take on a role like this. We all want to see a more efficient and responsive City Hall that practices strong resource management and clear communication. The CAO will help us get there!

¡Richmond se prepara para darle la bienvenida a un nuevo Oficial Administrativo en Jefe (CAO, por sus siglas en inglés)! Como parte del proceso hay que comprender lo que hace el CAO. El estratega principal de políticas de la Oficina del Alcalde, el Dr. Thad Williamson, tiene todas las respuestas que necesitamos.

Qué hace el CAO?

De acuerdo a los estatutos de la Ciudad de Richmond, el alcalde nombra a un Oficial Administrativo en Jefe (CAO) con sólidas calificaciones ejecutivas y administrativas. Esta persona tiene prácticamente toda la autoridad formal para dirigir las operaciones de la ciudad. El CAO es responsable de las decisiones de personal, las actividades financieras y administrativas, y de mantener una relación cercana con el Concejo Municipal.

Las agencias de la ciudad hacen muchas cosas diferentes y los empleados de la ciudad aportan muchas disciplinas y habilidades diferentes a sus trabajos. El CAO es como un director de orquesta, que guía a cada agencia y, en última instancia, a cada empleado para desempeñar su papel particular en el éxito colectivo de la Ciudad.

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre el trabajo del CAO y el del alcalde?

Los estatutos describen al alcalde como el "director ejecutivo de la ciudad" y el "jefe de gobierno". Esta persona es elegida por los residentes de Richmond, y una de sus responsabilidades más importantes es nombrar a un CAO calificado. Debido a que los alcaldes son funcionarios elegidos, es posible que los que ocupen ese cargo tengan diversas experiencias profesionales. Un CAO aporta su experiencia para desenvolverse en un entorno de administración pública.

El alcalde es la cara pública del gobierno de la ciudad e involucra a la comunidad, y el CAO aporta experiencia en gestión al trabajo diario de la administración municipal. El CAO cumple muchas de las funciones que tendría un administrador de una ciudad o condado en otro lugar. Lo ideal es que haya un alcalde que articule una visión clara y una dirección política para la Ciudad, y luego el CAO pueda supervisar los detalles y la implementación de esa visión. Es similar a lo que hacen el director ejecutivo (alcalde) y el director de operaciones (CAO) de una compañía. En la práctica, el alcalde Danny Avula, quien tiene una experiencia profesional significativa en liderazgo del sector público, y el CAO trabajarán en estrecha colaboración para abordar los desafíos de la Ciudad tanto a nivel político como operativo.

¿Qué habilidades y experiencia necesita un CAO?

El CAO debe tener un amplio conjunto de habilidades. Necesita la capacidad de procesar muchos tipos diferentes de información en tiempo real, incluyendo información sobre cuestiones políticas, financieras y de personal. Debe tener la capacidad de tomar decisiones buenas y decisivas y establecer un proceso para detectar y corregir errores. Debe ser capaz de formar sólidos equipos con el personal. El CAO necesita un conocimiento práctico y detallado de todo lo que sucede en el Ayuntamiento para que pueda responder, tanto a las preguntas del Alcalde, como a las del Concejo Municipal y del público en general.

¿Cómo hicimos para encontrar un CAO?

Los estatutos de Richmond dicen que "El alcalde nombrará a un CAO, sujeto al consejo y consentimiento de la mayoría de los miembros del Concejo Municipal, quien será elegido únicamente sobre la base de sus calificaciones ejecutivas y administrativas". Esto significa que el alcalde es responsable de identificar a un CAO, y luego ese nombramiento es aprobado por el Concejo Municipal.

Fue necesario un proceso concienzudo para encontrar a la persona adecuada con todas las habilidades necesarias. El alcalde Avula prometió una búsqueda abierta a nivel nacional mientras estaba en campaña para su cargo actual. La Ciudad ha evolucionado tanto en la última década que necesitábamos buscar en todo el país para encontrar a la persona más adecuada para llevar a Richmond al siguiente nivel.

¿Qué más debería saber el público sobre el CAO de Richmond?

El CAO se convertirá en una figura familiar en nuestras comunidades. Conocerán más sobre el CAO a través de las sesiones del Concejo Municipal y otras sesiones públicas, como las asambleas distritales del Concejo.

La Ciudad de Richmond es una organización municipal compleja con algunos retos pendientes desde hace tiempo, y el trabajo del CAO es fundamental para abordar esos desafíos. Se necesita mucho valor, confianza y habilidad para asumir un papel como este; todos queremos ver un Ayuntamiento más eficiente y receptivo que practique una sólida gestión de recursos y una comunicación clara. ¡El CAO nos ayudará a conseguirlo!

Richmonders are invited to celebrate and reflect on the first 100 days of Mayor Danny Avula’s tenure in office with a special Day of Service and Celebration on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Mayor Avula will kick off the day at Southside Community Center (6255 Old Warwick Road) beginning at 9am with an event that includes reflections and performances. A reception will follow where residents can greet the Mayor and learn more about his vision for Richmond.  

"The real focus of the day will be the service projects that offer a chance to engage with new neighbors, learn about different parts of our great city, and contribute meaningfully to the betterment of our community, " said Mayor Danny Avula. "The hope is that together, we can help make a positive impact on the local community and continue our work toward a thriving Richmond where no one gets left behind."

Partnering with the Community Foundation, the City has organized service projects in each Council district addressing the various needs of Richmond's diverse neighborhoods. Residents will also have the opportunity to join Mayor Avula outdoors as many of the projects are being led by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities in honor of Earth Day. Residents can obtain free tickets for the event at https://tinyurl.com/RVAService. Those that are interested in the community service projects can visit https://www.cfengage.org/rvagov to register.