Today Mayor Stoney announced that the City of Richmond will require all city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We take this step not only to ensure the health and safety of our employees and their families, but also to safeguard the comfort and well-being of residents, customers, visitors and the public at large,” said Mayor Stoney. “The vaccine is our greatest tool to save lives and truly beat this pandemic.”

Employees who are already vaccinated will be asked to prove their vaccination status through the Virginia Department of Health. Those who are not currently vaccinated are required to begin the vaccination process so that they are fully vaccinated by October 1.

When appropriate, medical and religious exemptions will be granted. Medical exemption requests must be signed by a licensed medical provider, and religious exemption requests must be notarized. All unvaccinated employees will be required to adhere to appropriate precautionary measures, in accordance with guidance from the Virginia Department of Health.

The policy will apply to all city employees, including those who telework. Those who do not comply will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Department of Human Resources guidelines.

##
 

Today Mayor Stoney announced that the City of Richmond will require all city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We take this step not only to ensure the health and safety of our employees and their families, but also to safeguard the comfort and well-being of residents, customers, visitors and the public at large,” said Mayor Stoney. “The vaccine is our greatest tool to save lives and truly beat this pandemic.”

Employees who are already vaccinated will be asked to prove their vaccination status through the Virginia Department of Health. Those who are not currently vaccinated are required to begin the vaccination process so that they are fully vaccinated by October 1.

When appropriate, medical and religious exemptions will be granted. Medical exemption requests must be signed by a licensed medical provider, and religious exemption requests must be notarized. All unvaccinated employees will be required to adhere to appropriate precautionary measures, in accordance with guidance from the Virginia Department of Health.

The policy will apply to all city employees, including those who telework. Those who do not comply will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Department of Human Resources guidelines.

##
 

Survey asks, “How would you spend $77 million on your city?”

The City of Richmond’s most recent engagement opportunity asks, “How would you spend $77 million on your city?” to help inform the city’s COVID-19 recovery spending plan, made possible by money from the federal government.

The American Rescue Plan Act, a law passed by the United States Congress, allocates $154 million in federal relief funding to the City of Richmond. The city will receive it in two payments of $77 million, a year apart.

This survey asks how Richmonders would like to see the first payment spent on their city. It will be open through August 9 at 11:59 p.m.

The survey is the first stage of community engagement around the American Rescue Plan funding. The results of this survey will assist the administration in creating the draft spending plan, which will then be available for public review and comment.

“This is a transformative investment,” said Mayor Stoney. “The American Rescue Plan Act has given us the chance to recover the right way. We need your input to make it happen.”

Important Details:

According to federal guidelines, the money can be spent on four key priorities: responding to the negative public health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing premium pay to essential workers, investing in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure and making up for revenue the city lost during the pandemic.

The money can be spent through 2026.

Richmond Public Schools has also received funding from the federal government. The School Board is responsible for allocating that money.

Richmond City Council ultimately has the authority to allocate the city’s federal funds.

To learn more about how the American Rescue Plan Act will impact Richmond and view ongoing engagement and education opportunities, residents are encouraged to visit RVA.gov: https://www.rva.gov/arp

##

Media Advisory
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Contact: Devin Wood
Cell: 804-484-4800
Devin.Wood@richmondgov.com

Richmond, VA — Richmond City Council has approved the Host Community Agreement for ONE Casino + Resort (RVA Entertainment Holdings, LLC).  With this approval and the required approval from the Virginia Lottery in hand, the city will proceed with petitioning the Circuit Court for a November 2^nd referendum on casino gaming in the City of Richmond.

“I congratulate the City Council for approving a resort casino Host Community Agreement that puts Richmonders first,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. 

The action paves the way for city voters to have the final say at the ballot box to move this project forward in South Richmond. If approved, ONE Casino + Resort will create over 1,300 good paying jobs with benefits and generate an estimated $172 million in new General Fund revenue over the five years of the project. 

“Richmond needs both,” said the mayor.  “Great new jobs for our residents and new revenue to help fund our priorities and keep taxes low for everyone.”

If the referendum is approved by Richmond voters, the $562 million project is planned to open in October 2024.

Information on the project and the text of the final Host Community Agreement can be found at:  https://www.rva.gov/economic-development/resort-casino.

# #

~ Online survey available July 25 – August 11 ~

RICHMOND, Va. – The Department of Public Works (DPW) has identified six corridors that present opportunities for enhanced bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to be completed as part of the City’s paving and resurfacing program for summer 2021 through summer 2022. City residents will have an opportunity to review the proposed detailed design and provide feedback for bike lanes designated along six corridors throughout the city. The six corridors under consideration are:  

• Brookland Parkway  
• Colorado Avenue
• Grove Avenue
• Marshall Street
• Walmsley Boulevard
• Warwick Road

To review the project materials and comment on the detailed design for each corridor, which will help finalize the design before moving forward with construction, please go to: https://www.rva.gov/public-works/pedestrian-bicycling-and-trails and complete the survey. The survey will be online from Sunday, July 25 through Wednesday, August 11.

These bike lane projects will enhance our transportation infrastructure and improve safety for all roadway users. They are an important part of the City’s commitment to Vision Zero and support the Better Streets multimodal approach by implementing safety improvements such as high-visibility crosswalks for people who walk, accessible curb ramps for people who roll, and dedicated space for people to bike or scoot.

For more project details or if you need assistance with alternative means to review and comment, contact Emily Dalphy at 804-646-0346 or Emily.Dalphy@rva.gov

For more information on Public Works, please visit us online at https://www.rva.gov/public-works or email us at AskPublicWorks@RichmondGov.com

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

###

The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 178 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1.