Summer Candidate Survey Series: Week 8
This week - by popular demand - we asked the candidates to discuss recent headlines about financial mismanagement in City Hall and RPS.
Richmond’s Mayor/City Council Candidates were asked:
The city's Finance Department has generated embarrassing headlines in recent months (Purchasing Cards, Meals Tax Collection). Were city leaders right to terminate employees in response? Why or why not?
(For Twitter, 280 character max); and…
How will you use your elected office to ensure better fiscal management, transparency, and accountability? (For the blog, 600 character max)
…and our School Board Candidates were asked:
In April, the School Board's auditor identified a $150,000/month overspend in the transportation department resulting from a practice of bus drivers claiming overtime for unworked hours.
What is an appropriate response to this report?
(For Twitter, 280 character max); and…
What kind of accountability is necessary to ensure responsible management of all RPS finances?
(For the blog, 600 character max)
Each candidate provided a short response to the first question (in bold below), which is followed by a second, longer response to the second question.
Answers are listed below in the following order:
Mayoral Candidates (in the order in which they responded)
City Council (districts 1-9, alphabetical order)
School Board (ditto)
Community Poll Results
Let’s dive in!
Mayoral Candidates
Michelle Mosby
Qualified leadership starts at the top. Without changes at that level, systemic issues will persist, regardless of how many lower-level employees are dismissed.
Leadership begins at the top. My experience as a business owner and former City Council President has equipped me with the executive skills and critical judgment needed to serve as Mayor. I’m prepared to run a transparent, thorough, and inclusive process to choose the new Chief Administrative Officer, who will manage the city's daily operations and build a qualified leadership team. Together, we'll effectively prepare and manage budgets, ensure transparency, and uphold accountability throughout the administration
Harrison Roday
We can change things for the better. Accountability and transparency will be cornerstones of our Administration. When taxpayer dollars are misused or policies aren’t followed, there should be consequences. Partnering with City workers to make change is the way to get things done.
Change management isn’t about any one thing – and it’s certainly not about expensive “Chief Transformation Officers” or consultants that don’t have a long term interest in the City. Change is a process: one of partnership, teamwork, and transparency. We can do it.
I have managed large budgets and know how to drive results on a daily, weekly, and quarterly basis. We can reform City Hall to deliver improvement for our residents. If we set goals that have the buy-in of our workers – and make those goals public – then we will be delivering change with accountability.
Andreas Addison
This administration loves blaming staff instead of fixing systemic issues. Let’s place blame where it’s needed — on leadership and archaic, inoperable systems. Maybe instead of a $74k raise for the CAO, they should’ve hired another Management Analyst to bolster the Finance Dept.
I led the creation of the open data portal in 2015 and codified its use into law in 2017. Unfortunately, the current administration believes it's too hard to update and wants to repeal making public information transparent and available.
In my office, I will create an Analytics Team to make information available on transactions, data, core services, and operations in an easy-to-read map, chart, and graph format. This includes tracking progress on active building permits, RVA311 tickets, utility work, and city projects so you know where and how your hard-earned tax dollars are being used.
Dr Danny Avula
We must take the responsibility of spending the public’s money seriously. Employees who violate procedures or under-perform must be held accountable. But we won’t fix City Hall by just firing people; the real work is building a robust culture of accountability and transparency.
As Mayor, I will take personal responsibility for making City Hall deliver for residents. That starts with conducting a national search for a top-notch CAO with experience in tackling challenges similar to RVA’s. It also means assessing each agency’s goals, leadership and procedures. I have proven experience leading complex public sector organizations and building effective teams that work efficiently to solve problems. I will bring that same spirit to City Hall.
You can read more in my detailed plan for a more effective, responsive, and accountable City Hall @ dannyformayor.com/priorities/
Maurice Neblett
City leaders were right to take action on the Finance Department's issues, but accountability isn’t just about firing people. It’s about fixing the system that’s been broken for years. As mayor, I’ll focus on transparency and strong governance to truly restore trust in Richmond.
As mayor, I will prioritize strengthening our city's financial oversight by implementing stricter controls and regular audits. I'll push for greater transparency by making budget information easily accessible to the public, ensuring residents can see exactly how their tax dollars are spent. I'll also establish clear accountability measures, so any misuse of funds is swiftly addressed. My commitment is to be a voice for our community, restore trust in our city's finances by fostering a culture of responsibility and openness, ensuring Richmond's fiscal health for the future.
City Council Candidates
Andrew “Gumby” Breton
1st District
I can’t judge individuals’ performance from outside the administration. Management needs discretion to assemble the right team, and our dedicated city workers need fair treatment. Collective bargaining is an important part of reaching an effective balance.
The first tool I have is funding investments in new training, systems, and talent retainment. I will support the new mayor’s efforts here.
The second tool, which is under-utilized, is Council’s power (and responsibility) of oversight. Asking questions of departments sheds light on emerging concerns before they become FOIAs and headlines.
The last tool is legislation. Legislating transparency policies, such as record-keeping and data availability, is good practice and can usually be done affordably.
Maria Carra Rose
3rd District
I believe that city leadership should have been more aware of the mishandling of funds & attempted to rectify the situation before it got to the egregious levels of malfeasance that resulted in embarrassing headlines & culmination in the decision to terminate those employees.
Ensuring that employees & administration are well versed in ethical use of the City's funds is first & foremost. If there is culture of accountability created and enforced by leadership, then these situations where we are collectively disappointed by city employees actions will be drastically reduced. City leadership needs to lead by example and ensure that funds are being allocated appropriately & employees are aware of the repercussions if they choose to deviate from the rules. Creating a more engaged culture is going to have a drastic impact.
Sarah Abubaker
4th District
Some people need to be fired in Finance. The dept is emblematic of two issues in city hall- antiquated systems/processes and workplace culture. I believe there are people in the dept. who are doing the best they can for residents but are constrained by those two things.
First, the next Mayor should involve Council in hiring and evaluation of the next CAO. Given that the CAO and all Department heads report to the Mayor, Council needs to use the Auditor and Inspector General's Office to review department processes, systems and personnel for fiscal management, fraud and waste. Council needs to model responsiveness, transparency, and accountability as well. We should conduct reviews of programs, evaluate their efficacy and be honest about how we will make necessary adjustments.
Tavares Floyd
6th District
Accountability is paramount. Residents deserve truth and engagement. If proven without a doubt that termination was necessary, I support it. However, we must always ensure fairness and the right course of action. Transparency in the Finance Department is crucial for trust.
As your city council representative, I'll prioritize responsible budgeting to ensure taxpayer money is used efficiently. I will advocate for regular financial audits and transparent reporting to keep the public informed. By establishing clear accountability measures and fostering open communication between the council and community, I will ensure decisions are made transparently. My goal is to create a government that is fiscally responsible, accountable to its residents, and transparent in all its operations.
Ellen Robertson
6th District
On the advise of the city attorney office, these are personnel issues whereas I am councilwoman for the district, I should reframe from commenting.
Fiscal accountability and management are basic, fundamental duties and responsibilities. The taxpayers must be aware of where their dollars are spent. Monthly reports will be more user friendly and understandable for the taxpayers. The reports will become an agenda item at the Council Finance and Economic Development Committee monthly. Public hearings will be held at each meeting. In addition, administration will be charged with a mandate to fully brief Council prior to media reporting of issues.
Frank Wilson
8th District
Yes, they were right to terminate! In the private sector and working for the Supreme Court of VA, we had codes of conduct and ethics. The recent incidents are violations in both areas and are sufficient grounds to terminate employment.
It is clear the current structure is not working for Richmond. I will work with the other council members to revert to a city manager style of government. This change will give city council greater oversite over the position, and enable us to ensure better fiscal management, transparency, and accountability. As we have unfortunately learned, hiring the top city executive is too important to the residents of the city for one person to have that responsibility. Having council members involved in the selection process will avoid having someone in the role that is not competent to do the job.
Stephanie Starling
9th District
Frontline workers aren’t to blame for the city's historical dysfunction. Proper hiring and training ensures employees are skilled for roles that impact our city's financial health. A decision to fire should prioritize integrity over scapegoating and city leaders missed the mark.
In my elected role, I will prioritize fiscal responsibility through transparent budgeting practices and regular financial oversight. I will encourage honest communication, make ethical choices, and utilize public resources responsibly to help build trust.
SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES
Kathryn “Katie” Ricard
2nd District
We have received the auditor's report and appreciate the information. We will work with the RPS administration to understand the situation and create procedures to prevent future overspending. Responsible financial stewardship creates community trust.
I believe that oversight is best for ensuring that our funds are being spent responsibly. If they are not, we need to know why and figure out how it can be prevented in the future. Our documentation procedures must be easy to follow and transparent. Creating excessively complicated procedures discourages compliance.
We also need to use data for accountability. Are we seeing that this position/curriculum/program is creating the return on investment in regards to student success, community engagement, or teacher retention? If it isn't, we need to make some hard decisions to discontinue.
Ali Faruk
3rd District
Sound fiscal stewardship calls for participatory budgeting, transparency and accountability for the superintendent and school board, regular independent audits, and effective enforcement of policies. We must maximize the impact of every dollar to benefit our students & teachers.
Accountability in school finances begins with participatory budgeting, where the community has a say in how funds are allocated. Both the superintendent and his administration, as well as the school board itself, must be held to the highest standards of transparency. This includes regular, independent audits to ensure all spending aligns with our shared goals. Clear financial policies should be enforced with a zero-tolerance stance on mismanagement, guaranteeing that every dollar serves our students effectively.
Charlene Riley
3rd District
Well I would like to say this amount was a result of, hour increases, wages increases, after school care, new contracts reflecting increases. So I don't want to answer this from a point of over spending when it was in fact adjustments. This was not the most transparent audit.
We need RPS fully funded, this is important because we need bodies we need people working in these positions, we need persons at the phones to answer HR questions, including pay, benefits, time off request. RPS needs to adapt a new system of organizing, we need to even out workloads, hiring and retaining employee's is the key in achieving anything we must build better support systems, environments where employees can thrive and be loved and welcomed. Transparency is the accountability to ensure responsible management of all RPS finances.
Angela Fontaine
4th District
The report left more questions than answers. Is this overspend due to the bus driver's pay structure and if so, why is this considered an overspend? Is the report implying that bus drivers are "stealing" time? How do we resolve this issue without losing bus drivers?
To ensure responsible management of RPS finances, there should be regular internal and external audits, detailed budget reports and expenditures should be posted publicly to ensure transparency. There must be accountability measures to ensure finances are managed accurately such as a clear process for individuals to report concerns of financial mismanagement without fear of retaliation and ensuring the systems and methods for tracking and reporting financial data are effective. There should also be regular professional development for administrators who handle finances.
Wesley Hedgepeth
4th District
Before any other action, the Board needs to identity the route the problem. If this practice was being done, then who authorized it? Questions should be answered by the Superintendent and their designee. We shouldn't place blame on anyone until we learn all of the information.
Board members must be given financial updates at each meeting and statements at least quarterly. Members must thoroughly review those ahead of time. They should actively interrogate the budget , asking clarifying questions. Board members should not hesitate to ask for more specific breakdowns of line items. Additionally, an annual audit must be done. The Board's audit committee should oversee the timeline, review the auditors work, and evaluate the auditor. The full Board must review the audit, and either approve it or request a secondary audit.
Mamie Taylor
5th District
The ability for the School Board to identify and respond to district spending and overspending is both necessary and fiscally responsible. However, it is equally important to conduct a thorough investigation and communicate division expectations for reporting hours worked.
Transparency is key. The Finance Department is ultimately responsible for regular, detailed financial reports available to both school board members and the public for review. That should be coupled with independent audits to ensure school funds are spent wisely. Moreover, engaging community stakeholders in budget decisions will foster accountability and trust. Incorporating clear budgetary guidelines will allow for the oversight necessary to ensure that school funds are aligned with the needs of the division as a whole.
PH Cruz Sherman
8th District
The appropriate response at this stage would be to identify when the ball was dropped and close the loophole that resulted in the overspending. There must be checks and balances to put out sparks before they become an inferno.
The operative word is "Accountability". There has to be Accountability from the bottom up. If monthly audits are not currently in place, in would be paramount to implement checks and balances. Few businesses operate successfully without having regular accounting practices for revenue and expenditures.
Every segment and segment manager should be expected to provide monthly reports regarding expenditures for areas in which they have oversight. In addition, the CFO and the Superintendent should examine those reports and vet them monthly.
NO RESPONSE PROVIDED
Paul Goldman (1st - City Council)
Matthew Percival (1st - School Board)
Katherine Jordan (2nd - City Council)
Mariah White (2nd - School Board)
Kenya Gibson (3rd - City Council)
Ann-Frances Lambert (3rd - City Council)
Kevin Starlings (3rd - School Board)
Garrett Sawyer (4th - School Board)
Stephanie Rizzi (5th - School Board)
Stephanie Lynch (5th - City Council)
Willie Hilliard (6th - City Council)
Dr Shonda Harris Muhammed (6th - School Board)
Cheryl Burke (7th - School Board)
Cynthia Newbille (7th - City Council)
Eric Sundberg (7th - City Council)
EJ Jafari (8th - School Board)
Reva Trammell (8th - City Council)
Nicole Jones (9th - City Council)
Shavonda Dixon (9th - School Board)
As a reminder, all candidates have been invited to participate via the email address listed on their candidate registration paperwork. If there’s a better way to reach a candidate, please reach out to us at info@rvadirt.com. Thanks!
Community Poll Results
There was no corresponding community poll this week. As a peace offering, please accept this thread from the Richmond Crusade for Voters’ City Council Forum, and this one for their School Board Forum.