The Agenda: Local government briefs for 6.9.25

Avula names Georgia administrator Odie Donald as next Richmond CAO

Odie Donald

Richmond Mayor Danny Avula late Friday announced Odie Donald II, chief of staff to the mayor of Atlanta, as his nominee for Richmond’s next chief administrative officer following a five-month national search.

The appointment is subject to the “advice and consent” of City Council, which is expected to consider legislation to affirm the selection at its regular meeting Monday.

Donald has nearly two decades of executive level experience in municipal government, according to Avula’s announcement. An Atlanta native, Donald has served three years as chief of staff to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. He previously served as city manager for South Fulton and administrator for Augusta-Richmond County.

Donald also has served as president of the metro Atlanta chapter of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators and on the Georgia Forward Board of Directors. A Georgia State University graduate, he has a bachelor’s in history and a master’s in business administration.

Avula described Donald as “a talented and experienced public administrator with a compelling life story that speaks to Richmond’s highest aspirations.”

“He believes in effective and responsible public management, and in the necessity of local government to uplift and transform lives. His combination of strong management and deep compassion is exactly what is needed to realize our vision of a thriving Richmond that leaves no one behind,” Avula said.

Donald said in the release: “I’m deeply honored by Mayor Danny Avula’s trust in me to serve the people of Richmond as Chief Administrative Officer. …Richmond has incredible potential, and I’m excited to work alongside the talented City staff and dynamic City Council to, together, build a strong foundation for thriving neighborhoods, an efficient City Hall, and a city where every resident has the opportunity to succeed.”

An expedited resolution for Donald’s appointment, including a proposed contract and salary of $365,000, will be introduced at council’s meeting Monday. Donald’s proposed start date is July 9.

Donald would succeed previous CAO Lincoln Saunders, who was appointed by former mayor Levar Stoney and resigned in December after four years in the role. Former deputy CAO Sabrina Joy-Hogg served as interim CAO before resigning June 6 to take a job with the City of Newport News. DCAO Sharon Ebert is currently serving as interim CAO.

Union Hill townhome infill, City Center project on City Council agenda

A recent site plan shows the 15 townhomes in the Venable Street lot. (City documents)

Richmond City Council meets Monday beginning with an informal session at 4 p.m. Business includes an update on the city code update and a closed session on disposition of publicly held real property and contract negotiation for the City Center development project.

Business on the 6 p.m. regular meeting agenda includes a special-use request for 15 townhomes at 2111-2119 Venable St. The homes are part of a larger plan for 19 new townhomes at property owned by Great Hope Baptist Church at 2101 Venable St., which also is planned to be converted into 19 apartments. UrbanCore Construction is leading the project.

The full agendas for the meetings can be found here.

Data center rule changes on Henrico supervisors’ agenda

The proposed Technology Boulevard Overlay District is highlighted in red. (County documents)

Henrico supervisors meet in regular session Tuesday at 6 p.m.

On the agenda are proposed data center regulations that would require supervisors’ approval – and public hearings – for projects outside of the county’s White Oak Technology Park, where data centers are currently a by-right use.

The board deferred votes on the proposed changes after a three-hour joint meeting with the Planning Commission last month. The board directed staff to revise the proposals so that public hearings would be required of all new data centers across the county, including any proposed in White Oak.

The revised rules would require all data center projects to obtain provisional-use permits from the county, eliminating the possibility of such projects being allowed as a by-right use according to existing industrial, office or business zoning.

The full agenda for the meeting can be viewed here.

Henrico, Pyramid Healthcare break ground on $10M detox center

Officials with Henrico and Pyramid Healthcare break ground on the Henrico County Detox & Residential Treatment Center. (Henrico County photo)

Henrico County and Pyramid Healthcare held a groundbreaking for the Henrico County Detox & Residential Treatment Center set to be built on the Eastern Government Center campus on Nine Mile Road.

The facility will offer medically supervised, inpatient services for detoxification and treatment of substance-use disorders, according to a release.

Henrico has been planning a detoxification and treatment center since 2020. The facility’s construction will be funded with $10.7 million from the county, and Pyramid Healthcare will operate the center under a 30-year lease at no cost to Henrico.

More information on the project is available on the county’s website.

Hanover names Null as finance department head

Lauren Null

Hanover County promoted Lauren Null to director of the department of finance and management services.

Null had been the department’s interim director for the last six months. She was named finance director in 2018, following more than five years as a senior accountant at Hanover.

Null will oversee the accounting, budgeting and purchasing divisions in her new role. She will also lead the creation of the county’s annual budget and manage county financial operations and reporting, per a news release.

“I look forward to building on the County’s strong foundation of transparency, accountability and sound financial management, and I’m excited to work alongside a dedicated team to support our mission and future growth,” Null said in a prepared statement.

Null is a CPA and has degrees from VCU and UVA.

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