After announcing July 31 that it would be taking a recess until September, the Richmond City Council held a special meeting Tuesday to discuss appointing a city manager.
After a more than two-hour closed session discussion the council reconvened, and city attorney Shannon Moore said there was “no reportable action” taken
During the subsequent public portion of the meeting the council voted unanimously to approve a contract with Bob Murray and Associates to “assist with the search for specialized positions,” increasing the cost by $100,000 to $168,000 and extending their contract through June 30, 2027.
Most notably, the firm was involved in the search for the Richmond Police Department chief position earlier this year. Ultimately, the city hired internally, promoting then Lt. Timothy Simmons to be the department’s top cop.
City Manager Shasa Curl announced April 21 that she was retiring from the position she’s held since 2022 year amid tensions with the police union, which has been working without a contract for more than a year. At that meeting she said she would “not be bullied” by the union, which also had criticized her handling of the reinstatement of officers involved in fatal shootings.
It’s unknown whether the city has been actively advertising for the city manager position.
A high-level city staff member who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they believed Curl was trying to wait until Richmond’s next mayor is chosen in November before confirming her last day of work, which sources have said is Oct. 2.
The Nov. 3 race pits Ahmad Anderson against Richmond Progressive Alliance council incumbent Claudia Jimenez. The staff member said it’s thought that an Anderson win might have persuaded Curl to stay.
Communist led Richmond – too close for comfort