Many can make the case that if one wishes to work in a city’s administration, making decisions that impact the lives, businesses, and day-to-day workings of a metropolitan area, they should probably live in the city in which they make those decisions. Richmond has the same policy, requiring City Hall administrators to live within the 63 square miles the city covers. However, come to find out, less that half of the top Richmond city officials actually reside there.
On Monday, Korita Jones, Richmond’s director of human resources, shared the new figure with a City Council panel, expressing that the city’s existing residency requirement is ineffective. The requirement applies to 180 high-ranking administrators and managers, which has served as precedent for at least 25 years. Though, the requirement can be circumvented via a residency waiver granted on a case-by-case basis.
Jones said the numbers did not indicate how many City Hall employees had been granted a waiver because the office does not keep track of the figures. Nevertheless, a review of ZIP codes showed that 3 out of 5 city employees live elsewhere.
Following the news, instead of actually enforcing the measure, the Richmond City Council is now recommending the abolition of the residency requirement.
First District Councilman Andreas Addison, one of three council members that proposed the change, claimed that the requirement was “antiquated.” He built his argument on the fact that it was instituted at a time when Richmond was bleeding residents to surrounding Henrico, Hanover, and Chesterfield Counties.
Addison said that doing away with the requirement will help attract younger candidates and make Virginia’s capital city more competitive with the private sector job market.
“For me, I want to make sure we’re being as competitive as possible,” Addison said according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Ninth District Councilman Michael Jones explained that the surrounding counties have moved away from residency requirements for nearly every level of administration, except for the county manager position. The current changes that are looking to be voted on will still require the chief administrative officer, police chief, and chief of fire and emergency services to live within the Richmond city limits.
Those in support of ending the residency requirement were Addison, Jones, Fifth District Councilman Parker Agelasto, Sixth District Councilwoman Ellen Robertson, and Seventh District Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille.
The side of the council that opposes ending the requirement questioned the merits and if administrators earning high salaries would still have “skin in the game” if they were not required to live in the city.
“If the director of public utilities is living in Hanover and not drinking city water, I’d have a problem with that,” said Fourth District Councilwoman Kristen Larson.
Along with her, opposing the measure was Second District Councilwoman Kimberly Gray, Council President and Third District Councilman Chris Hilbert, and Eighth District Councilwoman Reva Trammell.
The council is set to vote on the measure next Monday.
I can be understood that not everyone that works for the the City of Richmond should be required to reside there. After all, those cutting the grass, driving garbage trucks, and recording data are not involved in the decision-making processes within City Hall.
For the high-ranking officials that do not live in Richmond, they do not have skin in the game, as Councilwoman Larson put it. Striking down the residency requirement undermines equity and fairness for Richmonders.
Technically, someone who works in the upper levels of City Hall could commute from Washington, D.C., or Virginia Beach, or Charlottesville and just see their position as a “job” and not a Richmond they know and love and wish to do well for.
It’s quite unfortunate that the Richmond City Council seeks to have a city run by outsiders. It is understandable that lifting the residency requirement would allow for more applicants into the job pool; but considering Richmond has almost a quarter of a million people living within the city limits – the City Council is really saying they cannot find someone who’s good enough.
Sounds like someone is sleeping under a rock.
