Richmond Council Begins City Manager Search, No Decisions Yet

The Richmond City Council convened a special session Aug. 26 focused entirely on the city's top leadership position — hearing public comment before going behind closed doors to discuss the performance of City Manager Shasa Curl, the recruitment of her permanent replacement, and who should serve as interim. The city attorney reported no final decisions were made.

• Council launches simultaneous tracks for interim and permanent city manager hiring

• Sole public speaker calls City Manager Curl a "fearless leader," urges council to recognize her work

• Bob Murray and Associates, approved two weeks ago, positioned to lead permanent search

Leadership Transition Takes Shape at City Hall

Why it matters: Richmond's city manager oversees all municipal operations, and the council is now managing three intertwined personnel decisions at once — evaluating the sitting city manager, selecting an interim, and launching a national recruitment. The outcome will determine who runs the city's day-to-day government for years to come.

Where things stand: The council took up all three items — the interim city manager recruitment, the permanent city manager recruitment, and City Manager Shasa Curl's performance evaluation — in a single special closed session. Before going behind closed doors, Cordell Henler, a public commenter and the only speaker of the evening, offered a vigorous defense of Curl's tenure.

"Shasa Curl has done an outstanding job. Whatever ideas she has that this council has, she takes it into consideration," said Henler, who went on to describe Curl in personal terms: "She is a fearless leader. In my book, she is fearless. She does not let nothing or no one bring her down."

On the interim question, Henler pointed the council to the city's own governing document: "I looked at the charter from 1999 and it does specify that the city manager, she can appoint a deputy" or department head to serve on an interim basis. He urged the council to consider that route rather than conducting a separate outside search.

For the permanent recruitment, Henler recommended the council move quickly with the firm it already has under contract: "You just approved Bob Murray and Associates two weeks ago. So I would use them because they can get the job done just that fast."

Decisions: After the closed session, the city attorney reported: "No final decisions were made during tonight's closed session." All three items remain pending.

What's next: The council will need to act on both the interim appointment and permanent recruitment at a future meeting. The 1999 charter provision cited by Henler — allowing the city manager to designate a deputy or department head — could expedite the interim question, while the Bob Murray and Associates contract positions the council to begin the permanent search process.

• Councilmembers Jamelia Brown and Soheila Bana were absent from the meeting.

• Council members sang happy birthday to Councilmember Claudia Jimenez before adjourning.