Sanders reorganizes administration to promote social equity 

Soon after Sam Sanders took over as Charlottesville’s City Manager in August, he announced he would create a work plan for his work activities that would mirror City Council’s strategic plan. 

Sanders gave a verbal update to Council in October, but has now published a written update for the first three months of the fiscal year. (view the presentation)

There are ten strategy areas and Sanders has prioritized affordable housing, public safety, and organizational excellence at the top. That’s followed by transportation, climate action, and the commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The third cluster of priorities are partnerships, education, economic prosperity, and recreation, arts, and culture. 

The update notes that the title of the Deputy City Manager for Racial, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be renamed Deputy City Manager for Social Equity. The Office of Equity and Inclusion will now be known as the Office of Social Equity. 

Interviews are underway for the new position of Deputy City Manager for Administration and the Deputy City Manager for Operations position is being advertised. Currently Steven Hicks is serving in that position on an interim basis. 

There will be a new Office of Sustainability with Director Kristel Riddervold reporting to Deputy City Manager Ashley Marshall. 

“This change provides a designation of priority for climate action and elevates its focus to work across the entire city organization as an extension of the city manager,” Sanders writes in his December 4 report to City Council.

Other items under Marshall’s portfolio include the departments of Human Services, Social Services, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Human Rights, and the Police Civilian Oversight Board. 

There will also be a new Office of Emergency Management that will report to City Manager Sanders.  

“This is to serve as an extension of the city manager who by state code has the obligation serve as the Director of Emergency Management,” the report continues. 

In other information from the report:

• Albemarle County has recently been awarded $460,459 through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice Government-to-Government program. The City of Charlottesville is a partner on the grant and the funds will be used to support the Resilient Together program.
• Cultivate Charlottesville and the City of Charlottesville have been awarded $180,000 Partners for Places grant for “a collaborative partnership that will increase sustainable urban agriculture space on public land in a way that enhances climate protections and prioritizes grassroots community leadership.” The funding is being matched by the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation and the Hartfield Foundation. 
• Charlottesville received a total of $3,894,552 in requests for funding through the Housing Operations Program Support (HOP) and the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund. Around $1.4 million in funds were advertised as being available. 

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