Wednesday, March 25, 2026 

Doors open at 4:45 p.m.  

Event begins at 5:30 p.m.  

Reception to follow for all attendees 

Space is limited, and first come, first served, so visit go.rva.gov/sotc26 to reserve your spot today! 



Location: Southside Community Center, 6255 Old Warwick Rd, Richmond, VA 23224 



In this issue:  

• Citizen Service and Response takes on residents’ 311 calls. 
• Urban Forestry shares an inside look at what happens when a 311 call shows up on their doorstep.  
• Procurement goes the extra mile to protect taxpayer dollars.  
• Social Services moves into a new, more welcoming home for their clients and staff.

The Department of Information Technology shared their budget priorities as part of the EngageRVA initiative to move forward conversations and education about our city budget! 

Celebrating 311 Day with Citizen Service & Response 

"Our Citizen Service & Response Department (better known as 311!) has continued its focus on delivering top notch customer service. They have been invaluable partners in improving interdepartmental communications. They have done an incredible amount of training, and they are piloting new technology, so every resident gets faster, clearer, more transparent service than ever before.  

Every week, I receive emails or phone messages from constituents who had had such positive experiences with 311 that they were compelled to reach out to me.  And I’ve made a habit of reading some of those constituent letters at our weekly cabinet meetings as a reminder that this slow, hard, culture changing work is making a difference to our residents.  

We will always have more work to do, but we are making clear and tangible progress, and I’m grateful--especially on 311 Day--to the whole CSR team for their amazing commitment to serving customers well." 

-Mayor Danny Avula



March 11 was 311 Day, but at the City of Richmond, every day is 311 Day! The staff who make up Citizen Service and Response are on the go 6 days a week to make sure that residents facing challenges have an immediate point of contact at the City. Non-emergency calls for help with City services come through 311. 

“Anyone calling needs help with something, and some are in really stressful situations,” says Director Pete Breil. “So our goal is to be that empathetic listener who can help them navigate the City.”  

Operations Manager Allan Hampton says that in addition to empathy, breadth of knowledge is a 311 superpower. “We don’t know everything about anything, but we know something about everything,” he says.  

311’s strengths and values are exemplified by TyAona Connor, who joined the Call Center about a year ago. “TyAona is extremely passionate about helping folks get to an end for whatever their concern is,” Allan says. “She’s very structured in what she does and how she does it, so she’s quick to resolve things.” 

TyAona has worked at other call centers, but what she likes best about 311 is being able to connect with Richmond residents. “When they call in, you’re like a parent, teacher, and counselor. Every call is different. A lot of times we submit the ticket, but we also hear what they need beyond that single service request. I try to put myself in their shoes and let them vent, but then we’re going to bring it back in and get the job done.” 

Most days, TyAona clocks in at 10:30 a.m. and finishes up at 7 p.m. During a single day, she can take close to 80 calls from residents. “I don’t like to see calls sitting in the queue, so I rock my day out,” she says.  

TyAona wishes more residents calling into 311 knew two things:  

311 documents and process your request, but these operators can’t resolve it themselves. “We do a lot of expectation setting,” TyAona says. “We do as much as we can, but we don’t have access to all of your Finance or Social Services records.” When 311 operators submit a ticket, it goes to the relevant department (keep reading for an inside look at how Urban Forestry processes service requests about trees!) 

The voice on the other end of the line is a person—and often a Richmond resident just like you. TyAona says callers are often surprised to learn that she lives in Richmond, and that many of the things they call about impact her, too. “Transparency is a huge thing. People want to know that they’re talking to another human,” she says.  

If you’re experiencing a non-emergency issue related to billing, city services, or a range of other issues, call 311 or submit a request at rva311.com or through the mobile app (available for both iOS and Android). If you put in a call, you might be speaking with TyAona or one of her colleagues. “And I’m gonna make sure that you are happy and resolved and that you love the City of Richmond by the time you get off the phone!” she promises. 

The Tree Team: Get to know our Urban Forestry Professionals 

 If Richmond’s Urban Forestry team wants you to know one thing about their work, it’s that they’re coming to the more than 120,000 public trees around our city with tons of experience.  

“We’re not just guys out there with chainsaws cutting things down for fun. We’re professionals,” says Operations Superintendent Sam Lilly.   

Our Urban Forestry team has four Certified Arborists, including Sam, and a Board Certified Master Arborist in Urban Forester Michael Webb! Their work involves major storm response, preparing trees for City events—like the current implementation of new red light speed cameras near schools—and yes, responding to 311 service requests.  

For Michael, 311 requests are about triage. Just like in a hospital’s emergency room, it’s important to know what concerns are serious but less time-sensitive, and which are immediately urgent. That assessment can also change quickly. “Even more than sidewalks and potholes, our requests can be more dynamic. The urgency can change based on weather,” he says.  

If you notice a tree in the public right of way that looks dangerous, or there are tree limbs down in that public right of way, here’s what happens when you call 311 or submit a service request at rva311.com:  

Step #1: Service request created. A 311 agent (like TyAona!) will file the service request and direct it to Urban Forestry as a “request for assessment.” You’ll get a service request number that you can reference if you call or message for updates.  

Step #2: Assessment. Urban Forestry dispatches one of their two certified city arborists to the location. This first visit is an assessment, or that triaging Michael describes. “Our arborists will determine based on experience and training what the best course of action is for that tree,” Sam says. “You run into a thousand different things once you get out there and see what’s actually going on.” Urban Forestry tries to complete this first assessment within ten days of receiving the request. 



During the assessment process, one of three things usually happen:

• After visiting, arborists decide that there aren’t any safety or health concerns, so the tree doesn’t meet service criteria. They close the service request.  
• The arborists observe dead branches or needs for structural pruning. “Somebody might want the tree cut down and we realize it’s one dead branch—we're not going to remove a whole tree for one dead branch,” Sam says. “Our goal is always to maintain the canopy.” 
• The arborists decide that removal is necessary. “If a tree is too far gone or too hazardous, this is our last resort,” Sam says. 

Step #3: Planning and scheduling. If the arborist decides that action is needed, the project goes into Urban Forestry’s workflow. “We have to manage budget and logistics and safety to determine what happens next,” Sam explains. “Front and center is that we base on schedules on public safety and hazard abatement.” Scheduling varies depending on the urgency of the issue, contractor and team schedules, and current weather events.  

Step #4: Completion and close-out. Once the project comes up in the queue—which can vary depending on those scheduling elements—a city team or contractors go out and complete the recommended work. Your service request is marked as resolved! 

From the operations managers all the way to crews and contractors, the Urban Forestry team is prepared to take on critical work in a way that is safe, efficient, and responsive to our biggest community needs. To learn more about their work (including cool things like planting permits), check them out online. 

Urban Forestry crews take on a standard removal in an aerial lift truck!

Meet Procurement: The City’s Ultimate Steward 

“In our procurement department, we’ve saved taxpayers millions of dollars through both best practices and innovative new procurement processes like the City’s first-ever reverse auction. We’ve expanded our engagement with the public, launching a public procurement transparency dashboard and hosted targeted outreach events to regional businesses and suppliers. We’ve fully staffed our internal compliance team to ensure that all of our procurement activities meet regulatory mandates. And, finally, Procurement has completed almost all of the p-card audit recommendations and is preparing to execute a controlled relaunch of the program. This team has done phenomenal work and I’m confident in where they’re headed next!” 



-Mayor Danny Avula



Richmond is celebrating National Procurement Month, a great opportunity to learn what our City’s Procurement team does.  

What is Procurement?  

A city needs a lot of stuff to operate! This can include anything from salt and sand for treating roads, to construction contracts, to the big scissors you see at ribbon cuttings. Procurement is the process of getting that stuff. A Procurement department facilitates buying, renting, preparing and awarding contracts, inventory control, and disposal operations, among other things.  

Why does a City need a Department of Procurement?  

“I like to think of us as the keeper of the gate from the process perspective,” says Deputy Director Scott Lyons.” Everyone who works at the City should be a steward of taxpayer dollars, and our department’s mandate is really to focus on how that money is spent and to whom it is paid.”   

Scott says that while individual departments are the experts in what they need, Procurement staff are the experts in how to get what departments need.  

“Our job is to make sure that when agencies go out and buy things, they are making fair and consistent decisions. They’re not buying from someone who isn’t qualified. And we want to get good stuff for a good cost in time. We spend a lot of time thinking about efficiencies.”  

Procurement staff also think ahead when departments have to be focused on the work at hand. Contracting Officer Daniel Mullery says that Procurement pays attention to regular and consistent needs so that they can create contracts in advance. “We had a road salt contract six months before winter weather—things like that so we can get out ahead of problems,” he says.  

Who works for our Procurement department?  

In Richmond, Procurement is split into two teams: The contracting side handles the City’s requests for proposals and contract bidding. “We want to make sure our bidders have a fair shot for bids they’re qualified for and that the public and vendors can have confidence that the best person for the job is going to get it,” Scott explains. “We also want to encourage as much competition as is practical. Competition drives prices down, but just as importantly, it helps us connect with new vendors and ideas.” Procurement works closely with the City’s Office of Minority Business Development to make sure that small and minority businesses are fairly included in the bidding process. 

On the operational side, procurement experts help suppliers register so that they can do business with the city. This team includes an outreach program that connects Richmond’s wide network of vendors to possible opportunities for City work and training services that work with both City staff and vendors to educate them on procurement procedures.  

Where can I learn more about Procurement, either as a resident or a potential vendor?  

Visit the Procurement website for information about becoming a supplier or competing for bids and updates on the City’s p-card progress. Scott especially hopes you’ll check out the “About Us” section for more on Procurement’s charge and mission: “We want the public to know that someone is always looking out for them!” 

Mayor Avula and CAO Donald stop by the Department of Procurement to present this hardworking team with a Proclamation in honor of National Procurement Month.  

Build to Last: Social Services begins work in a new home 

In February, the Department of Social Services opened its doors at 300 E. Franklin Street. The building is now the primary location for Social Services. Southside Plaza will continue to offer application support and basic customer service, but the Marshall Street location is completely closed. 

The opening was years in the making. “The vision for a new location predates identifying 300 E. Franklin as our new space,” says Kelley Brown, the Trauma-Informed Care and Resilience Manager for DSS. “We’ve spent the last 2 to 3 years convening employee-led workgroups to ensure that all aspects of our relocation were informed by employee feedback, with client service at the center. [Director] Shunda Giles encouraged us to vision and dream big in terms of what the best solutions to our physical space needs and challenges were.” 

DSS staff conducted field visits to other spaces, researched best practices, and were closely involved in the planning and design process. Executive Assistant Linda Durant sums it up: “It has definitely been a very long journey.” Kelley and Linda share some of their favorite things about the new space:  

• The entrance is designed to feel welcoming. “The light and brightness of the space really make a difference, coming in and seeing our navigators right away creates a welcoming feeling.” Linda says. “DSS meets people in the most vulnerable points of their lives, and they might not be feeling good about the reason they’re here. When you come in and see a space that is thoughtful, open and bright it helps restore a sense of dignity; it helps people feel a little better about the reason they’re here. Our staff works hard to be welcoming and engaging. We want it to feel like a no judgment zone, where everyone is treated with the respect they deserve.” Kelley adds that the new layout is about efficiency in addition to warmth. The new set up helps the customer service process move more quickly! 

• The visitation suite was designed to feel safe, warm, and welcoming for children and families. Kelley explains that DSS uses that suite for visitation and child welfare-related team meetings. “From a layout standpoint, that suite supports positive family connections and trauma-sensitive interactions,” she says. “And they’re really playful and inviting—we were able to work with designers to add touches that are child and youth-centered. Shunda’s vision was for some of the rooms in the suite to feel more like a living room, and less like a conference room, which enhances the visitation experience.” 

• The space treats both clients and staff with dignity. Kelley is proud of the “staff-focused self-care spaces,” like wellness rooms where staff can attend to physical needs that crop up throughout the workday, including lactation-related needs. Staff also have access to Resilience Rooms, which are designed to support employee mental and emotional well-being in the workplace. 



• It’s a testament to DSS leadership and philosophy. Kelley praises Shunda Giles for her vision and effort. “Our Director worked day in and day out to make this happen. She advocated for the needs of our clients and the department at every step of the process.” And because of Shunda’s vision, the move isn’t just about short-term change. “It’s cementing the vision that Shunda came to the department with: Build to Last. It’s not just about the building, it’s a promise. A promise to serve with compassion and to create an environment where everyone is respected, supported, and empowered to thrive.” 

Kelley and Linda encourage all residents to learn more about Social Services. “We can never anticipate when we ourselves or someone we know might need the support of a safety net, whether we’re raising a family, encounter adversities that impact our basic needs, or as we’re aging. We all need to know what DSS offers, both for ourselves and for others,” Kelley says. Explore more at the Department of Social Services webpage. 

Caption: Mayor Avula, CAO Donald, Council President Newbille, and Social Services staff and supporters officially open the new Social Services building!  

Poet’s Corner 

Richmond Poet Laureate Joanna Lee shares some reflections and poetry during Women’s History Month: 



As we continue through Women’s History Month, and as the first female Poet Laureate for the City, I’m reminded of some of the incredible poetesses here in Richmond who took up their pens and their voices before me, torch-bearers and community-makers like Lorna Pinckney and Shann Palmer (one of my own mentors), as well as teachers like Claudia Emerson whose transcendent work also happened to win some of the highest accolades poets can attain.  

I also reflect on some of my own role models from the wider world, favorite poets going back to childhood, with names you might recognize: Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton… women who fought inner battles to produce exquisite art. And more contemporary voices I’d recommend to anyone: Joy Harjo, Ada Limón, Patricia Smith, Sharon Olds. I’d be remiss not to mention the recent loss of the incredible nonbinary poet Andrea Gibson—first to win the Women of the World Poetry Slam, who passed from ovarian cancer last summer.    

This poem is in honor of all these, and for all of you out there, reading. It will be one of my final poems for this newsletter, as our next poet laureate’s term will begin in April—come join us at Poetry Fest at the Visual Arts Studio of Richmond on April 11th for the passing of the torch! 

She 

has whole universes in the dark cave 

of her blood, calls them forth to tuck  

under her tongue on lonely days 

and whistles the rain away. She  

is grass-and-azure, mountain and ocean,  

folds tight her horizon like a handkerchief 

to be brought forth in triumph 

or in need, a promise, a flag. 

She is nations, knows  

secrets: when to dance, where 

to run, how to fly but  

she stands planted,  

face set, her heels lightning rods  

that could crack your spine. 

Her hips the rhythm of legacy.  

Her heart a jeweled cage no one can afford, 

the bluebird inside content  

with its own bluebird song.  

If i could cover 

the questioning eyes  

of her mirrors and doubts and scars 

of her losses and burdens and grief  

with green-growing words, i 

would say: 

You have your own story to tell. 

You were born to live like an explosion of stars;  

see the heavens in yourself and look 

up. 

Liza Mickens gazes up at a mural of her great-great-grandmother, Richmond legend Maggie L. Walker.

Follow us here!