April 4 Newsletter: Changes slipped into budget
Weather: High of 81 but it'll feel cooler. A lovely weekend before temperatures plummet early next week.
On this date in 1963, forest fires break out across Virginia, burning more than 18,000 acres. In Chesterfield, a natural gas pipeline catches fire.
Today's newsletter sponsored by The Hodges Parnership. The Richmonder thanks Hodges for its support of local journalism.
Richmond budget proposal makes several quiet changes to high-profile policies
The proposed city budget makes three policy changes that went unnoted in the 600-page budget book distributed last week.
After The Richmonder asked why issues largely unrelated to the budget had been written into the budget ordinance, Mayor Danny Avula sent the City Council an apology on behalf of his administration, saying he too had just learned about it.
- “While I discussed many of these items with my team during the rush of our compressed budget season, I did not intend for those items to be included in the budget ordinance,” Avula said. “I've got some work to do to iron out our internal processes, and I remain committed to a collaborative, transparent process working together with City Council.”
Read more about the proposed changes here.
The final word (maybe) on the water crisis
The final water report was issued on Thursday, and in a companion document the city estimated the total cost of recovery at $5 million.
The report answered a number of questions that were posed in the aftermath of the crisis:
- Because the flooding happened so quickly, and the manual controls were so low in the facility, it was unsafe for the on-site crew to attempt to close valves manually.
- The city did not move forward with a needed switch replacement in 2016 because "the lowest bid was higher than expected."
- No electrician was on-site at the time of the power outage, nor was one required to be. This led to an 80-minute delay before power was restored.
The bottom line: "The effects of equipment failure were compounded by lack of planning, lack of standard and emergency procedures, and poor communication."
Groundbreaking for Shockoe Institute highlights stories of Richmond’s history
After years of discussion, a building dedicated to exploring Richmond's history of enslaving people is under construction near Main Street Station.
- The $11 million project, paid for by the Mellon Foundation, is not a museum, but will contain a permanent museum-like exhibition.
- It will also host events, a lab for studying the city's history, and rotating art exhibits.
The institute will also contain an interactive 3-D augmented reality tour exploring Richmond’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Read more on the building here.
Also today:
Graham Moomaw
In other news
- 15-year-old girl killed in Jackson Ward; 17-year-old boy arrested (CBS 6)
- Wrestling slams into Richmond bars (Axios)
- Flying Squirrels sell out opening night game (1140 WRVA)
The editor's desk
This summer's blockbuster art exhibit at the VMFA, on the life of Frida Kahlo, opens tomorrow. At a preview yesterday I was struck not by her paintings, but displays of her pencil-and-paper sketchwork that offered a peek into her inner thoughts. And for those who aren't familiar with Kahlo's story, there's enough personal drama in the exhibit to make the Real Housewives blush.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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