Former Richmond communications director Petula Burks broke no city policies when she bought media production services from two companies owned by one of her former business associates, according to a recently released report from Inspector General James Osuna.

Osuna’s investigation into the transactions concluded Burks didn’t violate any city policies on procurement and conflicts of interest. She disclosed her connection to the companies, Osuna found, and the work the city received after spending a little more than $350,000 with the two companies was “high quality work at a competitive price.”

“Based on the facts of the investigation, the quantity and quality of work produced by the production companies are consistent with the amount paid by the City of Richmond,” the March 3 report says. “There is no evidence that city funds were wasted or abused based on the services provided.”

Burks resigned last summer after extensive media coverage of her use of her city-issued purchasing card. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on the purchases involving companies owned by her former business partner, Cameus Chicoye. The newspaper also reported Burks had her purchasing card suspended due to a failure to resolve issues with some payments and a personal expense on the government card that officials said was accidental.

Osuna’s review looked specifically at whether policies were violated due to the relationship between Burks and Chicoye and the amount of money spent with firms operated by Chicoye.

After reviewing 102 projects from 2022 to 2024 involving photo, video and advertising services, the inspector general found no procurement policies were violated because no single purchase exceeded $10,000.

“The former director does not profit from the media production companies and is not professionally affiliated with them other than hiring them to work for the city,” the report says.

Burks and her former business associate “always maintained a professional relationship,” the inspector general’s office found after interviewing employees who worked with Burks in the city’s Office of Strategic Communications and Civic Engagement. That office is now led by Director Ross Catrow, who was a deputy under Burks.

The inspector general’s office recently resumed publishing the results of its investigations on the city’s website after not doing so for nearly five years. In addition to publishing finds that verify wrongdoing by city employees, the watchdog office also publishes the results of investigations in which accusations were deemed unproven.

The inspector general also closed out another unsubstantiated set of allegations against a different employee who left City Hall last year. 

Latesha Holmes, the City Council’s former chief of staff, didn’t abuse her government purchasing card, investigators ruled after looking into accusations she had made personal and excessive purchases. A council contract was also deemed to be valid, the investigation found, despite a claim it was “unauthorized.”