'We love each other': Final City Council meeting includes heartfelt farewells

The last Richmond City Council meeting of 2024 started with goodbyes and a surprise “special guest.”

Running her final government meeting after 12 years in public office, departing Council President Kristen Nye (4th District) was joined by state Del. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, as he presented his former colleague with an official Virginia House of Delegates resolution commending her service to the city on both the council and the School Board.

Before that, City Council members stood together as they watched an end-of-term photo montage, awwwwwing when photos of their dogs popped up on the screen. The parents of Nye and Councilor Ann-Frances Lambert (3rd District) were also recognized as their daughters prepare to leave office at the end of the year. 

“Your young people have made an extraordinary difference in our city,” Councilor Cynthia Newbille (7th District) told the families.

Councilor Andreas Addison (1st District) was absent for the final meeting of his term, but he too drew praise from his eight colleagues. With the council’s only man missing, some of the eight members in attendance said it was nice to share an all-woman moment of solidarity and respect.

“We are a female powerhouse,” Nye said. “And I love it.”

Nye, who was first elected to the Richmond School Board in 2012, thanked her family for supporting her runs for local office, saying “everybody’s involved” when you get into politics. She also thanked her council colleagues for the things they “bring to this body.”

“I’m really proud of what we’ve invested in our infrastructure,” Nye said. “Roads are boring. But we don’t have as many potholes as we had eight years ago. And our park system has never been as well-funded.”

Members also thanked Lambert for bringing a sense of fun and “can-do energy” to do the job.

“I don’t think that we are truly going to know another body the way that this council body has operated and been friends and worked together,” said Councilor Stephanie Lynch (5th District).

Relationship dynamics at City Hall are in flux at the moment with Mayor-elect Danny Avula set to take office Jan. 1 along with three new members of the nine-person council.

Nye will be succeeded by Sarah Abubaker. Lambert was defeated by former School Board member Kenya Gibson, who sat in the audience to observe Monday’s meeting. Addison, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor this year, will be replaced by Andrew “Gumby” Breton.

Praise for Saunders

The night was also a farewell for Chief Administrative Officer Lincoln Saunders, an appointee of departing Mayor Levar Stoney who has run City Hall’s day-to-day operations for the last four years. Saunders recently announced he has chosen to leave city government at the end of the year instead of staying on temporarily under Avula, who has promised a national search for a new CAO.

Saunders has been a subject of widespread criticism for City Hall’s continued dysfunction, shown in recent controversies over the struggles of the city’s Finance Department, failure to comply with transparency laws and the ongoing headaches many Richmonders experience with tax and utility bills.

However, several council members said Monday that they feel some of that criticism is unwarranted, saying Saunders has done admirable work attempting to overhaul City Hall in ways that aren’t always recognized from the outside.

Nye praised Saunders for creating a productive working relationship with the City Council that helped the city avoid the types of major conflicts and infighting seen in the past.

“You pick up the phone. You’re honest with us. You answer our questions,” Nye told Saunders. “You try to work with us on stuff so that we don’t have a big fight here on Monday night. It has gotten so much better. I just hope as you exit the city that this spirit of collaboration continues.”

Councilor Reva Trammell (8th District) acknowledged that she and Saunders have often butted heads, but she too praised him and offered her own take on what might be behind his decision to leave.

“There’s no sense in being here and getting beat up on things when you don’t know how much control you’ll have in the future,” Trammell said.

Saunders was emotional as he gave a speech before council, telling the elected body that the new community centers, new public safety facilities, and the Diamond District baseball stadium development will be visible reminders of the group’s work.

“For the rest of our lives in the city of Richmond as we drive around the city we’re going to see the fruits of our labor these last four years,” Saunders said.

Saunders said he was perhaps most proud of the renewed interest he says he’s seen from people who want to work at City Hall due to the better compensation and improving work environment.

“That hasn’t always been our reputation,” he said.

Councilor Ellen Robertson (6th District) apologized to Saunders for taking part in the “political bashing” he received during the campaign season, including from her at times.

“This city has no idea of the level of dedication and the experience you have learned and brought to this table and the major accomplishments you have achieved,” Robertson said. 

Robertson told Saunders he should be “exceptionally pleased and proud of yourself.”

“As public figures, people have all kinds of things to say about us,” she said. “But tonight has been one of those nights that we have shown that we are family. And we love each other.”