Mayor Jones and City Officials Break Ground on New Justice Center

Mayor Dwight C. Jones was joined by Sheriff C.T. Woody, City Council President Kathy Graziano, and City Council Vice President Ellen Robertson today in a ground breaking ceremony for the city’s new Justice Center. The ceremony marks the start of construction on the $134.6 million Justice Center project.

“We want this to be a facility that actually yields positive results, rather than a facility that drains resources and pulls a community downward,” said Mayor Jones. “This is an issue that I did fight for because building this new justice center is right thing to do.” The facility will be located at the current jail site and will have a rated capacity of 1,032 beds. The new Justice Center will be more efficient, provide more humane treatment of inmates, better conditions for the employees and visitors, and will cost taxpayers less money over the life of the facility. The Jones Administration is also focused on finding alternative solutions for non-violent offenders and for those suffering from mental illness.

The Virginia Board of Corrections unanimously approved the City’s plans to build a new jail in December of 2011. “Today, after many starts and stops, we are here to officially start a long overdue project,” said City Council President Kathy Graziano. “This will be a city jail that will not be a blight on the surrounding neighborhoods and that will provide its residents with humane conditions.”

“While the journey to this moment was long and riddled with distractions, our efforts will yield a new facility which enhances the lives of the employees who work here, the community members who volunteer here and the citizens who visit here,” comments Sheriff C.T. Woody.

“By choice today, we are making a decision to end mass incarceration. By choice, we are making a decision to view drugs as a health issue greater than a crime issue,” said City Council Vice President Ellen Robertson. “By choice, we promise alternatives to incarceration. This is a day of appreciation to honor the sheriff and his staff and to provide them a decent place to work.”

Tompkins/Ballard Joint Venture, the winning vendor for the construction of the new Justice Center, proposed a single-phased approach so inmates would not need to be moved out of the existing jail during construction. The proposal also was under budget and exceeded Mayor Jones’ goal of a 40 percent minority participation rate, as the proposal had a 50.2 minority business inclusion percentage and included 13 local area minority business firms as part of the construction team.

The facility is slated to open in January of 2014 and to be fully completed by the final quarter of 2014.

Mayor Jones, City Council and Richmond Public Schools Kick off MLK Construction

Mayor Dwight C. Jones kicked off the demolition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School today in preparation for the construction of a new, state of the art, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School (MLK). Mayor Jones, joined by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Yvonne Brandon, MLK Principal Valerie Harris along with City Council members and School Board Members from the 6th and 7th districts, watched as an excavating machine took a chunk out of one of the buildings that will come down.

“Today is a clear indication of the progress that we’ve made toward building new schools,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “With the start of our construction today, we are on our way to opening this new school in January of 2014.”

The Jones Administration has broken ground on two new elementary schools since taking office and today’s action was the first taken on a new middle school. A new high school is also planned.

MLK was originally constructed in 1964. Mayor Jones listed out the amenities the new school will have, including:

A dual wireless system throughout the building,

Fully ADA compliant,

Fully integrated HVAC system to include air conditioning,

Dedicated science classrooms,

A dedicated community room,

Modern technology to include Smart boards in each classroom,

LEED Silver rating,

Fully renovated auditorium,

A clinic and pre-K center.

Participating in today’s demolition ceremony were 6th District City Council Member and Council Vice President Ellen Robinson, 7th District City Council Member Cynthia Newbille, 6th District School Board Member Chandra Smith, 7th District School Board Member Don Coleman, Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Yvonne Brandon and MLK Principal Valerie Harris.

Click here to view the start of building demolition.

Mayor Jones Issues Statement Regarding State Board of Corrections Approval of City Jail Plans

Mayor Dwight C. Jones issued the following statement regarding the State Board of Corrections unanimous vote approving the City’s amendments to the 2009 Community Based Corrections Plan and Planning Study. The Board of Corrections also approved reimbursement funding of 25% from the Commonwealth of Virginia for all eligible costs relating to the construction of the new Justice Center in the city of Richmond.

"I thank the Board of Corrections for this unanimous vote today. I have fought hard to reach this point where we can move forward with the construction of our new Justice Center. I want to thank Sheriff C.T. Woody and those members of Richmond City Council that have stood with us. We are especially pleased that our dedicated law enforcement officers, social workers, clergy, attorneys, prisoners and their families will now have more humane conditions in the very near future.

“We’ve made the necessary adjustments to our plans and it is now clear that our plans meet all compliance and safety standards. Today’s unanimous vote ensures that we can now move forward with this important project quickly and that the new Justice Center will become a reality.

“I’ve kept my promise in that I did not want to build an institution that simply encouraged us to keep warehousing people. The plans that were approved today reflect my commitment and vision of enhanced alternatives to incarceration while at the same time addressing the needs of those being housed at the jail.

"I want to thank everyone that has joined in our vision for a humane facility. We've been struggling with the need for a new jail for more than a decade. With the Board’s vote today, we can stop talking and start building.”

Mayor Jones Announces Major Expansion of Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones today announced the expansion of Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc. (HDL) in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park. This major expansion will occur in two Phases with the redevelopment of Biotech 5 and 3. Phase 1 will begin in early 2012 with a capital investment of $38.5 million in building redevelopment and machinery and equipment and the creation of an additional 353 net new jobs. Phase 2 will occur after the completion of Phase 1 and will include an additional capital investment of $30 million and the creation of 300 additional net new jobs.

“This $68.5 million capital investment and 653 net new jobs will bring HDL’s employment to over 950 employees and makes HDL a major employer in the city of Richmond,” said Mayor Jones. “This is a great example of the importance of cultivating our existing business base, and we are proud that HDL has chosen the city of Richmond to expand and grow their business.”

HDL, a CAP accredited leader in health management, offers a comprehensive test menu of risk factors and biomarkers for cardiovascular and related diseases. The company’s systematic approach identifies factors contributing to disease and provides a basis for effective treatment, allowing physicians to more effectively manage patients. As an added value, patients receive a personalized overview of their risk factors along with intensive counseling from expert Health Coaches at no additional cost, improving compliance and enhancing satisfaction.

“One in two people die from heart disease every year. This is more than the next seven causes of death combined, including cancer. Adding to the challenge, traditional cholesterol testing fails to identify up to 40-50% of the population at risk for cardiovascular disease and death,” said Tonya Mallory, President and CEO of HDL. “Despite these alarming statistics, we can beat cardiovascular and related diseases, and we’re proving it every day at our advanced laboratory in Richmond, Virginia. Our newest expansion marks the success of not only Health Diagnostic Laboratory, but the growth of the Life Science community throughout Richmond, and Virginia as a whole.”

“Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. is one of the most dynamic and exciting companies to ever start in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park”, said Robert T. Skunda, President and CEO. “The new $46 million building redevelopment accommodates their continued growth and will add significantly to the Research Park’s critical mass and growing scientific community.”

Mayor Jones Elected to the 2012 National League of Cities Board of Directors

Mayor Dwight C. Jones was elected to the 2012 Board of Directors of the National League of Cities (NLC) on Saturday, November 12, at the conclusion of the Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix, AZ. NLC’s Board meets throughout the year and leads the organization by shaping policies and priorities and directing the advocacy, research and membership activities of NLC.

“Being elected to serve the nations’ cities and towns is a high honor,” said Mayor Jones. “I have been actively involved on the board of Virginia Municipal League, and I have a great appreciation for the power local officials have when our collective voices come together on critical issues.”

NLC also elected new officers for the coming year, including Bluffton, IN, Mayor Ted Ellis as President; Avondale, AZ, Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers as First Vice President; and Saint Paul, MN, Mayor Chris Coleman as Second Vice President.

In addition, 22 other new board members were elected during the meeting. The full Board consists of 40 local elected officials and state municipal league directors.

Elected to the Board of Directors for two-year terms:

· Dwight C. Jones, Mayor, Richmond, VA

· Tennell Atkins, Council Member, Dallas, TX

· David Baker, Mayor, Kenmore, WA

· Dan Besse, Council Member, Winston-Salem, NC

· Nancy J. Chaney, Mayor, Moscow, ID

· Sandra Colvin Roy, Council Member, Minneapolis, MN

· Richard Byrd Conlin, Councilmember, Seattle, WA

· Joy Cooper, Mayor, Hallandale Beach, FL

· Doug Echols, Mayor, Rock Hill, SC

· Dennis Kavanaugh, Councilmember, Mesa, AZ

· Kevin J. Kramer, Councilman, Louisville, KY

· Randon K. Lane, Mayor, Murrieta, CA

· Garret Nancolas, Mayor, Caldwell, ID

· Robert D. Newell, Mayor, Parkersburg, W.VA

· Bernita Sims, Council Member, High Point, NC

· Betty L. Taylor, Council President, Eugene, OR

· Matt Zone, Council Member, Cleveland, OH

Elected to the Board of Directors for a one-year term:

Murry K. Witcher, Alderman, North Little Rock, AR

Jesse Matthews, Council Member, Bessemer, AL

State Municipal League Directors elected to the Board:

· Peter Baynes, New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials

· Mike McCarty, Association of Washington Cities

· Yvonne Taylor, South Dakota Municipal League

· George Wright, Delaware League of Local Governments

The National League of Cities is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

Mayor Jones Announces Healthy Richmond Campaign

Mayor Dwight C. Jones introduced the Healthy Richmond Campaign today during the City’s Employee Health and Safety Fair at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. The Healthy Richmond Campaign is a new City initiative designed to promote the improved health of City employees and residents by addressing the disparities affecting access to health care and health resources in the city of Richmond.

Mayor Jones stated that, “Launching the Healthy Richmond Campaign internally during the City’s Employee Health and Safety Fair presented an excellent opportunity to promote this initiative which includes a comprehensive workplace health promotion program. A public kick-off event is currently being scheduled for next spring. The goal of the Healthy Richmond Campaign is to promote healthier lifestyles and behaviors that will improve individual health and help prevent many of the chronic diseases and illnesses that affect far too many youth and adults in our city.”

The Healthy Richmond Campaign was proposed by the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy, which was established in 2010, to address Mayor Jones’ concerns of the disparity in health outcomes across the Richmond community. The Blue Ribbon Commission researched many factors affecting health in Richmond, and proposed five focus areas to help improve the health and well-being of City residents: Healthy Richmond Campaign to promote healthy lifestyles to the community; health and social equity; behavioral health; medical homes for uninsured; and support for healthcare providers.

Members of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Policy are working on strategies to impact the identified focus areas. At the same time, several departments within the City’s Human Services division are moving forward in implementing the Healthy Richmond Campaign by engaging the community and encouraging the public to proactively embrace the Healthy Richmond concept by improving and maintaining their health.

The Healthy Richmond Campaign is preparing to conduct various activities and to participate with community events. The campaign involves current City initiatives, commissions, and task forces consisting of: Pedestrian, Bicycling and Trails Commission; Breast Feeding Commission; Active Seniors and Special Populations; Food Policy Task Force; and the Richmond Lets Move! Initiative.

For more information or to find out how to get involved in the Healthy Richmond Campaign, please call (804) 646-5823.

Mayor Applauds RMA Board Vote

~City to receive $62.3 million repayment~

Mayor Dwight C. Jones today applauded the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) for voting 11-0 to repay approximately $62.3 million owed to the City of Richmond.

“I am pleased that the RMA has taken this action as it was the right thing for the City and also benefits the RMA. There are many things this administration has been working to set right for the City of Richmond. Where our financial picture is concerned, our paramount goal has been to move us toward AAA bond rating. We have taken several important steps, like changing to twice a year tax collections, which saves $1-3 million per year and eliminating the Broad Street CDA, which saved the City approximately $12 million. Securing this repayment of outstanding debt is a critical piece of our effort to position the City to obtain the desired bond rating.

"As I have said throughout this process, this is a sound financial decision and is in the best interest of the City. The RMA Board has also acted in its best interest fulfilling its fiduciary responsibility. Moreover, getting our money back now does not change the fact that the asset will ultimately revert back to the City nor does it prevent us from exploring other options in the future.

"As we consider the use of these funds, there are some guidelines I feel we should be governed by. These funds can help to repair some of the issues caused by displacement of families and businesses, and we have the opportunity to invest wisely by taking actions like getting our undesignated fund balance to 10% and paying off some of our own outstanding debt.

"As we move forward, I want to stress that we will be working with the residents of our city and City Council as we decide how to best invest this money for our future in a way that is wise, prudent, and generates the greatest return on our investment for our city."