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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney addresses the crowd at his inauguration. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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The group Resound (Mariah Hargrove, Jessica Fox and Joseph Clarke) sings the national anthem. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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A packed crowd filled City Council Chambers for the inauguration. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Former Richmond City Council member and transition team member Jon Baliles (left) and press secretary Jim Nolan greet Mayor Levar Stoney. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and his wife, former Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton, were among those at the inauguration ceremony. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Mayor Levar Stoney with Gov. Terry McAuliffe and first lady Dorothy McAuliffe (photo by Jay Paul)
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Levar Stoney talks with his cousin Gene Stoney while his brother, Marvis Stoney, takes a picture in the mayor's office. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Mayor Levar Stoney receives congratulations in his new office. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his inaugural address Saturday, promising as he did on the campaign trail to begin restoring confidence in government, repairing schools and ushering in a new era of leadership in City Hall.
“I don’t think we can afford to keep doing things the way we’ve always done them,” Stoney told a packed council chambers. He continued, “I’m impatient — and energized and excited for change to build that one Richmond that will propel our success.”
Eight of the nine Richmond City Council members were in attendance, as were several state legislators, Gov. Terry McAuliffe and his wife, Dorothy, U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and his wife, former Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton.
Stoney, 35, was officially sworn in as the city’s 80th mayor on New Year’s Eve. In his first two weeks in office, he has maintained a busy public schedule while transitioning into his first elected office, visiting schools and community centers and attending the swearing-in ceremonies of the new City Council and School Board. He’s also mixed work and play. During the city’s first snow of the season, he manned a snow plow in the East End and went sledding in South Richmond.
The millennial mayor seems set on leading an administration with a decidedly different feel from that of his predecessor, Dwight Jones. However, he will face many of the same challenges Jones did when he was sworn in back in 2009.
In his 20-minute prepared remarks, Stoney invoked imagery of two Richmonds, which Jones frequently cited: One that is bustling with newcomers and business ventures, the other crumbling beneath the weight of generational poverty and violence.
Stoney promised to carry on the mission Jones laid out for the Office of Community Wealth Building, chipping away at the city’s 26 percent poverty rate. He said his administration has set a goal to lift 1,000 Richmonders out of poverty annually.
“We will focus on economic development that creates jobs and opportunities so Richmonders can pull themselves out of poverty, from workforce training to new job access programs, our team will connect the unemployed and underemployed with employers,” Stoney said.
As he did often on the campaign trail, Stoney pledged to focus on public schools. His administration will roll out an education compact, with measurable goals, that won’t solely focus on test scores but “the well-being of the whole child,” he said.
“With this mayor, the School Board will have a partner and an ally. Richmond city parents will have an advocate and a friend,” Stoney said. “Most importantly, the students of Richmond will have a champion and a voice."
In his first 100 days in office, Stoney said he would conduct an “unsparing” performance review of city government. He also promised the city would submit its comprehensive annual financial review on time in November, which Jones’ administration failed to do in each of the last two years.
Throughout the speech, Stoney affirmed his commitment to work in concert with the newly minted City Council and School Board, striking a note of collaboration that was sorely missing in last half of Jones’ second term. Speaking to Council President Chris Hilbert and Vice President Cynthia Newbille, Stoney said, “The success of Richmond depends upon your commitment and our ability to work together to meet the needs of this city and its residents. I know you all share our desire for change and progress, and I'm looking forward to all we can accomplish together.”
