City Names Interim Directors of Public Utilities and Public Works

Chief Administrative Officer Byron C. Marshall today announced that Letitia Shelton has been selected to serve as Interim Director of Public Works and Robert Steidel has been selected to serve as Interim Director of Public Utilities. Shelton and Steidel will begin to serve in their interim positions on Saturday, July 31, 2010.

For seven years, Steidel has served as the Deputy Director for the Department of Public Utilities. Prior to beginning city service, Steidel served as the Environmental Manager for the city of Hopewell’s Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Steidel replaces Chris Beschler who served as Director of Public Utilities as well as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Operations. Beschler will continue to serve as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Operations, overseeing the Departments of Public Utilities and Public Works, the Richmond Animal Care and Control agency and the 3-1-1 Call Center.

Shelton, a city employee for 12 years, most recently served as the Deputy Director of Finance and Administration for the Department of Public Works. Shelton was the Rates Manager for the Department of Public Utilities for nine years. She was named Deputy Director of Finance and Administration for the Department of Public Works in April 2007.

A national search for permanent directors of public utilities and public works is currently underway. Shelton and Steidel will serve as interim directors of their respective departments until this search is completed.

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