County restructures departments and offices

December 31, 2020 (Botetourt County, VA) – Botetourt County has announced a number of
departmental organizations as a result of focused efforts to identify ways to improve the local
government organization and increase the County’s efficiency and effectiveness. These changes
provide the County with ways to better meet changing community needs and service expectations.
Departments directly affected are Maintenance, Recreation, Community Development, and
Economic Development.

This past spring, County Administration decided to split the Department of Recreation and Facilities
into two because both Recreation and Maintenance needed dedicated leadership. This split lets the
County discontinue the Director of Recreation and Facilities position and hire professionals with
expertise in their respective fields.
Ricky Dowdy was hired as Maintenance Director in September and came to the County with
decades of maintenance experience. Under his leadership, the Maintenance Department is
responsible for the upkeep and repair of County offices and facilities and their grounds and has
taken over responsibility for the care of parks and recreational facilities, County-owned boat
landings and trails, and recreational sports fields, including the Sports Complex. The department
also has been organized into four operational divisions: building maintenance, grounds
maintenance, sports field maintenance, and custodial services. This organization has allowed the
County to discontinue the Parks and Sports Fields Manager position while having custodian,
grounds maintenance technician, sports field technician, and turf manager positions available to
provide broad service to meet the needs of the County.

Mandy Atkins has been hired as Recreation Director and will assume her position on January 4th.
Mandy will be joined in leading the department by Chris McDonald and Shontae’ Wade, both serving
as Recreation Managers. Chris began working for the County on December 14th, and Shontae’ will
assume her position on January 4th. In addition to these new hires, Shelby Bryant will assume a new
position of Sports Complex Manager, effective January 1st, and report jointly to the Maintenance and

Recreation Directors. All of these changes have allowed the County to discontinue the positions of
Recreation Coordinator and Sports Complex Coordinator. Moreover, the position of Recreation and
Facilities Secretary is being revised to Recreation Secretary. This reorganization is anticipated to
provide some of the highest levels of recreation services available to the community and is the
result of the tremendous talent in this department.

The Department of Community Development will also undergo a number of organizational changes
effective January 1st. First, David Givens, who is currently serving as the Development Services
Manager, will assume the position of County Engineer. This position is being reinstituted after
several years and will be responsible for all aspects of the County’s erosion and sediment control
and storm water management programs. David also will liaise with the Western Virginia Water
Authority and provide management for specific capital and technical projects. As a result of this
change, the position of Erosion and Sediment Control/Storm Water Management Dual Combined
Administrator will be discontinued.

Second, Jim Whitten, who is currently serving as the Capital Projects Manager, will become
Development Services Manager and Master Building Official. Jim has over 40 years of
construction/inspections experience, 30 years of management/supervisory experience, and 27
certifications by the International Code Commission, including the certification of Master Code
Professional. In his new role, Jim will manage the Development Services Division of the Department
of Community Development, which includes development plan reviews, permitting, inspections,
and enforcement. This new, combined position will allow the two standalone positions of
Development Services Manager and Building Official to be discontinued. The Capital Projects
Manager position will remain in place should the need arise to fill it in the future.
The final department undergoing reorganization is Economic Development. Currently, the position
of Assistant Director of Economic Development has been vacant since the spring. Based on the
current and anticipated needs of the department, that position will be discontinued, effective
December 31st.
No organizations can remain successful and be stagnant. The goal of these changes is to create an
organization that is ready to meet the challenges that face us and to provide our citizens, vistors and businesses with the highest level of service.

— Submitted by Cody Sexton. County Administration