With a boost from the considerable recruitment skills and personal efforts of Phil Batchelor, Richmond continues to fill its executive management ranks with highly qualified individuals.

Most recently, and to the chagrin of his former colleagues at Contra Costa County, Batchelor snagged Contra Costa County Human Resources Director Leslie Knight who will replace retired holdover HR Director Cedric Williams.

According to a Contra Costa Times article yesterday, “Knight will take over as Richmond's Human Resources Director on Feb. 14, the same day incoming City Manager Bill Lindsay starts. She will earn $155,000 annually; the county paid her $150,000. Knight said she wasn't looking for a change when a Richmond recruiter contacted her last year. She was lured away by [future Richmond City Manager Bill] Lindsay's vision and the prospect of helping to turn Richmond around.”

“’This is a time for rebuilding,’ she said. ‘I've been passionate about my work for the county and I'll be passionate about working for Richmond.’”

“A Hercules resident, Knight came to the county 10 years ago. Former County Administrator Phil Batchelor hired her then, and, as Richmond's interim city manager, also interviewed her for the Richmond job. Knight says she expects more immediate and visible rewards working for a smaller jurisdiction.”

Also, back in October, with little fanfare, Batchelor hired Monique le Conge as permanent Library Director. Le Conge had been the Benicia Library Director since 1998. She has a Masters of Library and Information Studies from U.C. Berkeley and worked as a library consultant around the state, the Benicia High School Library and the Solano County Library. She is also an Adjunct Instructor for the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University where she teaches about services to young adults.

Monique took over from Kathy Haug, who had stepped up, somewhat reluctantly, to run the Library for a year and a half, providing great leadership in a tumultuous time when much of the staff had to be laid off. From the Friends of the Richmond Public Library Philolog, Monique says about her new job: “I’m excited about the opportunities and possibilities that I see in the challenges at Richmond. The Library here has tremendous community support, a dedicated staff, and an inspiring legacy.”