There is nothing in the ordinance request indicating that this grant was necessary.

2013-105 HDL grant
To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to
execute a Performance Agreement between the City of Richmond, Health Diagnostic
Laboratory, Inc. and the Economic Development Authority of the City of Richmond for the
purpose of making an economic development grant through the Authority to Health Diagnostic
Laboratory, Inc. to facilitate the retention, construction and expansion of a Health Diagnostic
Laboratory, Inc. facility located in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park.

FISCAL IMPACT/COST: The provisions of the MOA provide two-phased economic
development grants of up to $1 ,350,000 to be paid in annual installments over a seven year
period. The grant for Phase I will be up to $750,000 ($150,000 for five consecutive years); for
Phase II the grant will be up to $600,000 ($120,000 for five consecutive years). The total of
Phase I and II grants will be up to $1,350,000 for the retention of HDL in the Virginia
BioTechnology Research Park. In years 3, 4 and 5 if the grant period the two grants overlapfor
a total pay-out of up to $270,000 in each of those years

Times-Dispatch:

HDL cracks list of Top 50 employers
Monday, May 13, 2013 12:54 am
Five years ago, Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. didn’t exist. Today, it cracked the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s annual Top 50 list of the region’s largest private employers.

HDL starts on its second phase of expansion
Health Diagnostic Laboratory’s new building in Richmond (right of the midblock atrium) will be connected with the phase one building that was recently completed. The addition is expected to be completed in 2014.

Health Diagnostic Laboratory giving VCU athletics $4 million
Wednesday, March 6, 2013 12:00 am
Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. is giving $4 million to the Virginia Commonwealth University athletics department as part of a partnership to enhance athletics facilities.

Fitness initiative gets $500,000 donation
Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:00 am
An effort to encourage physical fitness in the Richmond area is getting a big financial boost from one of the region’s fastest-growing companies.

Ousted Richmond Social Services Deputy Director Gayle L. Turner fired back at a jarring report released last week that says the department endangered children’s health and safety in an effort to shrink foster-care numbers. Link

It’s been a week since Mayor Dwight Jones told CBS 6 he was taking immediate corrective action to repair the city’s Department of Social Services, an agency under heavy fire for returning children to abusive homes. Link

baliles20130422

It looks more like a wild savannah than a city park – Thomas Square in Richmond has grass nearing four feet high, growing taller than children and the multitude of dogs found in Randolph. Link

However, the plan will not address who is responsible for knocking down a 150-foot portion of the brick wall on city property almost seven months ago without a permit to do so.

Officials believe the wall predates the Civil War, and a section of the 8-foot tall wall came down in October as work on the road got started. Link

Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, 5 th District, said the council needs to take a look at altering the budget process.

“It’s got to get revised,” said Agelasto, who is serving his first term. “We’ve got to review this process throughout the year.” Link

Half a million of your tax dollars was supposed to bring a plant and dozens of new jobs to Richmond’s south side. A ground breaking was even held. The mayor was there, but three years later – no business, no jobs. Link

Council members say they’ve yet to receive anything in writing from the administration regarding the shortfall — a point of frustration, council members say, because the city charter requires the mayor to notify them of any budgetary issues “without delay.” Link

So I can tell you FOR SURE that the Mayor, his CAO, his staff, knew enough about the potential problems in the Social Services Department to the extent that it would have required pro-active leadership….if they gave a damn. Link