Darnetta K. Tyus

Responsible for preparation of annual budget, providing leadership and direction in the development of short- and long-range plans, advising Mayor and City Council of financial conditions and current and future needs of the city, and monitoring and ensuring compliance with state/federal regulations.

• Led the acquisition of a 1.1-million-dollar property in downtown Stone Mountain, overcoming funding and negotiation challenges, resulting in a key asset for future commercial, residential, or mixed-use development to enhance the area's economic growth.
• Collaborated with Georgia Power to replace over 380 city streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs, navigating logistical challenges to improve public safety, reduce energy costs, and enhance city infrastructure sustainability.
• Negotiated and secured the acquisition of the Georgia Military College building adjacent to downtown, successfully integrating it into the city's long-term development plans to expand municipal services and support community growth.
• Advocated for and secured an additional 2 million dollars in SLPOST funds by collaborating with other local municipalities and the County, overcoming budgetary challenges to bring the total to over 9 million dollars, significantly enhancing Stone Mountain's infrastructure, roads, parks, recreation, and public safety projects.
• Identified and staffed critical shortages within administration to include nominating a Police Chief, Public Works Director, Assistant City Clerk, Associate Judge, Deputy Court Clerk, and two Solicitors.
• Presented a $5 million balanced budget to the mayor and council within the first 40 days of serving as city manager.
• Facilitated internal and external communication throughout all levels of the organization and conducted strategy sessions with department heads and key management staff.
• Prepared annual budget, providing leadership and direction in the development of short- and long-range plans, advising the Mayor and City Council of financial conditions and current and future needs of the city, and monitoring and ensuring compliance with state/federal regulations.

• Responsible for directing and supervising the City of College Park operations.
• Implemented a new operational structure based on the City's strategic plan, which focuses on five strategic goals: Economic Growth, Community Comfort, Airport /Transportation Affairs, Public Safety, and Governance.
• Promoted a culture of continuous improvement by soliciting feedback from staff members and implementing changes based on their input.
• Presented a $148 million balanced stabilization budget to the mayor and council within the first 60 days of serving as city manager; budget preparation required approximately 20 budget prep sessions with department heads and their staff, 5 budget presentations to the mayor and council, and 2 public hearings for public input. The budget included a minimum of a 5% increase for all staff, sustained a 20% increase for foresworn police personnel, and did not require a tax increase. (The council unanimously approved the budget as presented.)
• Led the effort to issue an $11.5 million bond against TSPLOST funds that financed infrastructure projects (i.e., Rhodes St Bridge and pedestrian bridge) essential to the success of the 320-acre, 6 West CP master development plan; plus additional funding for various street scape initiatives in College Park.
• Financed $4.9 million in capital equipment within the College Park 2021 - 2022 budget, including 25 new police cars, a fire truck, various public works equipment, roof repair at City Hall, and other much-needed equipment.
• Started recruitment process to identify the next police chief for the City of College Park, including a city-wide survey that sought council and community input on the characteristics and the responsibilities that the community council wanted in the next police chief.
• Directed and supervised the City of College Park operations, managing and overseeing all city departments to achieve goals using available resources.

• Focused on Community Engagement and Neighborhood Support by improving and strengthening communications and engagement within business and residential community.
• Provided leadership and oversight of Community Affairs Portfolio representing $40 million budget and over 200 employees: providing leadership to Social Services, Economic Development/Workforce Development, Parks and Recreation, Special Events Tourism, General Services, Juvenile Crime Control, Community Corrections, Museums/Historic Preservation, Library Services /Expansion Project, Volunteerism, and Emergency Command Center coordination.
• Assisted City Manager in providing executive leadership for efficient and effective management of all facets of City government under control and jurisdiction of 7-member elected City Council.
• Assisted City Manager with city-wide effort to plan and strategize long and short-term financial and administrative goals by developing budgetary recovery strategy (e.g., renegotiating City's debt payments, implementing cost-saving measures) to avert a state financial takeover, create path toward positive fund balance, and four bond rating increases from BBB- to A+, in three years.
• Reorganized city services to better reflect expenditures related to declining City revenues
• Provided support and assistance to council members with variety of activities, providing leadership and information as requested, facilitating development of City plans, regulations, and ordinances, attended council meetings and, when necessary, bridged gaps in political disputes, and presented monthly written reports on responses to Council concerns
• Directed administration of comprehensive Social Services Administrative management programs through providing leadership and oversight for all facets of Business Process initiatives, fortifying its operations, averting state takeover, and causing Petersburg Social Services to be recognized as one of most improved agencies in Virginia Department of Social Services
• Coordinated special projects for the city, including planning, design, and implementation of innovative programs, offices, and partnerships (e.g., created a Community Partners and Ambassador (Volunteerism) Office, developed a Workforce Development Program, and partnered with State officials as City's point of contact for COVID-19 initiatives)
• Led program design and implementation for CARES Act funding to address business support, food insecurities, and CoVid-19 prevention
• Served on Executive team that completed City of Petersburg's 5-Year Strategic Plan for 2021-2025

• Charged with executing the mayor's economic development strategy, which encourages growth and investment across the District of Columbia
• Ensured that DMPED actively established community outreach and engagement programs for major redevelopment projects in the District of Columbia
• Served as resource to project managers in developing a deliberate, proactive approach to community outreach and engagement, reported to the Director of Real Estate
• Developed standardized process assisting DMPED real estate project managers in creating comprehensive community outreach and engagement plans for 20 District of Columbia's largest redevelopment initiatives
• Created master database of community assets and partners to ensure that DMPED could proactively communicate with the individuals and groups near its major redevelopment projects
• Database included impacted resident bodies, community-based organizations, local businesses, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners, governmental partners, churches, advocacy groups, and affiliated stakeholders

• Managed Community Outreach and Engagement by interacting with the community and providing updates and information to explain a particular initiative's objectives and resolve any conflicts between the redevelopment objectives and the interests of the community
• Led the efforts for the final negotiations for the St. Elizabeth's East Campus Redevelopment Master Plan that is being implemented and has resulted in generating millions of dollars in revenue (e.g., the establishment of the Mystic Arena/Wizards Training facility, the Gateway Pavilion) and repurposing historic facilities
• Developed a community outreach and engagement strategy for the NCI, including three (3) public housing developments that impacted 1,500 families and thousands of residents
• Supported resident leaders and residents from NCI developments in building and sustaining their own network for community involvement and success
• Managed the coordinated effort between the D.C Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) to assess the needs more efficiently and provided technical assistance to businesses along three major commercial corridors in the District of Columbia

• Supported the Chief Operating Officer in managing OSSE's financial, procurement, human resources/risk management, facilities management, and school bus operations.
• Re-engineered various internal operating processes to ensure better operations and accountability.
• Led the realignment of OSSE's procurement process that encompasses the agency and the D.C. Office of Contract Procurement.
• This goal was achieved by consensus building and strong project management.
• Managed customer service for OSSE, including all metrics reporting, communications, and Freedom of Information Act requests.
• Managed facility operations, including two major facility moves and consolidating five facilities into one, affecting 500 employees.
• Managed operations for the Sumner School, a museum that archives D.C Public school records and artifacts.

• Managed internal and external tiers of communication among CHA, the Board (10-member policy-making board), CHA Executive Staff, the Public Housing Resident Leadership Body (24 elected Resident Leaders), and third-party partners.
• Initiated, forged, and nurtured trusting and open lines of communication as primary liaison to the CHA executive team, resident body, and the Board of Commissioners, to advance the execution of the Plan for Transformation with the positive and deliberate engagement of public housing residents.
• Participated in negotiations with HUD regarding regulations affecting and governing the Chicago Housing Authority's Plan for Transformation.
• Managed detailed preparation and departmental coordination for the Board's $720,000 operational budget and resident funding agreement totaling $3.6M.
• Coordinated and facilitated all the Board's strategic planning sessions and represented the Board in all CHA Executive Staff policy discussions.
• Improved productivity and strengthened communications between the Board, CHA staff, and public housing resident leaders by Instituting monthly Pre-Board Briefings and standing Executive Committee meetings with resident leaders to foster regular information-sharing opportunities.
• Gained pan-organizational and community trust, support, and buy-in and developed communication strategies that served individual and organizational interests and addressed public housing resident concerns.
• Oversaw year-long negotiations process resulting in 25,000 resident heads-of-households (totaling 150,000 residents) signing Relocation Rights Contract, guaranteeing their right to return to public housing.
• Negotiated timeline to execute building closure and consolidation plan with elected representatives from 29 family, senior citizen, and scattered-site public housing developments in preparation for rehabbing existing structures or developing Mixed-Income Communities.
• Operating under a 'Move To Work' (MTW) agreement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD), the CHA was charged with executing a 10-year, $1.5B HUD-funded Plan for Transformation designed to rehab/rebuild 25,000 public housing units.