Hello, folks.

Welcome.

Thank you all for being here.

If I could get everybody, I know uh shade is at a premium today, but if if you want to step a little bit closer, please feel free to come forward and take a seat if you'd like.

Anyway, my name is Dave Good.

I'm the uh director of constituent media services for Chesterfield County, and I have the honor of getting us started today.

Um designed to be a relatively brief ceremony uh pending the heat, but it's also a very important one as we name the county's next administrator.

Before I continue, I want to thank the departments that helped plan this event.

They include the General Services Department, Information Systems Technology, of course, our public safety professionals, including fire sheriff and the police department.

I

also like to thank our human resources department, of course, my colleagues in the county administration and the constituent media services department.

Today we celebrate the opening of a new chapter for Chesterfield, but there's no denying that today is bittersweet.

As we bid farewell to someone who has been an exemplary and transformative leader for Chesterfield County, I guarantee you that there are five board members seated behind me right now, all of which would tell you they knew filling Dr.

Joe Casey's shoes would not be easy.

On behalf of the county workforce, I want to thank our entire Board of Supervisors for their tireless work in recruiting the next county administrator.

They include, of course, Dr.

Mark Miller, our chair and Midlothian District Supervisor, our Vice Chair and Matoka District Supervisor Kevin Carroll, Bermuda District Supervisor Jim Ingle, Clover Hill District Supervisor Jessica Schneider, and Dr.

Laquan Hilton, who represents the Dale District.

Though we are announcing a new county administrator, someone whom Dr.

Miller will have the honors of introducing in just a few moments.

Dr.

Casey is still our county administrator, if only for a few days.

And I now have the honor of introducing him to come to the mic, possibly for the last time.

Dr.

Casey, as you step forward, I want to extend on behalf of all county employees our collective thanks for your decade of outstanding service and wish you the very best in retirement.

We are happy and incredibly proud you have chosen to continue making your home in Chesterfield.

Dr.

Casey.

I wasn't expecting that, but uh, and thanks for putting a mic here that I can't physically drop, by the way.

Um again, welcome, welcome, welcome to the next chapter of a great book that's been written over the past 277 years.

My favorite chapter of this book, you know, has been the last 10 years, I would say, but I'm really excited to turn to the next page.

My comments are brief today, so let me just get right at it.

When I announced in mid-December my impending retirement, I mentioned more family time as one of the criteria for how I want to spend my next chapter, and I am so grateful that my wife Suzanne Casey is here today as she was 10 years ago on these very steps, and uh she's the love of my life, and and thank you.

I'm also excited that my three sons and their plus ones are all coming into town Wednesday to spend this last week with me, just to be a support network that family can only be.

Um I also mentioned back then that I picked mid-December in this time period because I trust these five people.

I uh more than you will ever know, in picking the right person and the responsibility that it requires professionalism and a judicious process.

I can attest that they adhere to this responsibility, so I personally want to thank

you.

Now for my new best friend, and it would always be my best friend no matter who they picked, but but it is my new best friend to be announced.

That will be Dr.

Miller's announcement.

I have known this person only for one week, but I can tell you that he is ready, willing, and able to lead a passionate and committed workforce that serves our community as if they were family.

I'll do my best to help you in transition ahead and thereafter just be a friendly resource, living and volunteering here as I move up the org chart pinnacle, joining 400,000 other people and be in charge of Chesterfield County.

Greatly looking forward to that org chart maneuver.

And all of us together will help you succeed, helping our neighbors further weave the fabric of a community.

And then finally, in bringing closure to the number one question I've been asked over and over, and even Dave Good referred to it.

I have confirmed, uh, and this is for public information.

We do wear the same shoe size.

It's not big shoes.

Thank you very much.

Now, Dr.

Miller.

Well, good afternoon.

Thank you, Dr.

Casey, and thank you all for being here on a rather warm afternoon for this really important occasion.

Before I continue, I want to recognize the number of special guests joining us today.

When I mention your name, if you could just raise your hand and be recognized.

Um, let's start with not in any particular order.

I just say that up front.

Um Sheriff Carl Leonard, where are