Petersburg City Council has appointed John M. “March” Altman, Jr. as city manager. Mr. Altman comes to Petersburg from the City of Hopewell where he is serving as city manager. In 2017, Altman was appointed as Deputy City Manager of Operations in Petersburg where he was responsible for the Departments of Economic Development, Planning, Public Works, Public Utilities, and Petersburg Area Transit.
“City Council is pleased that Mr. Altman is returning to Petersburg,” said Mayor Sam Parham. “Petersburg has many economic development projects underway, including the growth of the Pharmaceutical Cluster and the $40 million dollar upgrades to the water and wastewater systems serving the Southeastern section of the City. With the rapid pace of development, and large infrastructure projects, Petersburg is at a critical time for capitalizing on opportunities that will bring positive change for generations to come. We need the top-level experience that Mr. Altman will bring to Petersburg.”
Altman has nearly 30 years of experience in local government in Virginia. His areas of expertise include city management, economic development, planning, code enforcement, budgeting, capital improvement programming, and project management.
“I am excited to return to Petersburg and immediately begin moving forward with the many transformational projects underway,” said Altman. “Living and working in this region, my entire life, has given me the experience to navigate the challenges and the opportunities. I am committed to growing Petersburg and improving the quality of life for her citizens.”
Mr. Altman earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Affairs and Planning from Virginia Tech University and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. He and his wife, Stephanie, have four children.
Mr. Altman will take over as Petersburg City Manager on August 15, 2022. His salary will be $190,000 per year.