Former city manager Joe King died on Saturday afternoon at age 65. King had retired on Nov. 30 after 13 years with the city, the last five as city manager.
Mayor Sherman Saunders on Sunday issued the following statement:
“We were saddened to learn of the death of Joe King. On behalf of the City of Danville and the residents of Danville, I want to extend our sympathy and prayers of comfort to the entire King family.
“Joe was a dedicated public servant, and the Danville community was fortunate to have him as the leader of the city. He brought to Danville a broad experience in municipal government, he came to understand the community well, and he cared deeply about this community. He endeavored to lift up and make Danville a better place.
“Words are never adequate in moments like these, but we want the King family to know that we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers as they move through this time of mourning and bereavement.”
Interim City Manager Ken Larking added the following statement on Monday:
“I was honored to be given the opportunity to work for Joe nearly three years ago. During my time in Danville, I learned a great deal from him and gained a lot of respect for him as a person and as a city manager. He dedicated himself to making Danville a great community for us all -- not only as the leader of our City workforce, but as a volunteer in the community.
“I feel a great loss for myself and for what he planned to do to serve our community in his retirement. My heart goes out to Kathy, their sons, and the rest of his family.”
The family has not announced funeral arrangements.
Prior to his retirement, King spent his career in local government. Spanning 40 years, he worked for six local governments located in five states. He joined the City of Danville on Oct. 21, 2002, as assistant city manager of utilities. He was promoted to deputy city manager effective June 1, 2009. Less than a year later, City Council appointed King to serve as city manager. The appointment was effective May 6, 2010.
King announced in June that he would retire on Nov. 30. In his retirement notification, King said, “It has been my honor to serve as Danville’s city manager during the past five years.
Council, city staff and the community have accomplished many great things together during that time, including restoration of the River District. Reimagine That!”
During King’s tenure as city manager, the city received several awards for its River District Development Program. The city also received an award from the Virginia Municipal League for its Safe and Safe Neighborhood Program.
Also during King’s tenure, the city made great strides in its blight eradication program, and he led a deliberate effort for greater government transparency by improving access to information and the decision-making process.
In his retirement notification letter to City Council, King stated, “I agree with those who believe that Danville’s greatest days are ahead of us, not in the past. After 13 years working for the City of Danville, I look forward to doing what I can to support Danville as a private citizen.”
Prior to coming to Danville, King served two years in Indonesia as a local government consultant. He held bachelors and masters degrees in urban affairs from Virginia Tech.
Following King’s retirement, City Council appointed Larking as interim city manager. Larking had served as deputy city manager since March 18, 2013.
The city has contracted with Colin Baenziger & Associates in its search for a new city manager. The firm’s services will range from recruiting to contract negotiation.
Danville operates as a council-city manager form of government, meaning the city manager is the chief executive officer of the city and is responsible for the day-to-day activities.