City Council shook up its leadership Tuesday afternoon.

After months of behind the scenes talks, council replaced 7th District Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille as president after four years and installed 9th District Councilman Michael J. Jones in the top council post, even

as he gears up to run for a House of Delegates seat. Fourth District Councilwoman Kristen M. Nye was tapped as the new vice president, replacing 6th District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson, who had held the post for two years.

This appears to be the first time both posts will be held by representatives who live in South Side.

Both Dr. Jones and Ms. Nye are in their second terms, while Dr.Newbille is a 13-year veteran and Ms.Robertson has served 19 years.

Dr. Jones, a full-time minister, and Ms. Nye, a freelance writer and researcher, both said they were humbled at the trust their colleagues had placed in them and promised to be accountable and available to the members.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney congratulated the new leadership team, citing them as “tireless advocates for the residents of South Richmond. I look forward to collaborating with them and the rest of council to bring equity, inclusivity and prosperity to all corners of the city.”

The council provided a soft landing for Dr. Newbille and Ms. Robertson, who will be chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Finance and Economic Development Committee, the positions Dr. Jones and Ms. Nye previously held. The committee oversees city spending.

Dr. Newbille also will replace Ms. Robertson as vice chair of the Education and Human Services Committee. Separately, 2nd District Councilwoman Katherine Jordan will replace Ms. Nye as chair of the Government Operations Committee.

The changes had been set in motion months ago as some members began privately expressing their dissatisfaction with Dr. Newbille and Ms. Robertson, the Free Press has been told. Those involved expressed concern that the leadership team was too cozy with the mayor and was not sharing policy information they were privy to with the rest of council. Several members felt Dr. Newbille also was giving their policy concerns short shrift.

Asked about those concerns, Dr. Newbille did not directly respond.

Instead, she repeated what she said during the meeting after the election in her response.

“It has been my honor,” she stated, “to serve Richmond City Council as its vice president for two years and for the past four years as its president,” including the COVID-19 pandemic period that she noted has created unprecedented challenges at all levels of government.

“I am thankful and appreciative of everyone’s collective ef- forts over the past four years to work together to navigate these challenges,” Dr. Newbille stated.

The only major surprise was the election of Dr. Jones to the top post, given his political ambitions.

Ms. Nye had been the consensus choice, but, the Free Press has been told, decided she has too much going on in her life to take on the top role at this point.

Dr. Jones emerged when a suggestion that Dr. Newbille be allowed to serve for another year was rejected.