Bunting is the first female city manager for the City of Hampton since the position was created in 1956. Bunting followed in her mother’s footsteps as her mother is the current city manager of Roanoke and also enjoyed an illustrious career in public service.

Bunting began her career with the City of Hampton as an assistant to the city manager in January of 1990. In January 1995 Bunting was promoted to assistant city manager.

Highlights of her career include the creation of the award-winning 311 Customer Call Center, consolidation of three separate permit functions into a Central Permit Office, development of Hampton’s Crime and Grime campaign, organization of innovative neighborhood initiatives including the creation of the Neighborhood Office, and coordination of the city’s emergency planning and response to include recovery efforts after Hurricane Isabel and Tropical Storm Ernesto.

Bunting holds a Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University. Bunting has three children Parker, Carter, and Hannah with her husband, Mark.

Role of the City Manager's Office:

The City Manager's Office provides centralized direction and leadership for the effective administration and operations of all municipal services for the City of Hampton as directed by the City Council and serves as the focal point for the management of the City staff departments. The City Manager's Office prepares and submits to the City Council a balanced budget of municipal services in adherence with the policy goals and objectives established by the City Council while employing such managerial techniques as needed to assure efficient and effective utilization of the City's resources.

Background on the Council-Manager Form of Government

The council-manager form of local government combines the strong political leadership of elected officials in the form of a council or other governing body with the strong managerial experience of an appointed local government manager. Approximately 59% of US cities with populations of 25,000 or more, and 47% of US cities with populations of 5,000 or more, have adopted the council-manager form.

Responsibilities of the City Manager's Office

The primary responsibility of a city manager is to implement the policies of the elected City Council. In addition, in the council-manager government, the manager assumes responsibility for:

• Preparing the annual budget
• Hiring and firing personnel
• Directing day-to-day operations
• Attending Council meetings
• Recommending policies or programs to the City Council
• Keeping the council fully advised of the
  financial and other conditions of the city
• Supplying the council with information to aid decision making

Assistant City Managers

Assistants are responsible for the oversight of specific business teams which are comprised of city departments (with some participation from state agencies) organized around eight core business areas. Click here for an organization chart.

• Assistant City Manager James "Pete" Peterson
  (Infrastructure, Neighborhoods & Housing, Economic Vitality)
• Assistant City Manager James "Jimmy" A. Gray
  (Public Safety, Youth & Families)

Director of Federal Facilities Support - The city also works closely with Langley Air Force Base, NASA Langley Research Center and other federal facilities in the area. These activities are managed and coordinated by Director of Federal Facilities Support - Bruce Sturk

Public Communications, TV47, Sister Cities, the Unity Commission and related programs are managed and coordinated by Special Assistant to the City Manager - Dianne Foster.

Other administrative staff:
Internal Audit Manager - Terri Tennessee
Senior Executive Assistant - Donna Hodges
Executive Assistant - Annette Oakley and Shelley Shiflett
Customer Service Specialist - Carolyn Highsmith