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Leesburg tree commission reviews spending report and $13,200 tree‑bank allocation
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a detailed spending report, discussed the commission's $1,800 operating line, and the town's allocation of $13,200 from the tree bank for tree giveaways and plantings in FY 2026.
The Leesburg Tree Commission reviewed its recent spending and discussed how the town’s recently budgeted tree‑bank allotment could be used for future plantings.
Melissa, a town staff member, told commissioners that “the town received 8 proposals for our RFP announcement on tree inventory and our management plan” and that town finance staff had pulled together a printed spending report for the commission to review. The commission’s own annual operating allocation is $1,800; Melissa said other tree‑related charges had been posted to the town’s urban forestry operating budget.
Why it matters: Commissioners said they want clarity on which line items should be charged to the commission’s $1,800 allotment versus the town’s broader urban forestry budget, and how the larger tree‑bank allocation should be prioritized. Melissa said the town budgeted $13,200 in the current fiscal year from the tree bank and suggested it could be used for giveaways or to get trees in the ground. “So I would say that 13,000, you could use for for the trees Berg giveaways… getting trees in the ground is really what I think that fund is intended for,” she said.
Commission members reviewed a line‑by‑line printout that showed previous purchases and carryovers, including a $4,600 invoice to Clear Ridge Nursery for trees that were used in a prior event and some carryover plantings at Heritage High School. Melissa said she had not included some grant items in her printout (for example, a Department of Forestry grant used earlier) and offered to pull additional detail if the commission wanted more precise accounting.
Commissioners discussed practical constraints. Melissa warned the town’s urban forestry operating budget is tight and that staff was prioritizing maintenance and inventory work over discretionary items. She also noted the town’s budget process for FY 2027 was starting soon and advised commissioners to prepare any formal enhancement requests if they wanted a larger commission allocation next year. Commissioners asked whether tree‑bank funds are “use it or lose it”; Melissa said she did not know the fund’s rollover rules but expected unspent money would remain in the fund.
Members suggested prioritizing spending on plantings that guarantee trees will be watered and maintained during the establishment period rather than on advertising. Melissa said grant requests (for example, to the Virginia Department of Forestry for a Clean Water grant) can also cover giveaways or plantings if approved.
Looking ahead: Staff offered to circulate the spreadsheets used to prepare the report so commissioners could collaborate on a FY 2026 spending plan and a possible FY 2027 enhancement request. The commission did not make any formal appropriation or binding decision at the meeting.
