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Committee forwards FY25 reappropriation ordinance that realigns $9.6 million, cites $4.9 million overtime in Fire and EMS
Summary
Ordinance 2025‑143, a year-end reappropriation of FY25 revenues and transfers that increases total appropriations by $9.6 million, was forwarded to council. Staff said about $4.9 million of the overages relate to overtime in Fire and Emergency Services; the ordinance does not create new programs but shifts funds to cover departmental overages.
The Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee forwarded Ordinance 2025‑143 to the full council May 21 with a recommendation to approve adjustments that increase FY25 appropriations by about $9.6 million to reflect higher-than-anticipated revenues and to realign department budgets.
Megan Brown, director of budget and strategic planning, said the paper is a typical year-end realignment. "We are appropriating about $4,000,000 in additional revenue, to help support overages in some of the Department's budgets," Brown said. She emphasized the ordinance "does not provide any new programming of funds. It's simply just realigning Department's budgets."
Brown and committee members described reasons for the overages: a rise in the Virginia Retirement System rate from 12.88% at budget adoption to 14.51% after the budget, unplanned overtime tied to the city water crisis and increased security costs after an incident in city parks, and other departmental deficits. Committee members pressed staff on a $4.9 million figure tied to overtime in Fire and Emergency Services; Brown said overtime is a principal driver and staff are exploring staffing and deployment changes, including the effect of 72 SAFER grant positions on overtime needs.
Councilmember Lynch raised the family crisis fund, noting it remains on hold with a backlog of requests for rental and other household relief; Brown said the reappropriation paper does not create new program funding and departments must be realigned to cover current-year spending. Committee leadership asked staff to return before the next appropriation with details about potential reallocations and to engage council ahead of any further requests.
A public hearing produced no speakers; the committee voted to forward the ordinance to council with a recommendation to approve. Members recorded voting "aye." The ordinance will move to the full council for final action; staff said another appropriation paper may follow once year-end audits and closing are complete.
Ending: Committee members requested follow-up discussions about potential reallocations for council priorities, including the family crisis fund, ahead of future appropriation papers.
