Roanoke City Council adopts FY24-25 revenue and expenditure adjustment ordinance

The Roanoke City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance amending the fiscal year 2024-25 budget to recognize additional revenues and appropriate funding for operational needs, including mandated human services tied to the Children's Services Act.

The ordinance, described by Finance Director Margaret Lindsay as a routine year-end exercise, adjusts revenues and matches expenditures where revenues are tied one-to-one to human services obligations. Lindsay told council the process mirrors an exercise the city performed in 2023 and is intended to reconcile projected revenues with current-year needs as the fiscal year progresses.

Human Services Director Brandi Coleman told council that a large portion of the added expenditures are for services the city is required to provide under the Children's Services Act. Coleman said those services include foster-care placements, adoption subsidies, and private day-education placement settings for children at risk. Coleman and Lindsay said those revenue increases are largely restricted to those human-services purposes and therefore are not available for other general uses.

Mayor Mary Cobb opened the required public hearing on the ordinance but said there were no citizens signed up to speak. Councilmember Faizan Nash moved the ordinance, and Councilmember William Vollison seconded. The clerk recorded roll-call votes of Aye from Councilmembers Hagen, Vice Mayor McGuire, Nash, Vollison and Mayor Cobb; Councilmembers Viviana Sanchez Jones and Powers were not present. The motion passed and the ordinance was adopted.

The ordinance title read to council described the measure as "An ordinance appropriating funding from the FY24-25 revenue for various operational costs amending and reordaining certain sections of the FY24-25 general and civic facilities funds appropriations, and dispensing with the second reading by title of this ordinance." The adopted change does not specify a single lump-sum in the council discussion; Finance staff said aggregate increases and line-item details will be included in the finalized appropriation documents maintained by the finance office.

Council did not take additional action or direct staff to return with alternate allocations during the meeting. The finance director and human-services staff were present for follow-up questions. The ordinance takes effect per the city code and standard administrative practice for budget amendments.