Richmond adopts $308.6 million general fund budget, directs $1.5 million to Black Resiliency Fund; quarterly staffing reports required

The Richmond City Council voted to adopt the fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget and a five‑year capital improvement plan after an extended presentation and discussion with city staff.

The council adopted a proposed general fund revenue total of $308,553,519 and a proposed general fund expenditure budget of $260,053,519, leaving approximately $48,500,000 in one‑time funds available for later appropriation, the finance director told the council.

Why it matters: Council members framed the vote as balancing continuing program priorities, capital needs and hiring goals. Over the budget discussion members pressed staff on staffing vacancies, pavement and traffic‑calming funding, and how to prioritize one‑time funds for community programs.

Key budget details and council direction - General fund revenue proposed: $308,553,519; general fund expenditures proposed: $260,053,519. - Council retained approximately $48.5 million of limited‑term/unspent funds for later decisions and to monitor economic uncertainty. - The proposed five‑year capital improvement plan includes reallocated HVAC funds to Harbor Park expansion ($3,000,000) while reducing budgeted HVAC work at several community centers to free money for priority projects. - Staff identified a $3.7 million package of priorities (Harbor Park $3.0M; Black Resiliency Fund $0.5M; gender‑based violence program $0.1M; historic preservation $0.1M) as items to cover from one‑time or reallocated funds.

Staffing, vacancies and hiring guidance City staff told the council that staffing costs have grown over the past five years and that the city is projecting no net staffing increase in FY25‑26. The presentation showed a multi‑year increase in staffing costs and explained hiring constraints tied to ongoing labor negotiations and HR capacity. The City Manager said the administration believes roughly 38 additional hires could be achieved in the near term if the council prioritizes them, split roughly among public safety, public works and community crisis response positions. City HR will provide further hiring timelines.

Black Resiliency Fund and budget amendments During the final budget motion councilmembers accepted two friendly amendments: to fund the Black Resiliency Fund up to $1,500,000 by deferring a portion of the vehicle replacement (fleet) budget now and replenish that fleet allocation with unspent funds at mid‑year, and to require more frequent staffing/hiring reporting to the council. The council directed the City Manager to implement the stipend/transfer approach and to provide quarterly vacancy/hiring reports beginning after the new fiscal year.

Other funding directions and next steps Council members also pressed staff on pavement‑management funding (paving budget ~ $9.9M within a roughly $10M pavement program), the Traffic Calming program (council approved $3.3M cumulatively allocated across years with $2.0M in FY25‑26), and the prioritization process for CIP projects and event funding. Staff will implement the adopted budget on July 1 and return to council with a quarter‑one budget report in November.

Vote and procedural notes The motion to adopt the FY25‑26 operating budget and five‑year CIP, as amended on the dais to fund the Black Resiliency Fund from the fleet budget with later replenishment and to require quarterly staffing reports, passed in a roll‑call vote (majority). Council Member Baana voted no.

What’s next Staff will post the council questions and responses on the Finance Department page, implement the adopted budget on July 1, and deliver a Q1 budget report to council in November. Staff will also return with the more detailed programmatic CIP plan this fall.