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Leesburg council approves Q3 budget amendments after staff details grants, annexation revenue and reimbursements
Summary
Council approved seven routine budget amendments totaling $148,332.43, including small grant increases for police programs and adjustments tied to annexation-related real and personal property tax collections.
The Leesburg Town Council voted to approve seven fiscal year 2025 budget amendments at the May 27 meeting, appropriating a combined $148,332.43 for specific grants, reimbursements and accounting adjustments.
Management and Budget Officer Tamara Kiesecker told the council the amendments are routine and mostly noncontroversial, covering grant award increases and reimbursements for public-safety and public-works costs as well as adjustments tied to higher-than-anticipated real and personal property tax collections following annexation.
Key items
Kiesecker outlined the seven amendments and where the funds will be directed:
- Virginia State Police grant (Help Eliminate Auto Theft): award increased to $12,500 (adopted budget included $12,000). - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force: reimbursement for equipment, supplies and training (amount not specified in motion text). - Department of Criminal Justice Services: $7,098 reimbursement for overtime tied to temporary detention orders and emergency custody orders. - Donations for the Leesburg Police Public Safety Cadet Program: $6,465.06 received and recommended for appropriation. - Real and personal property tax collection costs: higher actual collections following the Compass Creek annexation increased the county collection fee (a percentage under the town–county agreement) and require an appropriation to cover the county’s collection costs (staff estimated the additional cost of approximately $110,000 related to collection fees). - State of Good Repair grant for primary-road paving: project came in under the grant amount and staff recommended rescinding the unused balance. - Sales proceeds from equipment trade-ins in the capital replacement programs: proceeds to be reinvested in replacement equipment.
Council questions
Councilmember Kerkowski asked whether the $110,000 increase for tax-collection costs reflected the annexation revenue and whether that amount would carry the town through the fiscal year. "Correct," Kiesecker replied, saying the total collections were larger than budgeted and the county takes a percentage for delivering billing and collection services. Councilmember Wilt asked whether the county’s fee agreement resulted in paying a percentage of collections even though incremental staff costs do not increase substantially; Kiesecker said the town pays the negotiated percentage and the additional collections therefore led to higher county charges.
Vote and implementation
Council approved the Q3 amendments by resolution; the motion passed 6-1. Staff said the amendments will be reflected in the town’s records and that larger or controversial requests would continue to be brought separately to council for deliberation.
Why it matters
Most items were routine appropriations tied to grants and reimbursements, but the collection-cost adjustment reflects the fiscal effect of recent annexation activity and higher real-property and business-equipment tax receipts. The town manager and finance staff will continue to brief council on larger revenue changes, including upcoming briefings about computer-equipment (data center) tax receipts.
