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Citizen criticizes Lynchburg budget process; staff urges adopting budget now and returning in August to reconcile restorations
Summary
A Ward 1 resident told council the recent budget process was rushed and disorganized. City staff recommended adopting the budget at current spending levels, restoring several services now, and returning with options in late August to cover the additional costs.
At Lynchburg City Council’s meeting, Peter Sefarati, who identified himself as a Ward 1 resident, criticized the recently completed budget process as rushed and poorly timed and urged procedural reforms.
“I think many of us…agree that our just completed budget process was, rushed, unorganized, and full of turmoil,” Sefarati said during the public‑comment portion. He recommended several changes including adhering to the budget calendar, providing council timely information, starting with an equalized budget proposal, making department heads available to justify spending requests, and setting the property tax rate by April to reduce contention.
Later in the meeting staff outlined a path forward for the adopted budget and services flagged for restoration. The city manager's presentation recommended that council adopt the second reading of the budget at the same level of expenditures and revenues, include services proposed for restoration, and allow staff to return on Aug. 27 with recommendations to reduce expenditures or identify revenues to sustain those restorations. As staff summarized: “Our recommendation at this point would be that council adopt the second reading of the budget at the same level of expenditure and the same level of revenue and include these services for restoration, and allow staff the opportunity to come back on August 27 with recommendations.”
Council discussion recapped that staff’s approach would permit certain services to continue July 1 while staff works through options to balance the near‑term restorations. Council members disagreed about past handling of the budget timeline and about whether added items had left the budget out of balance; staff and members agreed to return with more detailed options in August.
Sefarati urged greater transparency and timely data for future budget cycles, saying, “Provide city council with all requested information and documentation, without any delays.” The council did not change the adopted budget at this meeting; it accepted staff’s plan to proceed and to return with supplemental recommendations later this summer.
