Lexington council adopts budget ordinance 2025‑10, appoints Camille Miller, and moves to closed session on police chief candidates

The Lexington City Council adopted Ordinance 2025‑10 in a unanimous roll‑call vote after a public hearing during which no members of the public spoke. Jen Bell walked the council through the ordinance’s components, which include FY25 carryovers into FY26, reallocations within the FY26 first‑quarter budget, and specific appropriations for the Cemetery Fund and the Rockbridge Human Services Center.

Why it matters: The ordinance moves previously received grant and project funds forward so planned capital projects and community programs can proceed and clarifies the city’s budget posture for FY26.

Bell told the council that the carryovers are largely routine: unused grant funds and purchase orders carried forward, specific school‑fund timing adjustments, and carryovers in the utility and capital projects funds for projects in progress. She identified two equipment replacement items ordered in 2023 (public‑works trucks and an ambulance) and said the ambulance’s final inspection is expected imminently. Bell also described reallocations: nearly $23,000 identified as a central‑dispatch grant surplus, a $35,000 delay in pool retiling to prioritize Jordan’s Point Park work, and a reallocation of roughly $3,000 to downtown enhancement to cover a more expensive downtown Christmas tree purchase. She said just over $8,400 from a central‑dispatch surplus is proposed to support a Rockbridge SPCA request and acoustic panels for the school‑board community room.

Council asked technical questions during the hearing, including about asset‑forfeiture proceeds (Bell said those generally come from the state as part of a sharing program), interest earnings and trusteeship of the cemetery trust (Bell said the trust is managed by Truist and auditors recommended clarifying and appropriating the fund), and the duration of supportive‑housing funding (addressed in the RACC presentation earlier in the meeting). After the hearing, a council member moved to adopt Ordinance 2025‑10; the motion was seconded and the roll call recorded unanimous "aye" votes.

Following general business, the council considered appointments and reports. The body voted unanimously to appoint Camille Miller to the Department of Social Services to fill a vacancy, assigning a term through Aug. 31, 2029. Before adjourning into closed session, the council voted to convene a closed meeting under Virginia Code 2.2‑3711(a)(1) to discuss candidates for employment as the city’s chief of police; the roll call produced unanimous ayes and the recess began at about 8:09 p.m.

The ordinance and appointments carried without recorded dissent. Council scheduled additional items (alley vacation and charter amendments) for later meetings once supporting materials or plats are prepared.