Stafford supervisors review FY2027 budget calendar, agree to follow up after election

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors reviewed the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget calendar during a work-session discussion on the agenda for the evening. Chairman Deontay Diggs opened the item by noting the board had requested a chance to provide feedback at an earlier meeting; staff asked for guidance so they could return with a final calendar.

Supervisors offered several scheduling suggestions aimed at improving participation. Supervisor Vinouch asked that the public hearing scheduled on what is normally a non‑hearing day be advertised as a special meeting so the public hearing is easy to find and public-comment time is not truncated. Several supervisors favored keeping an annual delegation dinner in November but discussed moving to October or holding an additional January session so newly seated board members could meet the delegation. Staff said consultant availability was a major factor in settling on the current date and offered to check alternate dates, including October.

Board members also discussed the number and timing of budget work sessions leading up to the hearings and whether more in-depth sessions would help the board make decisions earlier in the process. County staff and the county attorney’s office reminded the board that state law constrains calendar-setting and that the board will have the opportunity to revisit dates at its organizational meeting in January.

Next steps: staff will check consultant availability and firm up dates for the delegation meeting and public hearings, then return to the board with a proposed calendar. If the board chooses to change advertised public‑hearing dates staff said they could meet legal notice requirements but would need to confirm publication deadlines.