Nonprofits and local agencies urge Lexington to fund services in FY27 public hearing

At a public hearing on the proposed FY27 budget, representatives from six local nonprofits and service providers asked Lexington City Council for funding or continued support for programs that serve residents across Rockbridge County.

Spencer McElroy, executive director of Lime Kiln Theatre, said the nonprofit sold nearly 10,000 tickets last year and serves about 15,000 attendees across events, noting that roughly 60% of attendees come from outside Rockbridge County and that the group has invested nearly $600,000 in capital improvements. "The artists that were getting to come to Limekiln are, like I said, many Grammy award winners, and they expect the best," McElroy said, asking the city to help fund a sound-system upgrade estimated at about $160,000 (theatre fundraising has already covered more than half).

Gail Carr, speaking for the Talking Book Center, and Al Carr, a local user, described the service’s importance for residents who are blind or vision impaired. Gail Carr said the service provides cassette players and access to a national catalog; she reported about 62 local users. "If you all ever have any extra dollars at all, it is very important because it makes such a difference in their life," she told council.

Melissa Sayer of the Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) outlined Meals on Wheels, transportation to medical appointments, and Medicare counseling as core programs. "Volunteers are key to making that program run," she said, stressing that VPAS helps people 60 and older remain in their homes and that the agency maximizes each dollar to avoid duplication of services.

Julie Goyette of the Rockbridge Regional Library requested $279,473 in operating funds for FY27 to cover rising health-insurance costs and a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for staff. Goyette described library services—24/7 Wi‑Fi, outreach vehicles, passport processing, and self-service lockers in Fairfield funded by ARPA—and said the library’s metrics through February '26 show increased usage compared with the prior year.

Stephanie Richard, executive director of the Rockbridge Area Transportation System (RATS), described 2025 ridership (about 79% of rides served people 65 or older or riders with disabilities; roughly 30% of rides were to dialysis) and asked the city to pay half of RATS’s personal-property taxes for its fleet next year. She noted capital vehicle purchases are typically 90% funded by the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) with a 10% local match and that fleet maintenance and liability insurance (about $62,000 annually) are major expenses.

Juan Pablo "JP" Verispetria, interim executive director of Valley Children's Advocacy Center, explained the CAC’s accredited model of forensic interviews, crisis advocacy and mental-health referrals for children who have experienced abuse and asked council to consider funding.

Why it matters: the groups seeking assistance provide direct services to seniors, people with disabilities, children, and the broader community; funding decisions will affect local social services, arts tourism, and transportation access.

The council closed the public hearing at 07:37 and did not vote on individual funding requests during the meeting; the requests were entered into the record for council consideration during budget deliberations.