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Newport News council reviews FY2027 budget, homelessness overhaul and staffing additions
Summary
City Council reviewed the recommended FY2027 operating budget, discussed a transition from the 4Kids crisis hotline to a regional front-door system that may use an AI screening tool, approved several small community grants, and endorsed a phase-in of new fire department positions toward accreditation.
Mayor Philip Jones opened the April 14 work session and led disclosures before the council reviewed materials for the recommended FY2027 operating budget.
City Manager Alan told council members they would receive two printed documents — a "budget at a glance" and position papers on 10 priority topics — and that staff will take council questions during the work session and at evening public hearings. "The scribe emergency hotline, if you will, that has been run for a number of years by 4 kids, will be transitioned and phased out of service," Alan said, framing a regional effort with Hampton to redesign the front-door system for homelessness services.
The budget discussion front-loaded several headline proposals: a $18 minimum wage for city employees, pay increases and compression adjustments for public-safety staff, neighborhood-improvement and residential-façade grant…
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