Salem City Council reviews proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget in six-hour work session

The Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, met April 15, 2026, at City Hall for a work session to review the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Mayor Renée Ferris Turk presided and City Manager Chris Dorsey and finance staff were present. The meeting began at 9:00 a.m. and adjourned at 3:10 p.m.

City officials listed in the minutes said council and staff "reviewed and discussed each section of the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget." Staff present included Director of Finance Rosie Jordan and Senior Accountant Graham Millender, who are recorded as participating in the review. The minutes do not record specific line-item figures, motions, amendments, or recorded votes during the session.

Council members present were Vice-Mayor Anne Marie Green and council members Byron Randolph Foley, H. Hunter Holliday, and John Saunders. Administrative staff in attendance included Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council Rob Light and Assistant to the City Manager Crystal Williams.

The meeting was convened expressly as a budget work session, and the Mayor noted the date, time, and place had been set for that purpose. The minutes contain no next-step directives, deadlines, or formal actions on the budget; no formal votes or motions are recorded. The session concluded and the minutes were submitted by H. Robert Light and approved by Mayor Renée Ferris Turk.

The minutes do not specify any public comment, specific dollar amounts, proposed tax or fee changes, or scheduled follow-up meetings for final budget adoption. Those details were not recorded in the provided minutes and therefore are not reported here.