Amelia County administrator presents balanced FY26 proposal; board pauses advertising after questions

County Administrator Mundy presented the proposed FY26 budget and accompanying legal notice to the Amelia County Board of Supervisors on April 1, saying, "we hereby present the proposed f y 26 budget." The packet included proposed tax rates, department revenue and expenditure summaries and a separate page with proposed water and sewer increases for sanitary-district customers. Mundy told the board the documents will be posted on the county website and made available in the county administrator's office for public review.

Mundy described a fiscally cautious approach that seeks to avoid a general property tax increase while restoring one deputy sheriff position, providing a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for county employees and accommodating a 6% health-insurance increase split between the county and employees. He told supervisors the proposed budget is balanced and the county's total expenditures including transfers are about $60,710,000. On utility rates he said the increase would be passed to sanitary-district users rather than the general fund.

Board members debated whether to direct staff to advertise the rates as presented or to delay for more review. One supervisor argued that "I think it's irresponsible not to" consider modest increases spread over time to avoid larger hikes later; others pressed staff for more time to check line items and corrections in the advertisement. Staff identified typographical errors in the prepared public notice and an incorrect FY25 rate entry for an aircraft-related fee, and the board agreed to delay formal advertising until issues are fixed and after a budget workshop on April 14. The board then recessed to receive a scheduled visit from state Sen. Cyphers.