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Purcellville council directs staff to draft FY27 budget under 'scenario G' after heated debate
Summary
After hours of debate over utility rate proposals and cuts, the council voted to direct staff to prepare a budget resolution and master tax/fee ordinance based on scenario G with two immediate changes: restore a $90,000 donation for fire and rescue and remove a proposed part‑time water operator position (saving $47,868).
Following extended presentations and council debate, the Purcellville Town Council on April 28 directed staff to prepare FY27 budget documents based on staff’s scenario G, with two specific adjustments: restore town donations to fire and rescue totaling $90,000 and eliminate a proposed part‑time water Class 2 operator position (savings of $47,868).
Town Manager Tony Savio framed the process as a collaborative refinement of a draft: “This budget has been formulated back in, January and December of this year, and we started this off as a foundation to build upon, to work through.” Finance staff summarized the scenarios and said scenario E shows a near-breakeven general fund while leaving utility operating deficits; in the director of finance’s words, “the general fund now is about a $58,000 deficit” under one scenario but staff described that as practically breakeven once adjustments are made.
Council debate focused on competing approaches to utilities and reserves: some members urged larger, front‑loaded rate increases to reach structural balance and preserve reserves; others argued for smaller utility increases and deeper expense reductions to protect ratepayers. Councilmember Stout urged caution about drawing reserves, saying the town should consider the long-term interest costs on borrowed CIP dollars if reserves are exhausted; Councilmember Khalil argued staff and the manager developed the scenarios and supported using the published model to guide decisions.
By the meeting’s end the council’s formal direction to staff specified scenario G and the two changes noted above; the mayor and town attorney clarified that staff should prepare the budget resolution, appropriation resolution and the master tax and fee ordinance for council consideration at the next scheduled meeting.
