[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6667758,"mediaKeyId","2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15","parentId",2255883,"title","Leesburg staff presents proposed fiscal 2026 budget with infrastructure and staffing requests","audioSeconds",232,"startMs",0,"endMs",232000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15&start=0&end=232","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6667758/Leesburg/Loudoun-County/Virginia/Leesburg-staff-presents-proposed-fiscal-2026-budget-with-infrastructure-and-staffing-requests","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667758-3fabc4d754a02eb3805fc8c2ebaf6054/orig.mp4?Expires=1771220013&Signature=imE9Dr-4MWt~PaaIx~CFiUB56qlwFKfbTZtqdtcwpPfVOrQYDhOm9tm84BhYA0gWr-Vjmg84Ux97NrUt~Az9lFZ9fv4SUhEnOlSRz37GIo83NGJqHkC8VLbN7xu6liNQ4mF2oOWdDQWNz~GpeX1ZXaB0R7moiYT7RdFW1cxCOwXXCWJ-BqYn9DJTl82cI-cf8fFeQSF1MtLpiEPpxSMlK~xFQ91rJ1RUMehNQR80~xsnTUK2xgM3F2zgN4pZbExjnKQMPMnRAyvyW~J4up3fM6nNuo~SQUFvNCrSN9EIMS09JNMaQbECLaJHWqxlYFX1xAsZUXhsdQL9TIJMe5wNGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Leesburg","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","Town Manager Kevin Dettler presented the town’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the Leesburg Town Council during a work session, saying the town remains in “good strong financial shape” and that new revenues from the annexation of Compass Creek improve near-term flexibility.

Dettler said the general fund is proposed to rise from about $82.5 million to $88 million, and the total budget—including the general fund, utilities fund and the capital improvement program (CIP)—is proposed at roughly $158 million. He said changes in the CIP from project timing account for much of the year-to-year variance.

The proposal includes a mix of recurring and one-time items. Dettler recommended holding the real property tax rate at 17.74 cents per $100 of assessed value. He said residential assessments (new and existing) are projected to increase about 8% overall, with existing-home assessments rising about 6.7% on average; commercial assessment growth has been driven largely by data centers.

Why it matters: the presentation grouped near-term operations, capital planning and service demands. Dettler emphasized that growth has increased demand for police, public works and development-review capacity and warned the council that some requests will require “hard decisions.”

Key cost drivers and proposals
- Personnel: the proposed budget includes an average 3% merit pool and a 2% cost-of-living adjustment. Health insurance costs are projected to rise about 9%; staff and the town would split the increase 50/50, as in the prior year. Dettler proposed new positions including a dedicated cybersecurity/security officer and a higher-level IT manager for the police department, and requested two additional lieutenants to expand police command coverage.

- Public works and transportation: Dettler said the town’s transportation-review staff is a bottleneck and proposed an additional engineering position to support Neeraja and the public works team. He also proposed a manager dedicated to the pavement and bridge program to oversee an accelerated resurfacing plan.

- Pavement program: the current annual resurfacing funding of about $775,000 leaves a typical repaving cycle near 30 years. Dettler proposed an initial $1 million increase in FY26 and a ramp toward $2.5 million later (transcript reference: “’31”), describing the need to phase increases rather than “throw a bunch of money at it” and stressing staffing to manage higher volumes.

- CIP and major projects: the CIP contains 79 projects. Large ongoing projects include the new police station (expected to fully transition staff in spring–summer with old-building work to follow) and the town shop expansion. The Lawson Road project is in final federal environmental review and includes $900,000 in federal funds secured through Senator Wexton but cannot proceed with land acquisition until federal review is complete.

- Utilities: the utilities fund is consistent with the council’s previously adopted five-year rate plan; the average residential bill increase in the proposal is 4.1%, the second year of a five-year plan.

Budget risks and one-time funding
Dettler identified key risks that affect the town’s revenue assumptions: the future of the vehicle license fee (see separate article) and pending state legislation affecting speed-camera revenue. The proposed budget assumes recognition of about $900,000 in vehicle-license-fee revenue; if the fee is eliminated, that reduction must be addressed in the FY26 budget unless offset by outside one-time funds. The speed-camera program had been expected to generate about $500,000 in revenue in prior assumptions; pending legislation could redirect net revenue to the state, affecting town projections.

Staff also proposed using reserves strategically, including a debt-service reserve and roughly $1 million in one-time unassigned fund balance to address select items. Dettler noted a list of unfunded enhancements and said the budget books list items that did not make the cut.

Council process and next steps
Dettler said the budget books would be posted and made available to council and the public that night and that staff will meet individually with council members. He asked council members to review the materials and said formal actions are scheduled under the traditional timetable unless the council directs a different process. The presentation closed with staff saying they are ready to answer questions and move the budget process forward.

Ending: The manager emphasized infrastructure and service maintenance as priorities and asked council to weigh staffing and capital choices in the months ahead. No formal vote on the budget occurred at the work session; the council will consider the manager’s recommendations through the advertised budget process and future scheduled meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Leesburg - Town Council Work Session - Feb 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Town Manager Kevin Dettler presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the Leesburg Town Council, describing a proposed $88 million general fund within a $158 million total budget and flagging infrastructure, public-safety staffing and an uncertain vehicle-license-fee revenue stream as central issues.","taxTitle","Leesburg, Loudoun County, Virginia","taxId",5641,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667745,"Leesburg staff summarizes 2024–2025 General Assembly activity; bills on local land use and revenue flagged",508,4804000,5312000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15&start=4804&end=5312","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15/thumbnail_4804000.jpg","/articles/6667745/Leesburg/Loudoun-County/Virginia/Leesburg-staff-summarizes-20242025-General-Assembly-activity-bills-on-local-land-use-and-revenue-flagged","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667745-23e09425076cc5c8c20c24827345ae57/orig.mp4?Expires=1771220013&Signature=d0kQaZ9dbiVHn~6x-iOr8mTcBbuah5Jjg6xjAl96gmvO-ssOp1ciGy6zgYISZmOkKczjtVnA5Mv92bJ2JcHVa13U3WnA~80ju5Io7wGLXOlerkwXNg-iVqC-BzUzRnqte6DPGw6l71LWL2x3ag7XNhiiwHZ~v84h7iiSd6NBzAWK7tqMj-R1MehLdWl47Gh0x0C3QZPYD6yaiet3o8dh~yhA1YokhUnDeoJOyBrLJ5vDiKYt~AmfYaoVREXPigQMOycW~LRgPFJPKH8aYGdjwi0kMefR5Uq~q0KV-5r~K6mG0~UsNfcNVxUpeCcCyoSWWz7MLvD5W9lI8jghgAkCDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town legislative staff provided the council with an update on General Assembly activity during the short session and reviewed measures affecting local land-use authority, revenue distribution and administrative procedures.

Items highlighted
- Bag tax revenue distribution (House Bill 1764): a repeat of last year’s bill that would require counties with a plastic bag tax to distribute some revenue back to towns using the sales-tax distribution formula. Staff said it advanced out of a Senate subcommittee and moved toward finance and appropriations.

- Tree root protection: a bill introduced on the town’s behalf to require more detailed mapping of critical root zones for trees designated for preservation, aimed at reducing post-construction tree losses. That bill passed the House and was under consideration in a Senate committee.

- Fully virtual meetings for advisory boards: a measure to allow unlimited fully virtual meetings for nonadjudicatory advisory bodies was withdrawn this year but the presenter said the sponsor intends to reintroduce it next year.

- Speed-camera revenue (House Bill 2041): staff described a pending bill that would require net revenue from safety-camera programs to be remitted to the state beyond operating costs; town staff and VML advocated for an amendment to allow localities to retain revenue for local safety and pedestrian projects. The bill had passed the House and was under Senate consideration at the time of the briefing.

- Shortened review timelines for land-use applications (House Bill 2660 and related measures): staff said some bills would reduce statutory review windows (for example, the draft standard moved from 10 to 5 days and was later amended to 7 days) and that the town may need additional staffing or process adjustments if the shorter timelines are enacted; staff warned that missed deadlines can have legal consequences including potential deemed approvals.

Other notes
Staff described other narrower bills the town supported, such as measures to improve net metering for local solar and a modest real-estate disclosure change. Staff also noted that some bills the council had supported did not advance and that the town’s delegation and VML were actively lobbying to shape outcomes.

Ending: Staff said the session would conclude in late February and advised the council that they would keep the town informed about bill outcomes and any steps the town should take to adapt to new statutory timelines or revenue shifts.","Town legislative staff updated the council on multiple bills in the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session—bills affecting plastic-bag revenue distribution, tree-root protection mapping, full virtual meetings for advisory bodies, speed-camera revenue allocation and shortened review timelines for land-use reviews were among those discussed.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667750,"Leesburg staff recommends buying mobile vehicle barricade kits for downtown events amid regional shortages",367,3094000,3461000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15&start=3094&end=3461","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15/thumbnail_3094000.jpg","/articles/6667750/Leesburg/Loudoun-County/Virginia/Leesburg-staff-recommends-buying-mobile-vehicle-barricade-kits-for-downtown-events-amid-regional-shortages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667750-045d568d9bf677bd119a57ba99856780/orig.mp4?Expires=1771220013&Signature=H7QVP2F-ehogC-Haz73olaMi5bamhz2CcIERFaOhYRFaXwtczY3VPq61Z0CyQ~ozi-KxEE~vG8Z2ifRcspTx4a~~l5hmRRPAX-rCMbs-a29VRlvym9lxq9z08995WSkshnticrrJuxTdIxMlt5iche0s~yJT7BYIZqG8c2cOrR-ZtyBEOcAMfsRK5LT2ikcRRD~z5ve~iuK2nyr2FNtFDiElq9vL~R3YqObsXRTKG~nkCblE7-veW4P1oCiGqCmfTNC04tmpRpiwzanJdyOvTjmrIcNBOv-KUE9I~q-pA7Pg8r8z3GygbeH1~U7ulj-oHX5F5YluVB3f7xC5M6jxZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town events staff and public-safety officials briefed the council on mobile vehicle barricades used to secure downtown street-closure events and recommended purchasing trailer kits to ensure consistent, reliable event security.

Staff presenters (event staff and the police chief joined the briefing) described two common crowd-control methods the town currently uses: Type 3 barricades with a town vehicle parked behind them and rented or borrowed mobile vehicle barricade trailer kits. Mobile kits first were used in Leesburg in 2023 and have two common styles referenced by staff: a swing gate kit and a cable-style kit. Staff prefers the swing-gate kits for the town’s use.

Why staff recommends purchase
Kate (events staff) and Tamara Kiesucker (management and budget officer) said demand for trailer kits has increased regionally; Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS) inventory and commercial rentals are both constrained. Staff used NVERS kits last year and has requested them multiple times, but supply is limited and allocation decisions are made regionally. Staff said rented kits and borrowed kits differ in hardware (swing gate vs cable), requiring recurring staff training if the town relies on rentals.

Costs and funding
- Purchase estimate: staff estimated three trailer kits at about $123,000 each (total kit cost estimated at $369,000) and preliminary delivery lead times of 2–3 months. Staff also estimated recurring staffing costs for setup/teardown at about $45,000 per year. The total one-time outlay including ancillary equipment and initial staffing was presented at approximately $414,000.

- Rental estimate: staff presented an annual recurring rental alternative estimated at about $115,000 per year (approx. $2,700 per rental plus staffing), which would exceed purchase costs over a multi-year horizon.

- Funding option: staff identified $519,000 in one-time savings from a prior bond sale (better-than-anticipated financing terms) available to fund one-time purchases; the FY25 budget already includes a small rental allocation but not enough to fully fund purchase of three kits.

Safety and operational notes
Police Chief Thea Purnat and emergency management staff described how the kits are deployed, their vehicle-stopping characteristics and how they are configured to allow pedestrian flow and emergency access. Staff said the steel barricades can arrest vehicle intrusion under many conditions; they noted stopping performance depends on vehicle size and speed and that proper deployment distances (e.g., leaving 25 feet between barricade line and event setup) matter for protection and aesthetics.

Council reaction and next steps
Council members discussed rental-versus-buy economics, storage and maintenance (DPW yard considered for secure storage) and possible joint purchases with neighboring towns. Staff said existing purchasing contracts could be used and that procurement and contract award would likely take about a month. Council consensus at the work session authorized staff to pursue procurement and prepare award documentation; because the purchase exceeds the manager’s approval threshold, formal contract or bid award will return to council for approval. Flower & Garden (April 26–27) will require rented barriers this year because purchased kits would require lead time for delivery.

Ending: Staff will prepare procurement documents and bring a contract award to council for approval; council provided direction to move forward but did not record a final contract award at the work session.","Event and public-safety staff told council they recommend purchasing three mobile vehicle barricade trailer kits, at an estimated one-time cost of $369,000 for the kits plus recurring setup staffing costs of roughly $45,000 a year, because regional rentals and shared inventory are limited and demand for barricades has risen since 2023.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6667753,"Leesburg council weighs options to eliminate $25 vehicle license fee as Loudoun offers one-time grant",125,2269000,2394000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15&start=2269&end=2394","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255883-d42e2a0465ab1a8eb4ac47cb2d92ac15/thumbnail_2269000.jpg","/articles/6667753/Leesburg/Loudoun-County/Virginia/Leesburg-council-weighs-options-to-eliminate-25-vehicle-license-fee-as-Loudoun-offers-one-time-grant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667753-ce86a56844c7ac1a3942a05b582ac5cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771220013&Signature=hC0u~s9uXHgRHBxaA2BQHf3kntkxcmEWmOVdOwZMl0WYxFvbXiFtGfEEPrdf2D4sedwbnWArdAg2MAi55USDfT4O3Pilck0aAHs0vGGqQpZFxo8QRTrysfGQY7HvK8OZaHOsotlwRgjZw5fwJTcwUi0OY4yvx-gEuW0QkIwjPWMAT0RfhiAE2KlcJ6tqfQ0SSRSwJT2Nu5qagIluV5-fIw9cakiwStjQ1lt6spCeIkvomQNzIOMYiLo48XWwuHkzgrrnn4Xwhjsln0tJBRk4DMQz341bxPmbBmsMA2YxaJQeuYWU4M5VE7poZrcD7HaeoVAyBGGJhhzmqWIARtXB1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town staff outlined options for the town’s $25 annual vehicle license fee and the county’s one-time grant-in-aid offer during a work session discussion led by a finance staff member. The fee applies to motor vehicles, motorcycles and trucks registered in town.

The county’s offer: staff explained that Loudoun County’s treasurer and the Board of Supervisors moved the county fee to $0 effective for tax year 2025 and offered towns a one-time grant equal to their lost vehicle-fee revenue for tax year 2025 if the town opts to reduce its fee to $0 for that tax year. The grant covers the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025; it does not extend into FY2026.

Options explained by staff
- Take no action: keep the $25 fee. The town would retain about $900,000 in annual revenue included in the FY26 proposed budget.
- Reduce/eliminate the fee for tax year 2025 and accept the county’s one-time grant in aid: for FY25 the grant would reimburse about $900,000 and produce no net impact for the current fiscal year; for FY26 (the manager’s proposed budget) the town would face a roughly $900,000 revenue shortfall because the grant is not available for that year.
- Reduce the fee for FY25 to accept the county grant and then reassess or reinstate the fee in a future year. Staff noted the county’s grant is a one-time offer and that Loudoun cannot legally bind future town councils to keep the fee at zero.

Why it matters: the manager had included the $900,000 in FY26 revenue assumptions; eliminating the fee without replacement funds would require cuts to the proposed budget or identification of alternative revenues. Council members debated whether to accept the one-time county aid for FY25 to gain temporary relief while preserving the option to reinstate the fee later.

Council discussion highlights
- Several council members favored taking the one-time county reimbursement to avoid immediate revenue loss in FY25 and use the time to plan for FY26. Council Member Steinberg said accepting county money for one year and reconsidering the fee for FY26 was a viable option. Council Member Kotowski supported accepting the county grant-in-aid for the one-year relief.

- Council members asked whether the town could accept the county’s offer and later re-implement the fee. Staff advised that accepting the grant for the 2025 tax year would not legally prevent the town from reinstating the fee in subsequent years; council direction could change in future budget cycles.

Next steps
Staff noted a county deadline to provide notice of the town’s decision (council discussion referenced a late-February deadline). Council did not take a formal vote at the work session; members discussed bringing the matter to the next meeting to give staff direction. The manager cautioned that a permanent elimination of the fee would require reductions equal to roughly $900,000 in the FY26 budget if not offset.

Ending: Council discussion continued without formal action; staff will return with a formal agenda item and any requested clarifications before the county’s opt-in deadline.","Councilors discussed three options for a $25 annual vehicle license fee after Loudoun County offered a one-time grant for tax year 2025 to towns that reduce the fee to $0; accepting the grant would reimburse FY2025 losses but create an approximate $900,000 FY2026 revenue shortfall unless the council reintroduces the fee or offsets the cut.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Leesburg staff presents proposed fiscal 2026 budget with infrastructure and staffing requests

Leesburg staff summarizes 2024–2025 General Assembly activity; bills on local land use and revenue flagged

Leesburg staff recommends buying mobile vehicle barricade kits for downtown events amid regional shortages

Leesburg council weighs options to eliminate $25 vehicle license fee as Loudoun offers one-time grant