Over the next five months, the City of Williamsburg will enter a series of discussions, deadlines and reports leading up to the approval of the the Fiscal Year 2015 budget.
A schedule detailing when those things are to happen is online now attached to the agenda for next week’s city council meeting. Here is a rundown of the city’s scheduled budget season:
- Jan. 11: The Williamsburg City Council will meet to discuss the long-term financial outlook of the city.
- March 12: If there is a proposed property tax increase, it will be advertised on this day in “Virginia Gazette.”
- March 26: If there is a proposed water rate increase, it a public hearing on the increase will be advertised in the “Virginia Gazette.”
- March 28: A proposed operating and capital budget will be delivered to City Council.
- March 29: A notice of a public hearing on the proposed budget will be advertised in the “Virginia Gazette.”
- April 2: If there is a proposed water rate increase, a public hearing on the increase will be advertised for a second time in the “Virginia Gazette.”
- April 7: The city will hold a budget open forum where citizens can give public comment on the proposed budget.
- April 10: A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held and Williamsburg-James City County Schools will present their budget needs.
- May: The 2015 budget will be adopted and Council will set tax rates.
- July 1: Fiscal Year 2015 begins.
Below is a more in-depth version of the budget calendar with dates of all city meetings, deadlines and reports included.
January
On Jan. 6, City Manager Jack Tuttle will begin a series of meetings with city staff, divided into small groups to discuss budget issues. Two days later, the finance department will distribute 2015 budget worksheets to department heads and constitutional officers.
Planning Director Reed Nester will prepare a status report on the Capital Improvement Program — a list of projects and their costs — on Jan. 10. The next day, the City Council will hold a retreat to look at a budget preview and discuss the long-term financial outlook of the city.
The planning commission will hold a public hearing on the capital improvement program Jan. 15. Two days later will be the deadline for all budget requests from outside agencies.
On Jan. 24, all departmental and constitutional officer operating budgets are due to the finance department, at which time the department will begin review of those items and complete revenue projections for 2015. On Jan. 27, Tuttle and Finance Director Phil Serra will begin meetings with the department heads on their budget submittals.
February
The City Council may meet, if necessary, for a budget discussion at a retreat Feb. 8. On Feb. 19, the planning commission will provide the Council an update on 2014’s Capital Improvement Program.
March
If there is a property tax increase, it will be advertised March 12. The next day, the Council will see a budget presentation from the Williamsburg Regional Library.
On March 24, the Council will meet to talk about budget requests from outside agencies — tourism marketing, arts commission and human services agencies.
If there is an increase in water rates, a public hearing notice will be posted March 26 in the Virginia Gazette. Two days later, the proposed operating and capital improvement budgets will be delivered to Council. The notice of public hearing on the proposed budget will be posted in the newspaper March 29.
April
If water rates increase, a second notice of public hearing for the increases will be advertised April 2. On April 5, Tuttle will update the Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg on the budget process.
The Council will meet April 7 for an overview of the 2015 budget and for an open forum where citizens can give feedback. A presentation on the Williamsburg-James City County Schools budget and a public hearing on the proposed budget, tax levy and utility rates will take place April 10.
On April 14, the Council will hold a budget work session. Supervisors and department heads will submit employee performance evaluations April 30.
May
On May 8, the Council will meet to adopt the 2015 Operating, Capital and Public Assistance Fund budgets.
