The Williamsburg Independent reports that Williamsburg’s proposed $121.1 million FY27 budget funds 14 new full-time positions to address critical staffing gaps, though nearly 10 other requested roles remain unfunded. Key additions include three patrol officers, three firefighter/medics, and a sports tourism coordinator.
Public safety leaders emphasized the strain of current limits; Police Chief Sean Dunn noted that minimum staffing hasn’t increased in years, while EMS Battalion Chief Ciera Fenske reported a 66% rise in patient severity. To fund these positions and rising regional costs, the plan maintains the current tax rate but proposes a 7% water rate increase and utilizes $3.2 million in new tourism-related tax revenue.
A Williamsburg Independent editor used AI tools to summarize original content from our website and to create the narration for this report.
More Police, Fire/EMS, Public Works staff included in Williamsburg's draft FY27 budget
Several Williamsburg city department heads appeared before City Council during an April 6 work session to justify personnel requests included in Interim City Manager Michele Mixner DeWitt’s proposed FY27 budget. The budget funds 14 new full-time equivalent positions at a projected cost of approximately $981,000, with $884,000 drawn from the General Fund and $97,000 from the Utility Fund. An additional 9.5 requested FTEs, projected to cost $855,000, were not included.
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