Lynchburg budget passes during second and final reading

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — A lengthy conversation unfolded again at the Lynchburg City Council meeting, where the budget was read for the second time.

This time with back-and-forth discussion.

City council members held the second reading of the budget, and for the most part, the meeting remained calm.

However, tensions rose over $50,000 reserved for the city manager to use for city business, such as catering meetings with prospective companies.

During the meeting, Council Member Chris Faraldi presented an audit of Lynchburg spending after Council Member Marty Misjuns said he could not support giving the city manager $50,000 to use at their discretion for city business expenses.

Faraldi criticized council members for accepting meals paid for by taxpayers. “How many times did any member of this council take a free meal in that back room and stuff their faces full of food paid for by the taxpayers? I guarantee you there are at least two hypocrites up here,” Faraldi said.

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Misjuns responded by saying the audit did not reveal anything that would qualify as a forensic audit.

“That’s not a forensic audit. That’s not what they did in Halifax county, that’s not what they did in Martinsville, that doesn’t uncover anything that you would find in a forensic audit,” Misjuns said.

The final vote on the budget passed.

As a reminder, a monthly trash fee and a new vehicle fee will not be included in the 2027 budget.

This marked the second and final reading of the budget.