Purcellville TC votes to draft ordinance to transition from PD to Sheriff’s Office

At the April 8 Purcellville Town Council meeting in the budget work session portion on the meeting, Council Members voted 4-2 to direct staff to draft an ordinance for council consideration to eliminate the Town’s Police Department. The draft ordinance would rescind Chapter 42 of the Town Code which would take effect July 1, 2025.

This move aims to free up over $3 million and prevent Town residents from paying double taxes for public safety, as the County Sheriff’s Office already provides coverage to the Town. Mayor Chris Bertaut, Vice Mayor Ben Nett, and Council Members Carol Luke and Susan Khalil voted for the motion, with Council Members Erin Rayner and Kevin Wright voting against. 

In another 4-2 vote Bertaut, Nett, Luke and Khalil voted to move 100% of the Town’s Meals Tax Revenue to the Utility Enterprise Fund—effective July 1, 2025. 

The same members also voted to reduce water rates by 9% and sewer rates by 11%, effective at the start of FY 26, pending approval of modeling by Stantec, the Town’s Utility Consultant. The current proposed budget already includes no increases in utility rates.

The council majority voted to allocate funds to bring the Wastewater reserves up to 75%—up from 62%.  They also voted to allocate funds to the Water reserves increasing them to 100% up from 88%—both for FY26.

For the FY26 budget Council Majority also voted to direct the Interim Town Manager to provide merit increases of 1-5%.

The majority voted in Kwasi Fraser as Town Manager. The Town of Purcellville received over 80 applications for the position.

Bertaut, Nett, Luke and Khalil voted to pass the zoning ordinance after years of work.