Purcellville Council majority holds firm and passes budget By Valerie Cury After three months of often heated debate, the Purcellville Town Council on June 17 passed a $33.1 million FY 26 budget in a 4-3 vote, capping a process marked by sharp philosophical divides and public unrest. The meeting erupted with frequent outbursts from the…

By Sophia Clifton On June 3, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors received an in-depth briefing on the outcomes of the recently adjourned 2025 Virginia General Assembly Session. County administration staff Jonathan Freeman and Erin McLellan presented the County’s legislative report, detailing how the Board’s adopted priorities fared during the session, along with key budget…

By Katie Northcott Stakeholders reached a consensus about several aspects of Western Loudoun zoning ordinances at Loudoun County’s Transportation and Land Use Committee’s (TLUC) meeting on April 24. Four Loudoun County Supervisors and three members of the Loudoun County Planning Commission met with nine representative stakeholders to discuss Western Loudoun zoning laws relevant to the…

By Valerie Cury At two heated Purcellville Town Council meetings in May, sharply contrasting philosophies over the Town Manager’s proposed $35.9 million FY26 budget were on full display. Mayor Chris Bertaut, Vice Mayor Ben Nett, and Council Members Carol Luke and Susan Khalil advocated trimming approximately $1.6 million from the draft budget—including significantly lowering the…

By Valerie Cury On April 21, Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Anderson issued a response to Council Member Caleb Stought’s April 13 request for an advisory opinion. Stought had asked whether Purcellville Vice Mayor Ben Nett may have violated the State and Local Government Conflict of Interest Act—legislation that, among other things, defines and prohibits improper conflicts…

By Valerie Cury At the April 22 Purcellville Town Council meeting 48 speakers voiced their opinion in packed and overflowing town hall—passionately demanding the town to fully fund its police department and not transition to the County Sheriff’s Office. Residents, nearby neighbors, staff, former employees, and business owners all took to the mic in support.…

At 11:23 on April 10, Purcellville Mayor Chris Bertaut received an email from the Coalition of Loudoun Towns informing him that they were suspending his membership to the group of Mayors from the Loudoun Towns. Below is the email from COLT to Mayor Bertaut followed by his response. Dear Mayor Bertaut, This email is being…