Northwestern Community Services Board presents FY2027 performance contract; committee forwards agreement to full council

Katie Russell, representing the Northwestern Community Services Board, told the Winchester finance committee the board approved its FY2027 budget on June 17 and submitted a balanced performance contract required by the Code of Virginia.

"We're required by the code of Virginia to have 10% local matching funds of our state funds," Russell said, and she noted the local match in the submitted budget is about 10.74%, which meets that statutory threshold. She summarized service areas covered by the contract: mental health, intellectual disability and substance-use-disorder services, and described restricted funding streams and the local match calculation.

Committee members asked about next steps and outreach. Russell said the board's CEO will be invited to provide a fuller presentation to the full council and the CEO is expected to appear before the Public Health and Safety committee in December to elaborate on services. Russell highlighted growing needs in rural localities (Page and Shenandoah counties), noting transportation and housing are barriers and that substance use treatment demand has expanded substantially.

Although the presentation was informational, a member moved to authorize the city manager to execute the agreement and to forward the contract to the full council for approval; the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The item will be scheduled on a future Winchester Common Council agenda.