03-02-2009 BOS Regular MeetingRegular Meeting
March 2, 2009
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors
Monday, March 2, 2009
Regular Meeting
VIRGINIA: The regular meeting of the Pittsylvania County Board of
Supervisors was held on Monday, March 2, 2009 in the Pittsylvania County Cultural
Center at 39 Bank Street in Chatham, Virginia. Coy E. Harville, Chairman, called the
meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. The following members were present:
Fred Ingram Callands-Gretna District
Tim R. Barber Tunstall District
James Snead Dan River District
William H. Pritchett Banister District
Henry A. Davis, Jr. Chatham-Blairs District
Marshall Ecker Staunton River District
Coy E. Harville Westover District
Mr. William D. Sleeper, County Administrator, Mr. John P. Light, Legal Counsel
and Ms. Kim Van Der Hyde, Director of Finance were also present.
Mr. Snead gave the invocation.
Items to be added
The following were items to be added:
a) Inclement Weather Policy - Mr. Ecker
b) Recommendation of Personnel Committee
c) Dan River Business Development Center -Letter of Support
d) Removal of Item 6(f) from the Consent Agenda -New Comprehensive
Plan Contract - Mr. Snead
Motion was made by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Ecker, to approve the agenda,
with the added items and to approve the Consent Agenda with the removal of Item 6(f).
Mr. Davis's motion carried by the unanimous vote of the Board.
Hearing of the Citizens
No one signed up to speak.
Public Hearings
Mr. Harville announced that due to the inclement weather, the Board would hold the
same public hearings on this night's agenda again at the Board's adjourned meeting on
March 17, 2009 at 7:OOpm.
Public Hearing on Proposed Pittsylvania County School Budget for FY2009-2010,
Totaling $84,968,733. Mr. Harville opened the public hearing at 7:07pm. The following
citizens addressed the board concerning this public hearing:
Regular Meeting
March 2, 2009
Mr. Nathaniel Dix made comments to the board in opposition of the school budget and
felt the schools needed to concentrate on education and cut all the other extras out.
No one else spoke concerning this hearing. Mr. Harville closed the hearing at 7:17pm.
Public Hearing on Proposed Pittsylvania County Budget for FY2009-2010, Totaling
$225,908,595. Mr. Harville opened this hearing at 7:22pm. The following citizens spoke
regarding this hearing:
Mr. Nathaniel Dix of the Westover District spoke in opposition of the proposed
County budget; he opposed the proposed tax increases and said the County needed to
work within the money it had and not raise taxes.
Ms. Barbara Hudson, representing Ms. Nancy Smith of the Tunstall District, read
a letter by Ms. Smith. The letter Ms. Hudson read had concerns over the proposed
Literary Loan Funds would incur an additional $30 million debt and may be above the
$70 million bond referendum the citizens voted to approve. Her letter further made
disapproving comments of the development of the Mega Park and opposition to the
proposed County budget for FY 2009-2010.
There were no more citizens to speak on this hearing. Mr. Harville closed the hearing at
7:31pm.
Proposed Amendments to Chapter 6, of the Pittsylvania County Code, Section 6-
13.2 through 6-13.3, raising the Consumer Utility Tax from 15% of the first $15 to
20% of the first $15. Mr. Harville opened the hearing at 7:31pm. No one had signed up
to speak and Mr. Harville closed the hearing at 7:31 pm.
Proposed Amendments to Chapter 6, of the Pittsylvania County Code, to establish a
discount for early payment of the biennial taxes due on real estate and of personal
property. These are proposed amendments to Chapter 6-1.2, Subsection G, of the
Pittsylvania County Code. Mr. Harville opened the hearing at 7:32pm. Teresa Easley,
Treasurer for Pittsylvania County spoke in opposition of the proposed change occurring
this year. Also, it would take Keystone a minimum of 30 days to implement the change
and the software would cost $9,000. No one else signed up to speak and Mr. Harville
closed the hearing at 7:35pm.
Proposed Amendments to Chapter 9, of the Pittsylvania County Code, to raise the
Motor Vehicle Fee from $29.50 to $38.75, to match the State maximum, modifying
Sections 9-47, 9-49, and 9-55 of the Pittsylvania County Code. Mr. Harville opened
the hearing at 7:35pm. No one signed up to speak and Mr. Harville closed the hearing at
7:35pm.
Proposed Amendments to Chapter 6, of the Pittsylvania County Code, Section 6-1.1
through 6-1.3 to raise the Personal Property Tax from $7.75 per $100 dollars of
value to $8.50 per $100 dollars of value, 50% relief. Mr. Harville opened the hearing
at7:36pm. No one signed up to speak and Mr. Harville closed the hearing at 7:336pm.
No action could be taken on any of the public hearing for 7 days pursuant to § 15.2-2503,
15.2-2506 and 22.1-93 of the Code of Virginia (1950) as amended.
Regular Meeting
March 2, 2009
Consent Agenda
(a) Minutes: February 2, 2009, Regular Meeting
February 17, 2009, Adjourned Meeting
(b) Bill List: February 2009
(c) Bid Award -Replacement of Cooling Towers -Courthouse
(d) Resolution on Beautification
(e) Ratify Chairman Letters for DCC and Others
(f) New Comprehensive Plan Contract
(g) Resolution - VDOT
Added Items
Mr. Ecker made a motion, seconded by Mr. Barber, that when the County offices
are closed due to inclement weather, any meetings would be cancelled and if public
hearings are advertised for that meeting, then an alternate date be advertised for the
public hearing as well in the event of bad weather. Mr. Harville asked if the motion
required a public hearing. Mr. Sleeper stated that it is a policy and did not require a
public hearing; the board could act and vote on it at this meeting. He did say he was not
sure how he could advertise an alternative date, because it's a notice of a public hearing
and would have to be cancelled and re-advertised. Mr. Ecker amended his motion to
exclude advertising an alternative date for public hearings should inclement weather
occur. The Board unanimously approved Mr. Ecker's amended motion.
Mr. Sleeper said the Personnel Committee met just prior to the Board meeting and
made a policy recommendation in the form of a motion from the Personnel Committee to
the full to Board recommending they amend the Personnel Plan such that any days added
to the plan by the Governor of Virginia, or the President of the United States, must be
adopted and approved by the Board of Supervisors. The following vote was recorded:
Ingram -Yes, Mr. Barber -Yes, Mr. Snead -Yes, Mr. Pritchett - No, Mr. Davis - No,
Mr. Ecker -Yes and Mr. Harville -Yes. The Personnel Committee's motion was carried
by a majority vote of 5-2 by the Board.
Mr. Sleeper stated he received a letter from Mr. Pritchett as the Chairman of the
Dan River Business Development Center (DRBDC) Board. The Board of Directors of
the DRBDC is applying to Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization
Commission (TICRC) for a grant. The grant application would actually be part of the
County's grant application allotment. The letter does not give a number, but it is Mr.
Sleeper's understand that the grant is in excess of $150,000. The DRBDC would have to
submit this to the TICRC by April. The Board took no action at this time on this matter.
Motion was made by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Snead, to adjourn. The meeting
adjourned at 7:44 p. m.