03-16-2021 Work Session - FINALMarch 16, 2021
Work Session
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors
Work Session
March 16, 2021
VIRGINIA: The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors’ Work Session was held on
March 16, 2021, in the Elections and Training Center, 18 Depot Street, Chatham, Virginia 24531.
Chairman Warren called the Meeting to Order at 4:30 PM. The following Members were present:
CALL TO ORDER (4:30 PM)
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Robert ("Bob") W. Warren Chairman; Chatham Blairs District Present 4:20 PM
Ronald S. Scearce Vice-Chairman; Westover District Present 4:21 PM
Joe B. Davis Supervisor; Dan River District Present 4:21 PM
Timothy W. Dudley Supervisor; Staunton River District Present 4:22 PM
Ben L. Farmer Supervisor; Callands-Gretna District Present 4:23 PM
William ("Vic") Ingram Supervisor; Tunstall District Present 4:23 PM
Charles H. Miller, Jr. Supervisor; Banister District Present 4:21 PM
AGENDA ITEMS TO BE ADDED
None.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion to approve Agenda.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Ingram
SECONDER: Davis
AYES: Warren, Scearce, Davis, Dudley, Farmer, Ingram, Miller
PRESENTATIONS
None.
STAFF, COMMITTEE, AND/OR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER REPORTS
a. Small Business Assistance Fund Update (Staff Contact: Matthew D. Rowe); (5 minutes)
McCulloch presented an update on the Small Business assistance Fund. The County has been
awarded a $330,000 Grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community
Development to provide local Grants of $15,000 maximum for small businesses showing personal
protective equipment needs and related supplies or rental assistance to rapidly and safely reopen
or remain open due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The County has received twenty-three (23)
applications since January 2021. Twelve (12) applicants have been chosen so far for this Grant.
b. Gunn Garland CDBG Grant Update (Staff Contact: Emily S. Ragsdale); (5 minutes)
Ragsdale stated that the County, in conjunction with Pittsylvania County Community Action, was
awarded a $40,000 Planning Grant to assess the Gunn Garland road area. Once the reports were
completed, a total of $2,494,200 worth of improvements were identified as being needed. This
will allow the County to apply to the DHCD for additional funds for this Project.
c. Solar Taxation Update (Staff Contacts: Emily S. Ragsdale and the Honorable Robin C.
Goard); (20 minutes)
Ragsdale and Goard briefed the Board on Solar Taxation with a presentation that can be found on
the County’s website at http://www.pittsylvaniacountyva.gov. They stated the tax rate,
depreciation schedule, and exemption rate depend on the size of the Project and who is operating
it. The Revenue Share Ordinance must be adopted by the locality and it applies to Projects filed
with the locality on or after July 1, 2020; not retroactive, but there are some exceptions, allowing
localities to assess up to $1400* per MW of nameplate capacity per year for projects larger than 5
MW, and has indirect effect on state’s per-pupil contribution based on impacts to the Composite
Index of Local Ability to Pay (CI). The current operational Solar Projects within the County are
TPE Kentuck Solar, LLC, Whitmell Solar, LLC, Strata Solar, LLC, and the current Solar Projects
that are under construction are Maplewood Solar I, LLC and Whitehorn Solar, LLC.
d. Reassessment Update (Staff Contact: Nicholas A. Morris); (30 minutes)
Morris and Cole provided the Board an update on the County Reassessment. The presentation can
be found on the County website at http://www.pittsylvaniacountyva.gov.
BUSINESS MEETING DISCUSSION ITEMS
None.
CLOSED SESSION
The Board entered Closed Session at 5:52 PM.
Motion to enter Closed Session.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Scearce
SECONDER: Dudley
AYES: Warren, Scearce, Davis, Dudley, Farmer, Ingram, Miller
a. Consultation with legal counsel employed or retained by a public body regarding
specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel. (Staff
Contact: J. Vaden Hunt, Esq.)
(1) Legal Authority: Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(8)
Subject Matters: Cool Branch/Franklin EMS Agreement; Keeling VFD
Board of Directors Mass Resignation; Tax Legal Issue
Purpose: Legal Consultations/Advice Regarding the Same
b. Discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose,
or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where discussion in an open
meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the
public body. (Staff Contact: J. Vaden Hunt, Esq.)
(1) Legal Authority: Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(3)
Subject Matters: Jail Land; Convenience Center Expansion Land
Purpose: Discussion of Related Property Acquisitions for a Public
Purpose
RETURN TO OPEN SESSION AND CLOSED SESSION CERTIFICATION
The Board returned to Open Session at 6:40 PM and the following Certification was recorded:
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CLOSED MEETING CERTIFICATION
BE IT RESOLVED that at the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors’ (“Board”)
Meeting on March 16, 2021, the Board hereby certifies by a recorded vote that to the best of each
Board Member’s knowledge only public business matters lawfully exempted from the Open
Meeting requirements of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (“Act”) and identified in the
Motion authorizing the Closed Meeting were heard, discussed, or considered in the Closed
Meeting. If any Board Member believes that there was a departure from the requirements of the
Act, he shall so state prior to the vote indicating the substance of the departure. The Statement
shall be recorded in the Board's Minutes.
Vote
Davis Yes
Dudley Yes
Farmer Yes
Ingram Yes
Miller. Yes
Scearce Yes
Warren Yes
ADJOURNMENT
Warren recessed the Meeting at 6:41 PM.