05-16-2023 Business Meeting - FINALPITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BUSINESS
MEETING
May 16, 2023
VIRGINIA: The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors' ("Board") Business Meeting
was held on May 16, 2023, in the Board Meeting Room, 39 Bank Street, SE, Chatham, Virginia
24531.
CALL TO ORDER (7:00 PM)
Dalton called the Meeting to Order at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL
The following Board Members were present:
Darrell W. Dalton - Chairman, Callands-Gretna District;
Timothy W. Dudley - Vice-Chairman, Staunton River District;
Timothy W. Chesher - Dan River District;
William V. ("Vic") Ingram - Tunstall District;
Ronald S. Scearce - Westover District;
Robert M. Tucker, Jr. - Banister District; and
Robert (“Bob”) W. Warren - Chatham-Blairs District.
AGENDA ITEMS TO BE ADDED
Motion to add the following items to the Agenda:
• add VDOT Tightsqueeze improvements to Matters from Work Session; and
•add Safety of Banister Bridge on 57 to New Business.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Warren
SECONDER: Dudley
AYES: Dalton, Tucker, Warren, Scearce, Chesher, Dudley, Ingram
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion to approve Agenda.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Dudley
SECONDER: Chesher
AYES: Dalton, Tucker, Warren, Scearce, Chesher, Dudley, Ingram
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion to approve Consent Agenda.
RESULT: APPROVE
MOVER: Ingram
SECONDER: Tucker
AYES: Dalton, Tucker, Warren, Scearce, Chesher, Dudley, Ingram
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
a. Board Meeting Minutes Approval
b. County's 2023 April Bill List Approval
c. DPCS Drug Treatment Court MOU Approval
d. FY2023 Budget Amendments-Various
e. Jail Medical Services Contract Award Approval
f. Resolution # 2023-05-01 (VDOT Six (6)-Year Plan Approval) Adoption
g. DRBDC Lease Renewal Approval
h. Moseley Architects Jail Agreement Amendment # 2 Execution Approval
i. Chatham Hall/Chatham Community Center Lease Approval
j. Appointment: Planning Commission (Dan River District); (Justin Brown)
k. Appointment: Dan River Business Development Center Board of Directors (Supervisor
Dudley)
l. Reappointment: Danville Community College Advisory Board (Ann Cassada)
m. Resolution # 2023-05-02 (Honoring Timothy W. Chesher) Adoption
PRESENTATIONS
The Board presented Resolution # 2023-05-02 to Chesher thanking him for his service and
leadership and wished him well in his future endeavors.
HEARING OF THE CITIZENS
Roy Van Der Hyde, Chatham-Blairs District, shared his concerns regarding the proposed revisions
at the Tightsqueeze Intersection and thanked the Board for standing with the citizens in making this
decision to stop this project.
Chuck Angier, Callands-Gretna District, shared his concerns with the Operational Medical
Directors resignation. He stated County residents need to know why emergency services may be
put at risk.
Kell Stone, Banister District, spoke about school safety and his concerns regarding children bringing
guns to school, with the latest incident at Gretna Middle School. He stated that now is the time to
be proactive and make changes for schools to better protect students.
Brenda Bowman, Chatham-Blairs District, announced the dedication of the "LOVE" sign at the
Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex on June 3, 2023, at 10:00 AM. She also shared that the
annual Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on June 25, 2023, at 1:00 PM, and she
also thanked the Board for the congratulatory letters that will be presented to the inductees.
Willie Fitzgerald, Banister District, stated he has a petition of approximately three hundred (300)
signatures with concerns regarding the Bridge on 57 East and requested the Board for a letter of
support when he presents this information at an upcoming meeting with VDOT.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Other Public Hearings
1. FY 24 School Budget
The Board held a Public Hearing to hear citizen input on the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 School
Budget. Per Virginia law, said Budget will not be considered for adoption until seven (7) days after
the Public Hearing.
Dalton opened the Public Hearing at 7:31 PM. No one signed up to speak and Dalton closed the
Public Hearing and 7:31 PM.
2. FY 24 County Budget
The Board held a Public Hearing to hear citizen input on the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 County
Budget. Per Virginia law, said Budget will not be considered for adoption until seven (7) days after
the Public Hearing.
Dalton opened the Public Hearing at 7:32 PM. No one signed up to speak and Dalton closed the
Public Hearing at 7:32 PM.
NEW BUSINESS
a. Resolution # 2023-05-03 (Writ of Special Election Petition/Order Filing Approval) Adoption
Virginia Code § 24.2-226 requires a governing body, within fifteen (15) days of the occurrence of
a vacancy on the governing body, to petition the Circuit Court for its jurisdiction to issue a Writ of
Special Election to fill the vacancy. Said Special Election is required to be held no later than the
next General Election in November, unless the vacancy occurs within ninety (90) days of the next
such General Election, in which event it shall be held promptly, but no later than the second such
General Election. As the Board’s Dan River Electoral District vacancy will occur on June 1, 2023,
the Special Election must occur at the next General Election which is November 7, 2023. Resolution
# 2023-05-03, directs the County Attorney to petition the County’s Circuit Court to issue a Writ of
Special Election for a Special Election to be held on November 7, 2023, to fill the Board’s Dan
River Electoral District vacancy.
Motion to adopt Resolution # 2023-05-03 as presented.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Warren
SECONDER: Dudley
AYES: Dalton, Tucker, Warren, Scearce, Chesher, Dudley, Ingram
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
b. Discussion of 57 Bridge Safety Issues
Tucker expanded on Fitzgerald's Hearing of the Citizens comments regarding the safety of the 57
one (1)-lane bridge. Tucker and Turille are meeting in Lynchburg with VDOT and desire a
Resolution or letter of support to take with them. Tucker has asked for a traffic study and there is
a possibility it will fail, which will allow a case to replace the bridge.
Motion to draft letter of support.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Tucker
SECONDER: Warren
AYES: Dalton, Tucker, Warren, Scearce, Chesher, Dudley, Ingram
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
MATTERS FROM WORK SESSION
a. VDOT U.S. 29/TIGHTSQUEEZE POTENTIAL IMPACTS
Motion to direct County Staff to send a letter to VDOT, respectfully asking them to abandon the
potential U.S. 29/Tightsqueeze improvements due to citizen complaints regarding safety and
convenience issues, and to repurpose the related funding for other, more impactful road
improvements in the County such as the widening of Dry Fork Road.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approve)
MOVER: Warren
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Dalton, Tucker, Warren, Scearce, Chesher, Dudley, Ingram
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS
• Tucker stated it was an honor to serve with Chesher and he will be missed, but prayers will
continue for him and his family. He thanked Keesee for filling in, and thanked Van Der
Hyde and the Executive Team and Finance Committee for their work on the Budget.
• Dudley thanked Chesher for his service and shared his appreciation for all he has done
while on this Board. He thanked Warren and Tucker for their work on the Finance
committee as it was a tough budget, as well as Van Der Hyde and Hunt.
• Warren echoed the same sentiments for Chesher and stated it was a pleasure to get to know
him and to meet his family tonight. He also thanked Van Der Hyde and Hunt for their hard
work on this Budget, as well as Sheriff Taylor for working with the Board during the
Budget process.
• Scearce thanked Chesher for his service to the County and hates to see him leave. He also
stated this was the sixth (6th) year of having a balanced budget with no tax increase, which
is very difficult, and he thanked staff and the Finance Committee for their hard work on
this Budget.
• Ingram shared that National Police Week is in May and to remember those who have passed
and their families. He congratulated Dr. Jessica Jones, a teacher at Tunstall High School,
who recently won a National Award for Teaching Excellence, and Raymond Ladd, a
Tunstall High School pitcher, who recently signed with the Danville Otterbots. He asked
to remember Donald Rickets as he is currently battling cancer. Ingram also stated that he
hates to see Chesher go, but he will continue to pray for him as he continues to fight his
battle with cancer.
• Dalton thanked all County Staff, citizens, and the Board for a long day of meetings. He
also thanked Chesher for his time on the Board, his ideas, and the positive difference he
has made. He also stated he enjoyed working with him and will continue to keep him and
his family in his thoughts and prayers during this time. Dalton shared he had the privilege
of attending the Pittsylvania County/Caswell Livestock Show at ODAC on April 28, 2023,
and April 29, 2023, and he encouraged citizens to attend to see how much time those
children work with the animals, how appreciative they are, and to support them.
• Chesher thanked everyone on the Board and stated he learned a lot from this
experience. He was overwhelmed in the beginning, but everyone helped him and he is so
appreciative. Stepping down is one of the hardest things that he has done and he has had
an outpouring of support from County citizens since his resignation. He stated the County
employees are a great asset and he thanked everyone for their kindness.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR/COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTS
• Turille welcomed Diana McFarland as the County's new Public Relations Manager,
effective June 1, 2023.
• Hunt shared sentiments about Chesher's departure and stated he will be missed.
ADJOURNMENT
Dalton adjourned the Meeting at 8:02 PM.