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02-18-2025 Finance Committee Meeting - FINAL PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ FINANCE COMMITTEE February 18, 2025 VIRGINIA: The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors’ (“Board”) Finance Committee Meeting was held on February 18, 2025, in the Board Meeting Room, 39 Bank Street, SE, Chatham, Virginia 24531. CALL TO ORDER (3:00 PM) Tucker called the Meeting to Order at 3:00 PM. ROLL CALL The following Committee Members were present: Kenneth L. Bowman – Chatham-Blairs District Timothy W. Dudley – Staunton River District Eddie L. Hite, Jr. – Dan River District Robert M. Tucker, Jr. – Chairman, Banister District The following Board Members were present: Darrell W. Dalton – Callands-Gretna District William V. (“Vic”) Ingram – Tunstall District Murray W. Whittle – Westover District APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion to approve Agenda. RESULT: 4-0 (APPROVE) MOVER: Hite SECONDER: Bowman AYES: Bowman, Dudley, Hite, Tucker NAYS: None ABSTAIN: None NEW BUSINESS a. Capital Improvements Plan Kim The Finance Committee reviewed the capital improvements plan (CIP) and discussed several items that were removed, including $75,000 for training center improvements, $100,000 for the county recycling center in FY 2026, and a reduction from $60,000 to $15,000 for recreation and school parks grounds improvements. Remaining CIP items that were discussed included $120,000 for poll pads, $18,000 for SCBA packs and accessories, and $435,000 for an ambulance replacement. There was significant discussion about the need for a comprehensive study on fire and rescue equipment and the rotation for replacing vehicles to ensure equitable distribution between paid staff and volunteer departments. The committee also agreed to reconsider the decision to back out of the training center memorandum of agreement with the city of Danville, recognizing the importance of the facility for firefighter certification. Van Der Hyde's full presentation can be found on the County's website at www.pittsylvaniacountyva.gov. b. Financing Options Kim Van Der Hyde presented the Committee with financing options for several upcoming capital projects, including the CAD system replacement ($1.35 million), radio system upgrade ($1.9 million), courthouse HVAC ($2.1 million), property acquisition and renovation ($2 million), and the final payment for broadband ($4.01 million). The total cost to be financed is estimated at $11 million. Van Der Hyde recommended using the Virginia Resources Authority as the financing source, as it offers favorable interest rates through a pooled program. To provide more flexibility, she also suggested the Committee consider reimbursing the County's project fund for prior expenditures on the Moses building window replacement and HVAC, as well as the purchase and renovation of the Paths building. This would provide additional funds that could be used for the uncertain courthouse HVAC and property acquisition projects. c. Discussion of information requested from the Budget Forum During the budget forum, the Board had requested additional information on several items. Kim Van Der Hyde provided updates on these requests: • The training center improvements MOA with the city of Danville was provided for the committee's review. There was discussion around potentially backing out of this agreement, but the committee ultimately agreed it was important to maintain the training facility. • The recreation and school parks grounds improvements MOA was also provided for review. • Regarding the ambulance replacement, Mr. Key explained the current condition of the fleet and the need to establish a regular replacement rotation, particularly for the older units. • The committee reiterated the request for a comprehensive study on fire and rescue equipment and staffing, including turnover rates, to help guide future planning and budgeting. d. Resolution to Adopt Tax Rates Kim Van Der Hyde discussed the proposed Resolution to set the tax rate at the current 56 cents per $100 of assessed value, as well as maintaining the current personal property and other tax rates. The only unknown factor was the percentage of tax relief that would need to be provided, which was still being determined and expected by March 1. The Committee debated the urgency of approving the tax rate Resolution, with some members emphasizing the need to ensure adequate funding for the school system, potentially above the minimum 6% increase required. However, the majority of the Committee agreed that setting the tax rate could allow them to better prioritize the budget and expenses, rather than rushing into a tax increase. Motion to move the tax rate Resolution forward to the regular Board Meeting for further discussion and consideration. RESULT: 4-0 (APPROVE) MOVER: Bowman SECONDER: Dudley AYES: Bowman, Dudley, Hite, Tucker NAYS: None ABSTAIN: None ADJOURNMENT Tucker adjourned the Meeting at 3:56 PM.