03-18-2025 Work Session - FINAL
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’
WORK SESSION
March 18, 2025
VIRGINIA: The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors' ("Board") Work Session was
held on March 18, 2025, in the Board Meeting Room, 39 Bank Street, SE, Chatham, Virginia 24531.
CALL TO ORDER (4:30 PM)
Tucker called the Meeting to Order at 4:30 PM.
ROLL CALL
The following Board Members were present:
Robert M. Tucker, Jr. - Banister District
Eddie L. Hite, Jr. - Dan River District
Kenneth L. Bowman - Chatham-Blairs District
Darrell W. Dalton - Callands-Gretna District
Timothy W. Dudley – Staunton River District
William V. (“Vic”) Ingram - Tunstall District
Murray W. Whittle - Westover District
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion to approve Agenda.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approved)
MOVER: Ingram
SECONDER: Dalton
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
NOT PRESENT: None
PRESENTATIONS
a. PJM Power Grid Presentation
Chuck Angier's presentation on the PJM power grid highlighted significant challenges in
integrating renewable energy sources, particularly solar, into the electrical grid. He explained that
PJM, the largest regional transmission organization in the United States, is struggling to adopt
green energy due to several key factors. The organization currently generates over 90% of its
power from traditional sources like natural gas (43.7%), nuclear (32.3%), and coal (14.5%), with
solar contributing only 1.91% despite a 369% increase in recent years. Angier emphasized the
unpredictability of solar energy, pointing out its low-capacity factor of 23.4% compared to
nuclear's 92%, and the massive infrastructure challenges in connecting new renewable projects.
He noted that PJM currently has 1,348 solar interconnection requests, with interconnection costs
for solar projects skyrocketing to $253 per kilowatt, compared to just $24 for natural gas. The
presentation also critiqued government mandates, suggesting that renewable energy might be a
temporary transition technology, with more promising alternatives like nuclear potentially
emerging in the 2030s. Angier ultimately argued that the current renewable energy push is
challenging, expensive, and potentially unsustainable given the grid's reliability requirements.
b. Haven of the Dan River Presentation
Sharon Hendricks, Executive Director, presented an overview of the Haven of the Dan River, a
domestic and sexual abuse shelter serving Danville, Pittsylvania County, Chatham, and Gretna.
The shelter currently has limited capacity, with only four bedrooms that can accommodate up to
10 people, including children. In the last six months, they've handled 486 hotline calls and
sheltered 91 clients, with 30% coming from Pittsylvania County. The organization provides
comprehensive services beyond shelter, including peer group sessions, life skills counseling, court
accompaniment, housing assistance, and transitional support. They help clients with everything
from Medicaid applications to job readiness and financial literacy. Notably, they've faced
challenges with male victims, as they have no dedicated space for them, and they're dealing with
a significant funding cut of $80,000 from expiring COVID funds. Hendricks highlighted the
diverse range of their clients, from a three-month-old to a 68-year-old, and noted an increase in
cases related to human trafficking, particularly since the casino's arrival. She emphasized their
commitment to treating the "whole person" and not just providing temporary shelter, and requested
potential funding support from the county to continue their critical services.
CLOSED SESSION
Motion to enter Closed Session.
The Board entered Closed Session at 5:16 PM.
RESULT: 7-0 (Approved)
MOVER: Dalton
SECONDER: Ingram
AYES: Tucker, Hite, Bowman, Dalton, Dudley, Ingram, Whittle
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: None
NOT PRESENT: None
a. Discussion concerning a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing
business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business' or
industry's interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community.
(1) Legal Authority: Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(5)
Subject Matter: Unannounced Prospective Businesses/Industries
Purpose: General Economic Development Projects
Update
b. Consultation with legal counsel employed or retained by a public body regarding specific
legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel.
(2) Legal Authority: Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(8)
Subject Matter: Solid Waste Contract & Rates/William’s Transco Pipeline
Purpose: Legal Counsel Contract Consultation
c. Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members or consultants pertaining
to actual or probable litigation, where such consultation or briefing in open meeting would
adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of the public body. For the purposes of
this subdivision, "probable litigation" means litigation that has been specifically threatened
or on which the public body or its legal counsel has a reasonable basis to believe will be
commenced by or against a known party. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to
permit the closure of a meeting merely because an attorney representing the public body is in
attendance or is consulted on a matter.
(3) Legal Authority: Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(7)
Subject Matter: Opioid Litigation Update
Purpose: Legal Counsel Consultation
RETURN TO OPEN SESSION & CLOSED SESSION CERTIFICATION
The Board returned to Open Session at 6:46 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”) Work
Session on March 18, 2025, 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
Kenneth L. Bowman Yes
Darrell W. Dalton Yes
Timothy W. Dudley Yes
William V. (“Vic”) Ingram Yes
Murray W. Whittle Yes
Eddie L. Hite, Jr. Yes
Robert M. Tucker, Jr. Yes
ADJOURNMENT
Tucker adjourned the Meeting at 6:47 PM.