County board approves budget cut

By John Crane

Published: November 18, 2008

CHATHAM — Pittsylvania County’s government offices must cut their upcoming 2009-10 budgets by 5 percent, the Board of Supervisors decided unanimously Tuesday night.

The county has been reducing its budget by 5 percent annually for the last four years and recently voted to implement a hiring freeze on its employees. The General Assembly faces a budget shortfall next session and that means less state money for the county, County Administrator Dan Sleeper said. Sleeper also anticipates a reduction in county sales tax revenue. 

Each of the county’s nine departments and five constitutional officers must determine the cuts they’ll make, Sleeper said.

“If they don’t decide, I’ll do it for them,” he said.

The state is collecting $50 million from localities to cover its shortfall, with $600,000 coming from Pittsylvania County. In addition, the county must pay about $400,000 in bonds for area industrial parks and will have to increase the real estate tax rate to pay $4.1 million in interest on the high school renovation bond. 

The board approved two contracts for the renovations at Chatham and Gretna High schools, awarding the project to Blair Construction in Gretna. Mount Airy, N.C.-based J.S. Clark & Co. will revamp Dan River and Tunstall high schools.

  Contact John R. Crane at or (434) 791-7987.