Pittsylvania County supervisors approve advertising FY26 budget, discuss landfill tipping-fee options

Pittsylvania County supervisors unanimously voted to advertise the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget — a $257,574,766 spending plan that the county presented as an $18,587,879 increase over FY2025 — and set public hearings on the budget and school funding, while also debating a proposed increase in landfill tipping fees.

The budget presentation, given by interim county administrator Shorter, laid out increases across county functions and schools and asked the board to approve placing the budget advertisements in the newspaper and holding two public hearings. “The FY ’26, total budget will be $257,574,766. This is an increase of $18,587,879 over the FY ’25 budget,” Shorter said as he summarized year-over-year changes and revenue assumptions.

Why it matters: the board kept tax rates steady while proposing additional spending aimed primarily at schools, public safety and capital projects. Advertising the budget is the formal step that triggers public notice and the hearings required before final adoption.

Shorter told the board the largest single revenue source remains real-estate taxes, which he characterized as yielding roughly “42¢ of every dollar received in revenues,” and he said state funds and other taxes make up the remainder. In the county’s proposed general-fund spending of $92,630,721, the presenter said about 28¢ of every dollar would go to education and 33¢ to justice and public safety, including the sheriff’s office and volunteer fire and rescue support.

Significant FY26 items described in the presentation include: - $26,370,554 proposed local funding for schools (the presentation described this as the state-set minimum required local effort of $25,234,980 plus $1,135,574 of additional county support, a 4.5% increase above the required local effort and 7% over the prior year). - Sheriff's operational budget of $17.2 million (an $1.2 million, or about 8%, increase), including continued support for school resource officers and a vehicle replacement fund; tactical equipment purchases of about $264,000 using FY25 carryover funds. - Public safety operational and capital budget of $9.4 million (an $905,000 local increase), including $98,000 more for 911 and $465,000 more for volunteer agencies; the presentation notes $1.4 million for a CAD replacement and $1.9 million for a radio tower/communication upgrade. - Community Development operational budget of $750,000 (a $108,000 increase) to add an erosion and sediment control inspector, reclassify permit positions, and cover salary/benefits. - Capital and enterprise projects including an Arnell Smith Road waterline extension (total projected cost $4,350,000 with $1,100,000 potentially spent in FY26), Stony Veil waterline construction (estimated $6,000,000), and landfill cell construction and convenience-center projects in Java and Motley Hurt (several million dollars summarized in the presentation). - A borrowing plan that would finance a portion of capital needs; presenters estimated roughly $7.5 million in borrowing tied to a $15.2 million capital commitment.

During discussion, several supervisors asked questions about the county’s solid-waste operations and a proposed increase in landfill tipping fees from $41 to $45 per ton. Supervisor Dalton objected to raising fees that could affect residents who already pay an annual household solid-waste fee, saying, “I ain’t gonna support no $45 a ton. We need to do better than that or even not charge them anything.” Shorter and staff said solid-waste staff member Adcock had surveyed surrounding localities and that the proposed increase would align Pittsylvania County with neighboring rates. Shorter also said Adcock would return with options that could limit or waive fees for county residents — for example, allowing a set tonnage per month free of charge for county residents while tracking to prevent contractor abuse.

Finance staff member Vanderheide asked the board to approve advertising the budget and said public hearings would be scheduled: the presentation materials noted advertisements to run in the Star-Tribune over two weeks and public hearings to be held in the same meeting room, with a cited hearing date of Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m.; Vanderheide said one hearing would address Pittsylvania County Schools and a second would cover the full county budget. She also explained the county would run a separate advertisement and public hearing tied to borrowing applications (the presentation referenced an application to the Virginia Resources Authority and a local 1% sales-tax borrowing notice).

Motion and next steps: Supervisor Bowman moved to advertise the budget as presented; the motion was seconded and the board voted unanimously to approve advertising and to place the hearings on the schedule. “The motion passes unanimously,” the chair announced after roll call votes.

The budget presentation included additional items the board will consider during the adoption process, including a proposed 3% cost-of-living adjustment for county employees, continued county contributions to health savings accounts, increases in enterprise fund projects for water and landfill operations, and specific capital items such as courthouse HVAC financing, a $4.2 million broadband project payment, voting equipment purchases and library accessibility work.

Supervisors and staff emphasized that enterprise funds should be self-sustaining and that the tipping-fee decision aimed to stop subsidizing outside contractors at the expense of county operations. Shorter and Adcock were asked to return with options that would protect residents who already pay county solid-waste fees. Vanderheide said staff would run the required advertising in the newspaper and prepare for the public hearings that will precede final adoption of the FY26 budget.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve the agenda as presented — mover: Hite; second: not specified in the transcript; outcome: approved (motion passed). - Motion to advertise the FY26 budget and schedule public hearings (one for Pittsylvania County Schools and one for the overall county budget, plus separate hearings related to borrowing/VRA application and a 1% sales-tax borrowing notice) — mover: Bowman; second: not specified in the transcript; outcome: approved unanimously.

Ending: Staff will publish legal advertisements in the Star-Tribune as described, schedule the public hearings in the boardroom as noticed, and return with more detailed tipping-fee options and cost breakdowns for enterprise funds before final budget adoption.