Pittsylvania County clerk asks for extra deputy as judges expand court schedule; board approves short-term funding 6-1

At a Jan. 21 work session in Chatham, Pittsylvania County Clerk of Court Angie Reese Harris asked the Board of Supervisors for one additional full-time deputy clerk, saying increased court days and more jury trials have made the office understaffed.

Harris told the board the change in judges’ schedules has expanded court days beyond the office’s expectations and that staff are “desperately” stretched. She said the office manages civil filings, concealed-carry permits, probate and bookkeeping duties, and now runs multiple simultaneous courtrooms and jury operations that require dedicated staff support.

The request matters because the clerk’s office collects and distributes county revenue and supports active court operations. Harris listed recent office revenues she said the office remits to the county — about $16,000 in copy fees, $66,950 in court recording fees and roughly $40,000 from other statutory fees — and told supervisors that one long-tenured criminal clerk is scheduled to retire in June, which will widen staffing gaps.

Harris said the state compensation board has refused additional positions based on population metrics, so any new county-funded position would be paid locally. “This need is immediate…because of what the judges are requiring of us,” Harris said.

Board members discussed options including using discretionary funds to cover part of the salary for the remainder of the current fiscal year and placing the full position in the next fiscal-year budget. County staff estimated the board would need to cover roughly four months of salary and benefits (February–June) if it approved an immediate start; board members described that amount as “a little over $10,000” for the four‑month window. One supervisor noted the clerk could use vacancy savings from a retirement line to offset part of the cost next year.

After discussion the board voted to provide short-term funding to cover the February–June portion of the requested position and to place the full position request in the formal business/budget meeting. The motion to authorize short-term funding passed 6-1.

Harris said the office will pursue hiring and training but reiterated that the compensation board’s staffing allocations are driven by population, not workload; she asked the board to consider county-level funding to fill the operational gap.

The clerk’s full position request will appear on the board’s upcoming business/budget meeting agenda for formal action and appropriation.