Robert Tucker Jr. was elected chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors during a special reorganization meeting Thursday evening, Jan. 2, 2025, at the County Administration Building in Chatham. The board also unanimously elected Eddie Hite as vice chairman, adopted its bylaws and 2025 meeting schedule, finalized committee and outside-board assignments, and appointed Vincent Shorter as interim county administrator through April 30, 2025, contingent on Shorter's agreement and a written agreement to be prepared by the county attorney.

The changes give the board new leadership and set priorities for the coming year. The board voted on nominations and procedural motions under section 1.2 of the board’s bylaws; it later certified that a closed session on the county administrator search complied with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act exceptions stated in the meeting motion.

Voting on the leadership nominations and the administrator appointment was recorded by roll call and described by the presiding county attorney as unanimous. After the vote, the presiding officer said, "Voting is unanimous. Congratulations, mister Tucker. You are now the new chairman."

In his remarks after the vote, Chairman Robert Tucker Jr. thanked the board and county residents and set out several priorities he wants the board to address quickly, including increased investment in the county’s public schools, additional support and equipment for the sheriff’s office and volunteer emergency responders, and a strategic plan to guide land use and infrastructure. "I pledge to serve with integrity, dignity, and respect," Tucker said. He added, "We will not raise taxes this year," when asked whether the proposals would require a tax increase.

Tucker urged the property and building committee to find additional workspace for a county team identified as at capacity, and he said the county’s industrial parks are approaching full occupancy and should be the focus of active economic-development efforts. He proposed updating the county’s comprehensive plan on a five-year cycle, creating a department of housing and community development to address a local housing shortfall, and forming an environmental commission to advise on energy, sustainability and environmental management.

The board adopted its bylaws and the 2025 meeting schedule after motions and roll-call votes. Supervisors also made standing-committee and special-committee appointments and named representatives to several regional boards and authorities listed in the meeting packet, including the Dan River Business Development Center, Roanoke River Basin Association, VACO (Virginia Association of Counties), West Piedmont Planning District Commission and Danville Utilities Commission.

The board moved into a closed session to discuss candidates for the county administrator position under the statutory exemption cited in the meeting motion. After the closed session, the board returned to open session, certified by recorded vote that only the exempted matters were discussed, and added an agenda item to formally appoint an interim county administrator. The board then voted to appoint Vincent Shorter as interim county administrator "under the same terms as his previous appointment until the end of April 2025, contingent upon Mister Shorter's agreement," and directed the county attorney to prepare the appointment documents.

The meeting packet and the chair’s remarks also included proposals for a November annual "state of the county" address and a comprehensive compensation study for county employees to improve retention and competitiveness. Tucker acknowledged partners in nonprofits and faith-based ministries and said the board should emphasize volunteer recruitment and retention, including exploring a property-tax offset for volunteers as an incentive.

No taxes or dollar amounts were adopted at the meeting; the board explicitly stated that it would not raise taxes in 2025. Several agenda items were procedural (committee and outside-appointment listings) and were approved as presented. The board scheduled future action and follow-up on the comprehensive plan, housing initiatives and facilities needs through the appropriate committees and staff reports.