Pittsylvania County chairman hails $500 million AVEO investment, vows to fully fund schools

Robert M. Tucker Jr., chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, opened the county's inaugural State of the County address by framing a shift "from the tobacco fields to technology" and announced what he called a transformational private investment for the county.

Tucker said that AVEO USA will bring "approximately $500 million in investment and more than 1,000 jobs" to the northern end of the county at the former Klopman Burlington Mills site, calling the project a defining milestone for Pittsylvania County. "This is a transformational milestone for the old Klopman Burlington Mills site," he said.

The chairman placed the investment in the context of broader economic momentum, citing the expansion of Micro Poise in the Mega Park as creating "thousands of jobs" and highlighting the Blue Ridge Innovation Quarter as a regional collaboration linking Pittsylvania County with Roanoke and Franklin County to make Southern Virginia more competitive for large-scale investment. He credited prior planning, workforce-alignment initiatives and partnerships with Averett University, Danville Community College and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research for preparing local workers for those opportunities.

On education, Tucker said he would "never apologize for fully funding our school system here in Pittsylvania County," arguing that the county cannot afford school closures and that investing in teachers and staff creates local career pathways. He described schools as "the cornerstone of our community" and tied full funding to long-term workforce and economic goals.

Tucker also emphasized public safety and emergency services, praising the Sheriff's Department and fire and rescue personnel and saying the county will commit budget resources to training, technology and facilities to meet growth-related demands.

Addressing fiscal capacity, Tucker described Pittsylvania County as "financially strong" with a solid bond rating and a conservative budgeting approach, but warned that the county must pursue revenue growth now and prepare for infrastructure and mandated projects rather than reacting later. "There's going to be a lot of hubbub in terms of setting the tax rate," he said, urging planning for schools, public safety and other infrastructure ahead of demand.

Tucker raised energy as a key constraint on growth, saying that expanding power capacity and strengthening the grid may be necessary and that the county should explore "the potential for a power plant, yes, here in Pittsylvania County, or large-scale energy project" to ensure industry has reliable supply.

He closed by reiterating a call to community unity and purposeful growth that preserves farmland and rural character while expanding housing, tourism and cultural opportunities. "Pittsylvania County is on the move," Tucker said, and asked residents to work together as the county pursues further economic development.

The address contained announcements and policy direction but did not record any formal votes or board actions; Tucker identified priorities for the board and staff and signaled further work on tax-setting, infrastructure planning and energy options.