Miller third contender to eye treasurer's seat

The third contender to enter the race for Pittsylvania County treasurer says his background in office management and banking makes him the perfect fit for the job.

Chad Miller, 35, announced Monday that he will run for the office.

The Dry Fork resident is the third candidate seeking to fill the vacancy left by former Treasurer Shirley Simpson, who died in May.

Kate Berger, who represented the Callands-Gretna District for four years until losing her seat to Fred Ingram last November, officially announced her bid earlier this month. Candidate Teresa Easley, a clerk for Pittsylvania County Circuit Court, announced her intention to run on May 27.

A special election is being held in November to replace Simpson.

Miller ran for commissioner of revenue and lost in 1999, but he said Monday that he’s gained knowledge and experience in the last nine years regarding the electoral process and how government operates.

Miller’s managed a Division of Motor Vehicles call center in Altavista in Campbell County for the last 18 months, overseeing a staff of 13.

In addition, he said he now realizes just how big the state’s largest county is — at 982 square miles — and will dedicate a lot of time and work campaigning door to door.

“That’s a lot of miles to cover and a lot of doorsteps, (and) that’s what I plan to do this time,” Miller said.

County voters like face-to-face campaigns, Miller said, adding that’s what he plans to give.

Miller said he also feels more confident in his campaign this time because the DMV and the treasurer’s office perform the same functions as far as collecting fees and taxes.

The DMV works with localities’ treasurers and commissioners of revenue, allowing them to place a hold or a stop on a person’s vehicle registration or renewal if they’re delinquent on their property taxes, Miller added.

He also has worked as a loan officer and branch manager at American National Bank, which he said provided him with experience dealing with people struggling to pay their bills.

“I know what it’s like to talk with the person who genuinely cannot pay,” Miller said.

He has an associate’s degree in marketing from Danville Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Averett University.

Miller, a minister at Union Chapel Community Church in Lynch Station, said he also has studied leadership styles and valuing individual differences under the Managing Virginia Program.

Miller said his No. 1 goal is to streamline the treasurer’s office, making its operation more efficient to improve customer experience and open up more time for extra training and cross-training employees.

Miller said he would explore the costs of starting a secured Web site so residents can pay their property taxes online.

In addition, Miller said he would examine the possibility of hiring a law firm to help the treasurer’s office with collections and tax sales.

Miller and his wife, Carrie Miller, live in Dry Fork and have two children – a son, Evan, 4, and a daughter, Ava, 1.

Contact John R. Crane at jcrane@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7987.