Mathews supervisors had a split vote during last month’s board meeting, held on Sept. 27, on whether to hold a public hearing on updating the county code to indicate the name change of the polling location for the Chesapeake precinct.
The Mathews School Board voted last year to change the name of the former Lee-Jackson Elementary School to Mathews Elementary School. Interim county administrator Sandy Wanner said during the September meeting that, while reviewing the county ordinance, he had noticed that the name of the polling place was incorrect. He said it needed to be changed to reflect the current name of the school.
However, supervisor Paul Hudgins questioned whether the time was right to be changing anything to do with voting at the polls. County Attorney Andrea Erard assured the board that it was acceptable, since the location wasn’t being changed, just the name.
Hudgins said he was puzzled about why the issue had been brought before the board of supervisors rather than the school board, since supervisors had no say in changing the name of the school.
“If we’re going to use the school as a polling place, we need to have the current name,” replied chairman Mike Rowe.
Supervisor Melissa Mason moved to change the name in the county code, and the motion passed 3-2, with Hudgins and supervisor Jackie Ingram dissenting.
The public hearing has been set for 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 25, in the Harry M. Ward Auditorium at Mathews High School.
Closed session
The board held a closed session during the meeting to discuss pending court cases involving the county. Named cases under consideration are titled G.C. Morrow vs Mathews County Board of Supervisors, JB Property Development LLC vs County of Mathews, County of Mathews vs JB Property Development LLC/George Jones and David Jones, and Michael and Elizabeth Stewart vs Mathews County.
The closed session was also for the purpose of consultation with legal counsel regarding code compliance and enforcement, enforcement of judgments and liens, and actions in detinue.
Prior to the closed session, the board voted on whether it would enter into a closed session to consult with legal counsel on the matters, and supervisors Hudgins and Ingram voted against the motion. They did not participate in the closed session, according to Rowe in a follow-up interview.
Rowe said additionally that the board recessed the meeting until 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18, at which time it will have a special meeting in the Harry M. Ward Auditorium at Mathews High School to select candidates to interview for the position of county administrator. He said the county has received 14 applications for the position. The vote on recessing the meeting was also 3-2, with Hudgins and Ingram dissenting.
Public comment
During public comment period, David Jones of Mathews told supervisors that he wanted an invoice on JB Property Development, the company he and his brother George own together. He placed a paper on the dais and said it was a three-year-old bill for which a check was cut, then “stuck in a desk drawer.” He said the debt had been paid by FEMA “and the only ones that didn’t get paid was my company.”
“I’m fully prepared for whatever you try,” he said.
In other actions, the board:
—Unanimously approved a motion to allow Wanner to sign memorandums of understanding with the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department and Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad permitting broadband towers to be built on their properties at Bohannon Station 2 on East River Road and the rescue squad building on Cricket Hill Road.
—Heard from Mathews County Schools Superintendent Nancy Welch that, in spite of a nationwide shortage of teachers, all county schools are fully staffed, including teachers, custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and other support personnel. “We’re in a good place,” she said.
—After a public hearing at which no one from the public made any comment, voted unanimously to revise the county’s ordinance governing the Economic Development Authority to allow for a membership of from five to seven members, rather than requiring a full seven members.
—Unanimously agreed to hold public hearings during the Oct. 25 meeting on two requests for No-Wake Zones, one in Callis Creek at the entrance to Stutts Creek, and one in Mill Creek, across the East River from Williams Wharf.
—Unanimously approved a budget amendment to allow $12,723 in unspent funds in the East River Boat Yard contract with design consultant VHB to be expended on design modifications for the boatyard. These would include changing the riprap revetment to a bulkhead, conducting a structural examination of the existing building, and establishing ADA boat trailer parking.
—Appointed Rowe to serve as the board’s delegate to the Virginia Association of Counties annual convention.
—Unanimously approved changing two board meeting dates because of upcoming holidays. The November meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 18 because of Thanksgiving, and the December meeting will be held on Monday, Dec. 13 because of Christmas.