After an extended contentious discussion, the Mathews Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday against a resolution to take part in an update of the county’s portion of the Regional Water Supply Plan, which was created under the auspices of the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission.

The vote effectively withdraws Mathews from the plan and leaves it without one unless the county develops its own, said Mathews County Administrator Mindy Conner in an interview Wednesday. The state has mandated that each locality must have a plan. The deadline is November.

The vote on the matter was 2-3, with chairman Jack White and supervisor O.J. Cole voting to continue participation and G.C. Morrow, Charles Ingram and Edwina Casey voting to withdraw from the plan. White briefly passed the gavel to vice chairman Ingram in order to second and argue for the motion made by Cole.

During introductory comments on the matter, White pointed out that Mathews resident Carol Bova and her citizens advisor...