The Mathews County Board of Supervisors annual organizational meeting was held on Tuesday, with supervisors unanimously electing Tom Bowen as chair and newcomer Pat Beattie as vice chair.
Bowen recognized the leadership and commitment of outgoing chair Tim Doss with a special presentation, and board members appointed county administrator Ramona Wilson and deputy county administrator Judi Green as clerk and deputy clerk, respectively.
Adoption of the board’s code of ethics, bylaws, and rules of procedure were all tabled until the regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 15 after supervisors raised some issues with the documents.
Newly elected members David Walsh and Beattie asked that the word “equitable” be struck in the statement “Seek to find and use the most equitable, effective, and economical means for getting tasks accomplished,” stating that the word could be taken to suggest equal outcomes. Beattie said he would like more clarity.
Bowen questioned contradictory language in the bylaws that defines a majority vote in more than one way.
Doss said the board needs to come to a consensus about what decisions can be taken outside a meeting and which ones must be brought to a public meeting. Supervisor Janice Phillips agreed, saying there needs to be more deliberation about such matters and that any decisions made outside of public meetings must be recorded and made available to the public.
County Attorney Andrea Erard explained that the board can only take action by voting in a meeting. However, members can provide a consensus of opinion when the county administrator seeks direction on what the board wants her to do on a particular matter.
Bowen said that, as the chief operational officer for the county, the county administrator is responsible for everything getting done on a daily basis, and she can’t always wait for the monthly board meeting to make a decision on some matter that requires direction from the board.
Bowen said the rules of procedure, which were last adopted by the board in 2021, need to be made consistent with the bylaws.
The board adopted the same holiday schedule as the Commonwealth of Virginia and kept the meetings on the third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. in the historic courthouse.
Appointments were made to various local and regional boards and commissions, with new board members receiving assignments for the first time.
Walsh was appointed to serve as the alternate emergency services director; as liaison to the Mathews Broadband Advisory Board, the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, and the Mathews Economic Development Authority; and as representative on the Middle Peninsula Alliance and the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission.
Beattie was appointed to serve as liaison to the Mathews Community Policy Management Team, the Mathews Social Services Board, and the Mathews Planning Commission, and as representative to the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission and the Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority.
Phillips was appointed to serve as liaison to the Mathews Market Days Committee and as representative to the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center, the Virginia Association of Counties, and alternate to the Middle Peninsula Criminal Justice Services Board.
Doss was appointed to serve as emergency services director, liaison to the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department and alternate to the broadband advisory board, and as representative to the Middle Peninsula Criminal Justice Services Board and the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center.
Bowen was appointed to serve as liaison to the Mathews Main Street Committee, the Mathews Memorial Library Board of Trustees, and the Mathews Parks and Recreation Commission, and as representative to the Bay Consortium Workforce Board.
Wilson will continue to serve as deputy director of emergency services, liaison to the Mathews Community Policy Management Team, and representative to the Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority (where she is currently chairman), the Middle Peninsula Alliance, and Bay Consortium Workforce Board alternate.