Mathews brothers George and David Jones and their business, JB Property Development LLC, have filed a $1.55 million defamation suit against Mathews County Planning and Zoning Director Thomas Jenkins and the County of Mathews.

The complaint, filed in Mathews County Circuit Court on Feb. 26, states that “Prior to the events described herein, Plaintiffs had a strong reputation … for quality craftsmanship, timely completion of work, and overall good business character.”

However, according to the complaint, Jenkins told bonding company South Coast Surety Insurance Services Inc., which provides bonding services for JB Property Development, that the company had been delinquent in its work and was not meeting its scheduled timelines for completion, thereby defaming the plaintiffs.

The complaint claims that the information was shared with others, as well, further defaming the plaintiffs. It charges that, when a FEMA project on the Christian property on Morse Point Road was delayed “du...