The Mathews Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to engage the Richmond firm Sands Anderson to provide the county with basic county attorney services.

Attorney Andrew R. McRoberts will perform the duties that county attorney Richard Harfst, who retires in June, has been handling, but he won’t be moving to Mathews and working full-time. Instead, McRoberts will work off a budgeted fee, billable at the rate of $250 per hour, with paralegal and clerk services billed at the rate of $150 an hour.

According to the contract, payment will be for a flat annual sum for up to a maximum of 300 billable hours at the $250 an hour rate, but the number of hours can be increased or decreased at the county’s discretion. The county will also reimburse McRoberts for out-of-pocket costs and expenses. The contract can be terminated by the county or Sands Anderson at any time, with or without cause.

The contract further states that McRoberts won’t be representing the Department of Soci...