The Mathews County School Board closed the financial books on the 2016-2017 school year during a special end-of-year meeting held last Thursday in the School Board Office Conference Room.

Board members approved the year-end claims and pored over the final expenditure and revenue reports for the school/fiscal year. The 2016-2017 budget stayed in the black, and some last-minute purchases were made to address relatively minor capital needs.

Among the year-end claims was $33,922 to Fleet Brothers Inc. for the purchase of a tractor used for snow removal; $29,062 to Tom’s Paving & Sealing LLC for paving the school parking lots (they will finish up the work at Mathews High School on July 8-9) and $5,299.99 to Mathews Lawn and Garden for a riding lawnmower.

Superintendent of Schools Nancy Welch said the tractor being taken out of service will eventually be put up for public auction.

The school board has set aside $75,000 in unanticipated revenues to go toward the purchase of a ne...