The Mathews County Board of Supervisors adopted the county’s $31 million FY2023-2024 budget during its June 27 board meeting, but failed to adopt several budget amendments proposed by County Administrator Ramona Wilson. The requested amendments were instead tabled for possible future action.

Two of Wilson’s requests for amendments drew objections from some of the supervisors, who expressed disapproval of Mathews Commissioner of the Revenue Les Hall’s late request for salary increases for three of his employees, and who questioned Wilson’s request for an IT assistant for administration and the sheriff’s office.

Wilson explained to board members that, when compared to employees in the same positions in other localities, the Mathews commissioner’s office employees are “very underpaid.” She suggested a 5 percent county increase on top of the expected 5 percent state increase, plus a lump sum increase, as well. She said the concern is that the county will lose employees if they don’t...