An employee in the Mathews County Treasurer’s Office tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, requiring temporary closure of the office as employees quarantine for 10 days. The Commissioner of the Revenue’s office, which is in the same building, will be closed, as well. There are four employees in each office.

A press release from Mathews County Administrator Mindy Conner said that the staff for both offices will be working remotely and will provide information on the website and social media on how the public can conduct business.

“This communication with the public is critical in light of the Dec. 5 due date for taxes,” said Conner.

Treasurer Wendy Stewart said in a press release that the offices will be closed until Friday, Dec. 4. During this time, she said, “the Treasurer’s Office employees will be committed to continuing services to the public to every extent possible.”
Stewart asked that people who need to communicate use staff email addresses, which are listed on the county website at www.mathewscountyva.gov/directory.aspx?did=20. She said that taxes can still be paid on time via the drop box outside the treasurer’s office or by mailing them in.

Residents may also pay online with a debit or credit card, said Stewart, at the website officialpayments.com/index.jsp. Due to the emergency closure of the office, Stewart said the convenience fee for paying with a card will be absorbed by the county from Nov. 24 through Dec. 7.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause,” said Stewart.

Commissioner of the Revenue Les Hall said that employees in his office had DMV appointments scheduled, and they’re working to reschedule them. He said his office is “trying to take care of people as much as we can,” but because the computer system he uses is hardwired, his employees can’t currently work from home.

Mathews County Director of Technology Chuck Huntley said in an email that he is working on a way for the employees to continue to work by remotely accessing their computers from home.