A lower-than-projected enrollment and a drop in sales tax revenues created a difficult time for Mathews County Schools as the system approached the close of the 2013-2014 fiscal year, but the division still managed to end the year on budget.

“It’s probably one of the tightest budgets we’ve had to work with,” said schools superintendent Dr. David J. Holleran during last Thursday’s special year-end meeting, which was held in the school board conference room.

Holleran thanked a good administrative team at the schools and understanding teachers and other staff for not spending beyond revenues. The division “pinched a lot of pennies” and put off some expenses past July 1 in order to make the figures work.

School board member Lanell Jarvis singled out the work of Kristi Anthony, the division’s director of business and finance, in keeping the division on budget. “I know it hasn’t been easy getting through all this,” Jarvis s...