Mathews school board members and supervisors presented a united front last week in a plea for the state to ease up on educational mandates and to let officials in Richmond know the effect that further budget cuts will have on small systems such as Mathews.

A large delegation from Mathews, including the chairmen of the two boards, took part in last Thursday’s meeting of the Virginia Board of Education, which was held in the James Monroe Building in downtown Richmond.

"In a small division, these cuts in funding cut deep," superintendent of schools David J. Holleran said after speaking at the meeting. "The decision makers of the county were in attendance" to state their case, he said.

"I appreciate the show of solidarity," school board chairman John Persinger said. The county and school system still have more tough financial times to navigate, and "the only way to do it is by working together," said supervisors’ chairman O.J. Col...