The Mathews Board of Supervisors, at its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, voted 4-1 to borrow “no more than” $12.2 million from Atlantic Union to pay for capital needs. The resulting debt service will require an increase in the real estate tax rate of 2 cents per $100 of assessed value. The loan will refinance an existing $5 million interim loan, pay $3 million of funding to finish Mathews Volunteer Fire Department’s new Station 1, and finance an additional $4 million in capital projects. Supervisor Pat Beattie cast the dissenting vote. The vote followed presentations by County Administrator Ramona Wilson and the county’s financial advisor, Kyle Laux of Davenport and Company, as well as an extensive discussion among board members. Wilson listed all of the items that had been paid for with the $5 million interim loan that the board took out in March 2025, from a high of $1,580,770 to purchase the former Mathews Boys and Girls Club for reuse as the new fire station and pay for init...