Members of the public packed the John Warren Cooke Room of Mathews Memorial Library last Thursday afternoon to listen to what candidates for the Mathews County Board of Supervisors had to say about a variety of issues.

Throughout the forum, which was sponsored by the Mathews County Woman’s Club, the three incumbents—Janine Burns, Edwina Casey and Charles Ingram—seemed to be on the same page with many of the issues, including the county’s comprehensive plan, while GOP challengers Patrick Beattie, Ruth Litschewski and Haskins Ramos, offered some differing viewpoints.

Litschewski said one of her major concerns is land use. "Very few of us are not in non-tidal wetlands," she said. The state regulations are extensive, she added, and the increased regulations are eroding property owners’ freedom.

Burns said it is correct that unfunded mandates are coming faster and faster. She said she doesn’t want the public to get the impression that Ma...