Back-to-back board meetings were held in Mathews this week so members could work on prioritizing items in the county’s 2025-2026 budget.
Mathews supervisors held a meeting on Monday to hear requests for funds from outside agencies, while the planning commission met on Tuesday to discuss the proposed Capital Improvement Plan.
Representatives from 20 agencies and organizations laid out their needs to the board of supervisors, appealing for funding for everything from juvenile detention to children’s camps. Some of the agencies asked for level funding, while others sought to increase the support they receive from the county.
The largest requested increase came from the Merrimac Juvenile Detention Center, which requested $16,357 last year, but is seeking $58,437 this year. Mathews County Administrator Ramona Wilson, who represents Mathews on the center’s board, said the reason for the increase was that Mathews is detaining more juveniles for minor infractions.
Mathews Social Services Direc...