[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6164216,"mediaKeyId","5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5","parentId",5430258,"title","Board extends Tompkins Cottage lease to Mathews County Historical Society for 25 years","audioSeconds",456,"startMs",10275000,"endMs",10731000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5&start=10275&end=10731","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5/thumbnail_10275000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6164216/Mathews-County/Virginia/Board-extends-Tompkins-Cottage-lease-to-Mathews-County-Historical-Society-for-25-years","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164216-fe23fa01dac29b0085dde426f4045b11/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509145&Signature=FgvHlSv2737QXkfjJExexEugWeXdfDlGM2NFDJfelMHgfaciNcB~BB4s-A6vpRjGnjqpGJXR3xp0ezp3hcApv7Yzh5FTszjfjE4PorDUDY3b7j6HmeCC4w4ezgCqZzBrgqmRgQExDFMz0-EeuNLCpLae8aoZuPUruIInCk14RtuuJIKiYMKHMltWPgxIKLKjTVFmE7Ap8djxZsMzoM9gHW1D6ppcz765TNJPU-8iizM-yesW~NexGhYl06ZVZslKOOpQ4ykkOeWSGfVeUT4X6k7Mf3-uuj4L~kmUzvyUQU~vdS8gJ61UsWF7QOKKvYo-wCALERt6llripnGnVAtMnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Matthews County, VA","date","2025-07-19T23:11:02.427Z","article","Mathews County supervisors voted to extend the lease for Tompkins Cottage to the Mathews County Historical Society for a 25-year term, effective Jan. 31, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2051.

Why it matters: the society has operated the Tompkins Cottage museum since 1969 and told the board it is actively pursuing grant funding and raising private match dollars to elevate the 1820-era structure above the flood zone and stabilize the building.

Society presentation and preservation plans

Members of the Mathews County Historical Society described museum operations, docent staffing and visitor counts. The society reported nearly 1,100 visitors in 2024 and said the cottage is open during the farmers market and other special events. The society said it has raised about $25,000 toward a capital campaign and has applied for grants to lift the cottage and mitigate ongoing damp and flood damage; society members asked the board to renew the lease so preservation work can continue.

Board action

A motion to approve the 25-year lease extension passed on roll-call vote after a minor typographical amendment the board agreed the county attorney would correct. The board chair thanked the society and commended its stewardship of the cottage.

Ending

The society will continue fundraising and grant applications to support a planned elevation project. The board asked staff to finalize the corrected lease form for signatures and to coordinate any related preservation agreements with the society.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 17th, 2025 Board of Supervisors Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved a 25-year lease extension with the Mathews County Historical Society for Tompkins Cottage, citing ongoing preservation work and pending elevation/grant efforts.","taxTitle","Mathews County, Virginia","taxId",73645,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164223,"Sheriff urges board to pursue state grant to restore two school resource officers",446,5949000,6395000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5&start=5949&end=6395","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5/thumbnail_5949000.jpg","/articles/6164223/Mathews-County/Virginia/Sheriff-urges-board-to-pursue-state-grant-to-restore-two-school-resource-officers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164223-5cb5f422ed66aeafce474e54dcae3260/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509145&Signature=EoYpEst9ERq6wALocAYuLlhpWxGaUaQ5VWvsbvIcFJOF2aUunVNFCMiY60BdiMc0sigajCmSRBFwpiheg5W7azXArMvxg-rclZV9z59zYPqG3Ifk9uL6BumLiz-GHZtdE-jL-7m4NFhi22yZg7s3ZeaBqIKBrI~QqIh2~uUzsi4BHFuX0w4Voe6rNsIvou8O~MItXmfFfUzJMHvkzQV8uyJeV8nV2cbe6MHbwB6Fzle2o1azho0Yc44bfSRJSLY-LEBKvQo7A294hs3q2g-EOYXFrFZb7kQpnX6SSuvoJk0wOyLhYFep8C0InORti89VoH-3VF5GDkvtcByoDRsIJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff April Edwards told Mathews County supervisors the county cannot continue to rely on a single school resource officer (SRO) to serve all three public schools and urged the board to consider a state grant to fund two SRO positions.

Edwards said Sergeant Hill has been the SRO for the three schools since 2017 and handled \"every crime, every investigation\" in the school division. She told the board the workload is now excessive: \"Last year alone ... I believe there was approximately, if not more, 100 threat assessments conducted across all 3 schools for last school year.\" She said one person cannot meet that demand and that investigators and deputies are logging extended hours responding to violent incidents and homicides in 2025.

Grant opportunity and funding constraints

Sheriff Edwards said the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) issued a grant solicitation that would fund up to $100,000 per SRO position, but the county's required local match is tied to the state's local composite index and will not fully cover ongoing costs. \"They will fund up to $100,000 per SRO position ... the state will give us 41,000 per each position,\" she said, adding that items like uniforms and equipment can be included in grant budgets to help reach the figure.

School leaders back increased SRO presence

Dr. Daniel, superintendent of Mathews County Public Schools, and the school board chair said they held a productive meeting with the sheriff and school staff to work through communication and operational issues. The superintendent said the school division supports increased SRO presence; the school board chair said her board has \"always wanted 2 SROs, 1 for each building\" and encouraged the Board of Supervisors to consider supporting a grant application.

Board response and next steps

Supervisors asked staff to review the grant materials provided by the sheriff. The sheriff asked for a meeting before August 13, the DCJS application deadline, if the board wanted to consider pursuing the grant. Several members said they would review the packet and return with questions.

Ending

The sheriff said she would absorb initial equipment and uniform costs but asked the board to consider how to meet ongoing local-match obligations if the grant is awarded. The board did not vote on funding at the meeting but agreed to continue discussions to determine whether to apply for the grant.","Sheriff April Edwards asked supervisors to consider a state DCJS grant that could fund up to $100,000 per SRO position and urged local match to secure two officers to serve Mathews County schools.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164228,"Board approves emergency IT contract, authorizes RFP and directs termination notice to current provider",394,5298000,5692000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5&start=5298&end=5692","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5/thumbnail_5298000.jpg","/articles/6164228/Mathews-County/Virginia/Board-approves-emergency-IT-contract-authorizes-RFP-and-directs-termination-notice-to-current-provider","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164228-5cb0e1a1bed914d692ba2f989e7ba680/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509145&Signature=ZrR-UFhI4FFXQQ47adPb6of~548tdSOMK4VI1SoJRDqhTnBbYtlDix4uSIRNz74CcTxRlUtdKehV~UDgZExFXHBkzyjYxk6XbaozZJSMMnjWyk3~Eo4~M4CPxVA-iz0zo5XFoobTpDke3EcprRZn42LnEx28KYB7aBkUxphTM8OQGRZ4tNPbhmIm3KAf7a4vc~U8uzDaRNhTEpIQUNXJ2E7GTAffRONxeM--vtqtuFsBS2OTxvl18QjzeCKA34gMjJeCDFC0bcEWk~drmsJgKDqj0HkNhD09Eo-8IuVHsLskF5y4uaYztweOByuVnaK7GYhQTTmtv9FWKoNttRjXMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mathews County supervisors voted to approve an emergency procurement contract for interim information-technology services and authorized a formal request for proposals (RFP) to select a permanent provider.

Why it matters: county officials told the board the county's backup, data and connectivity were at risk and needed an interim vendor while a competitive procurement is completed.

Emergency procurement and termination

County staff said an emergency contract was necessary to maintain functioning internet, backups and critical services while the county prepares a new competitive procurement. The board approved awarding an emergency contract to CNC Enterprises (Fairfax, Virginia) as a temporary measure; the board directed staff to advertise an RFP for IT managed services.

The board also voted to send a termination notice to the county's incumbent provider. After a motion, supervisors recorded a roll-call vote approving issuance of a termination letter to the incumbent, which the county attorney said was appropriate given procurement irregularities discovered in the existing contract file.

Scope of the forthcoming RFP

Supervisors approved the RFP language as submitted with one change: on-site support will be specified as 32 hours per month at variable intervals, \"each interval not to be less than 8 hours,\" instead of a fixed weekly day. The RFP will request managed services proposals that include routine on-site coverage and emergency response provisions; staff said an RFP will follow standard procurement rules and allow the current provider to compete.

Votes and next steps

Board roll-call votes in the meeting recorded approval of the emergency procurement, the motion to send a termination notice to the incumbent provider, and authorization to issue the RFP. Staff said they will issue the termination notice and publish the RFP, and that a formal competitive process will select the longer-term provider.

Ending

The board emphasized continuity of services and transparency: the emergency contract buys time for a public RFP that will allow multiple firms to bid for county IT work. The board asked staff to return with procurement timelines and any required transition plans.","Supervisors approved an emergency procurement to renew critical IT services, voted to send a termination notice to the existing vendor and authorized a public RFP for managed IT services with specified on-site hours.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164233,"Mathews County supervisors defend abrupt closure of Hole in the Wall restaurant; public urged to weigh sale",7236,550000,7786000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5&start=550&end=7786","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5430258-0e9081052085312ae8198783157884a5/thumbnail_550000.jpg","/articles/6164233/Mathews-County/Virginia/Mathews-County-supervisors-defend-abrupt-closure-of-Hole-in-the-Wall-restaurant-public-urged-to-weigh-sale","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164233-9959fb21cac659cd4b560063ec2c7eb1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509145&Signature=OshPKHE0PHxBVxt8FrWu7B887nrqYi9B~3VJzJzquY8DzEEHs8GR4emfLb4-NeliRet-uyw3o6VUYPaSlkqHoS~p8aVuK9c3vlIPhvA9q3flnDSXNLxArSS13AHXXaKKx1HWjMK-WjNpG8GXoD1hFm~4JwRakoWQIA1hUUQlqoc9A7TWWtQsQS0cb3NlTKsWXMnqf~plw3sKn8rp3KBR~ycfdjSm~6ca5brsnTZt5tiS8vm0seidRX0TGVR8DyMmLDsNpil5CNS-zyTBRENIbfIijoqrOEmH~zcdWEpraZAxS32KYDWzTxcXVCglacLd1RbfSw~1E024dAGmUbcPvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Tim Doss and members of the Mathews County Board of Supervisors faced more than two hours of public comment Thursday after the county abruptly closed and padlocked the Hole in the Wall restaurant following a county attorney recommendation to terminate the lease.

The hearing opened with a detailed defense of the action by Chairman Tim Doss, who said the board’s 3–2 vote last week to follow the county attorney’s recommendation was based on unpaid rent and long-running health and septic problems. \"Even though the decision was immediate and harsh, I chose to move forward with the county attorney's recommendation, which ended the lease. The tenant does have an option to enter into a licensing agreement and reopen,\" Doss said.

Why it matters: the dispute touches property-management, public-access and fiscal questions for Mathews County. Residents, restaurant employees and supervisors offered competing views on whether the county should have sought a court ruling instead of using what some supervisors called \"self-help\" to enforce the lease.

Board debate and legal concerns

Supervisor Tom Bowen, who opposed the immediate action, told the meeting he believes the board increased the county's exposure by locking out the tenant rather than first asking a court to rule on whether the lease default procedures were properly triggered. \"They have taken on a tremendous gamble with your taxpayer money,\" Bowen said, urging a civil filing as the prudent first step.

Supervisor Janice Phillips and others also criticized the speed and notice given before the closure, saying the county should have provided formal written notice to the tenant and allowed more time for negotiation.

Costs and contract history discussed

Chairman Doss read a breakdown of county expenditures tied to the property and operation of the restaurant. He listed the following totals from FY2018 to FY2025: NextGen (engineering/consulting) $68,000; exterior deck $20,044; Miller's septic service FY2018–FY2021 $99,597; engineer services $39,703; pump-and-haul FY2021–FY2025 $205,044; outside law firm $277,288. Doss said that, after subtracting reimbursements of $74,255 and CARES funds of $88,044, \"that leaves a total impact ... of $547,379\" to Mathews County.

Several board members and members of the public noted the county also receives meal-tax revenue; Doss said meal-tax revenue for FY 2025 totaled $370,669 but that Code of Virginia §58.1-3 prevents disclosing how much a single business paid.

Public comment and community impact

Dozens of citizens and multiple employees of Hole in the Wall urged the board to reopen the restaurant or sell the building to its operators. Manager Tom Sawyer said the restaurant supports 34 employees and described the business as a community institution: \"We have 34 employees who depend on this work ... Sell the building. Let us stop having the taxpayers unreasonably pay for our septic.\"

Tenant Michael Casale (\"Mac\") said he negotiated in good faith and that he terminated a prior lawsuit so discussions could proceed: \"I purposely terminated my lawsuit so I could talk to [Tom Bowen] ... I believed that I was negotiating in good faith.\" Several speakers asked the board to rescind or pause the lockout while parties negotiate a sale or licensing agreement.

Board direction and next steps

The public hearing was intended in part to collect input on whether the county should sell the building. The board did not take a new final action on the lease at this meeting; supervisors debated options that include selling the county-owned building, seeking a court judgment on the lease, renegotiating a license with the tenant, or installing replacement septic tanks paid for by the county to reduce ongoing pump-and-haul costs.

Chairman Doss and multiple supervisors said staff and legal counsel would continue to work on options; no timetable for a final decision was adopted during the meeting.

Ending

Speakers at the microphone reflected the county split: some urged the board to protect public land and retain the boat ramp and parking, others urged a practical solution that would restore jobs and preserve the restaurant. Supervisors said the issue would be revisited at a scheduled follow-up meeting on July 31, 2025.","Supervisors reviewed last week’s emergency action that ended the restaurant’s lease, heard hours of public comment and dozens of proposals for resolving septic, legal and ownership questions. Chair Tim Doss says the county followed the county attorney’s recommendation; other supervisors said the board bypassed the courts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board extends Tompkins Cottage lease to Mathews County Historical Society for 25 years

Sheriff urges board to pursue state grant to restore two school resource officers

Board approves emergency IT contract, authorizes RFP and directs termination notice to current provider

Mathews County supervisors defend abrupt closure of Hole in the Wall restaurant; public urged to weigh sale