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Mathews County supervisors certify closed-session investigation; board says IT department will be eliminated and services outsourced
Summary
At a reconvened session Oct. 17, an unidentified Mathews County supervisor said the board certified a closed-session probe into Sheriff Edwards' concerns about IT support and that the county decided to eliminate its IT department and contract out services; details were described as confidential.
Unidentified Supervisor, a member of the Mathews County Board of Supervisors, said the board on Oct. 17 ordered an investigation after Sheriff Edwards raised concerns about IT support and that the county had contracted outside help for forensic and IT analysis. "On 10/17/2024, the Matthews County Board of Supervisors ordered that an investigation be conduct following statements of concern made by sheriff Edwards regarding IT support," the supervisor said during a reconvened session.
The supervisor said the county asked an outside firm to assist. The transcript includes two spellings of the vendor: "Citi Enterprises Incorporated" and "Censy Enterprises Incorporated." The supervisor said the vendor was asked to provide "forensic analysis and IT support." The supervisor also said the head of the county's IT department has since retired.
Because the investigation concerns the performance of county employees, the supervisor said the details are confidential. "Because the details of the investigation pertain to the performance of county employees, that information is confidential," the supervisor said.
The supervisor told colleagues the board had decided to eliminate the county IT department and to contract with the outside firm for IT services, citing cost and continuity. "Given that the board decided to eliminate the IT department and contract with Censy Enterprises Incorporated for IT services because it was cost effective and would provide uninterrupted reliable IT services to the county," the supervisor said.
At the end of the reconvened session, supervisors moved to certify that only the matters the board had identified in the motion regarding the closed meeting "were heard, discussed, or considered." Multiple supervisors said, "I sub certify." A motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the chair asked, "All in favor?" and voices answered "Aye." The transcript does not record individual roll-call votes or names for those motions.
The board did not provide further public detail in the recorded remarks about the scope of the investigation, the vendor's contract terms, or a timetable for implementing the change to outsourced IT services. The supervisor's remarks indicate the board views the investigation as an internal personnel matter and has already decided to change how IT services will be delivered, but the transcript does not show a formal, on-the-record vote adopting a contract at this session.
