But despite a vow to serve out his term as a regular voting member of the board, Matthews, a Republican, did not attend Wednesday's meeting.
Matthews declined to comment when contacted at his business, Keegan Mortgage, saying his attorney was seeking a gag order in the case.
"Yesterday was a sad day for Montgomery County, but today is a new day," said Hoeffel, who was named chairman Wednesday in Matthews' stead. "The county commissioners recognize the need to refocus on the important work of government ahead."
Whether that future should include Matthews, the two remaining commissioners declined to say.
"That's a decision he has to make on his own," said Castor, who has made no secret of his contempt for Matthews since the latter teamed up with Hoeffel in 2007 to edge Castor out of government control.
"If I were to suggest what [Matthews] should do, he might just do the opposite to spite me," Castor said.
Prosecutors allege Matthews lied in October to a grand jury investigating public corruption about his previous relationship with a Fort Washington title company that received contracts for government work. He has denied the charges and characterized the investigation as a political witch-hunt.
But the 69-page grand jury report unsealed Tuesday went further - painting an unflattering portrait of the government of Pennsylvania's third-largest county. Too often, it said, Montgomery County officials and civil servants ignored their own procurement policies, recklessly spent taxpayer money, and rewarded political cronies with plum positions for which they were unqualified.
While Matthews was steering the ship, a handful of other county employees - including Solicitor Barry Miller - were caught in the grand jury's dragnet. None, other than Matthews, faces criminal charges.
