Chesterfield treasury staff explains checks & balances - NBC12 - WWBT - Richmond, VA News On Your Side

Chesterfield treasury staff explains checks & balances

By Ben Garbarek  - bio | email
Posted by Terry Alexander - email

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) – Some local treasurers are feeling the heat in the wake of embezzlement charges filed against the former Goochland County treasurer. Today, the man in charge of Chesterfield's finances went before the board of supervisors to explain the safeguards in place. 

After the accusations in Goochland, Chesterfield officials wanted reassurances that the county has sufficient safeguards in place. Chesterfield Treasurer Richard Cordle says his office is an open book. 

"I don't take offense at it. I consider it a great privilege to be able to go to the citizens and go to the board and say, 'you know what, come in and have a look,'" said Cordle. 

Cordle says he was angry when he first heard about Grubbs' arrest, knowing the case could cause worries in other localities. 

"We all get painted by that same brush of doubt and suspicion when something like that happens and I feel like we work so hard to ensure the integrity of what we do for our citizens that when something like this calls into question what we do, them's fighting words," he said. 

Cordle explained to board members the series of internal and external audits that are in place to make sure every county dollar is accounted for. 

"In God we trust, all others we audit," Cordle said. 

Cordle says the advantage of having a larger staff in Chesterfield is having more people checking what comes to or from his office.

 "It's much better to prevent than detect so all of our policies and procedures have been geared toward preventing these procedures in the first place rather than trying to figure out how to close the barn after the horse got out," he explained. 

The treasurer says the audits and other checks and balances have been in place for decades, not just in light of Grubbs' arrest. Grubbs resigned earlier this month. Her trial is set to start in mid-May. 

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