City Council addresses $8,000 check error affecting Heartshorn Community Council payments

Richmond City officials are addressing a significant error involving the distribution of property tax rebate checks, which has affected thousands of residents. During a recent meeting of the Organizational Development Standing Committee, it was revealed that approximately 8,300 checks were issued with incorrect payee information, leading to confusion and potential financial discrepancies.

The city printed a total of 59,000 checks, of which 23,000 were mailed out. However, 5,200 checks were successfully recalled before reaching recipients. The issue arose when it was discovered that some checks were made out to property owners from the 2025 tax year instead of the intended 2024 recipients. This misallocation affected around 2,000 checks.

Finance officials acted swiftly upon discovering the error, halting the printing process and initiating an audit to ensure the integrity of the financial operations. The audit confirmed that the calculations for the rebates were accurate, but the wrong payee names were the primary concern.

As of now, 15,000 of the mailed checks have been cashed, and the city is working closely with financial institutions to verify the validity of these transactions. A stop payment was initially placed on the checks to prevent further issues, but this has since been adjusted to allow valid checks to be processed without disruption.

Looking ahead, the city plans to reissue the remaining checks after June 16, when the current checks will become stale. Officials anticipate that residents will receive their corrected checks by June 30, ensuring that the community is not further inconvenienced by this oversight.

This incident highlights the importance of accurate financial management and communication within city operations, as officials strive to rectify the situation and restore confidence among Richmond residents.