On Nov. 19, the Chesterfield County Finance Committee voted to recommend that the full county council authorize a full forensic audit of the treasurer’s office after Treasurer Fred Harris told the committee that staff departures and software-integration problems have left the office unable to complete the year-end reconciliation required by the county’s auditors.

The committee’s recommendation, passed on an oral vote, asks the full council to request a forensic review that would include participation from the state treasurer’s office and an outside party referenced in the meeting as “Lehi.” The committee added the audit discussion to the meeting agenda as an exigent item after members said an audit deadline was approaching.

Harris told the committee that turnover in the bookkeeping role and a difficult transition between accounting systems have created persistent reconciliation problems. “I’m not an accountant,” Harris said, describing the office’s struggle to integrate QS1 with the county’s general-ledger software and to retrain staff after successive bookkeepers left. He said he had contacted an accounting firm in Camden and that two individuals, Tracy and Shane, could come in immediately after Thanksgiving to assist with finishing the audit work.

Committee members pressed Harris on whether the office could complete the reconciliation without subcontracting. A member recalled that the county previously paid roughly $20,000 for outside support and asked whether taxpayers would again shoulder that cost. Harris said he did not see a scenario in which the office could meet the auditors’ deadline without outside help unless a key employee (referred to in the meeting as Allison) remained on staff.

Several members voiced frustration at recurring management and training shortfalls. “The buck stops, you know, with leadership,” one committee member said, noting repeated promises to cross-train staff that, in their view, had not been fulfilled. Harris accepted responsibility for the problems and said he is pursuing staffing and process changes to strengthen the office’s back-office operations.

The committee moved into executive session to discuss employment matters related to the treasurer’s office, citing a local code provision during the meeting. After the closed session, the committee returned to public session and passed the motion recommending a forensic audit to the full council; the committee indicated the full council would consider the recommendation at its next meeting.

The committee also approved adoption of the amended agenda and minutes from the Aug. 18 meeting during the Nov. 19 session. The meeting concluded after the committee voted to adjourn.