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County administrator urges new safeguards and diagnostic audit for Chesterfield County Treasurer’s Office
Summary
At the Dec. 15 Finance Committee meeting, County Administrator Michelle Stanley proposed seven internal controls for the Treasurer’s Office and asked the committee to recommend a limited diagnostic audit to determine whether a full forensic audit is needed; the committee voted unanimously to forward the recommendations to full Council.
County Administrator Michelle Stanley told the Chesterfield County Finance Committee on Dec. 15 that she wants the Treasurer’s Office to adopt a set of tighter controls and reporting practices and asked the committee to advise full Council to request their implementation.
Stanley recommended seven specific safeguards: monthly reconciliation of all accounts with monthly reports to Council showing reconciliations; automation of all transactions; cross-training of staff; quarterly surprise audits of all cash drawers; the treasurer gaining a fuller understanding of office functions; routinely locking cash drawers and deposit bags; and depositing cash at the bank by the next business day. She also asked the committee to consider hiring a firm to perform a limited, diagnostic audit to identify specific issues and determine whether a full forensic audit is warranted.
Committee Member Bishop Johnnie McLendon moved to forward Stanley’s recommendations and the diagnostic-audit proposal to full Council; Committee Member Ethan Foard seconded. Voting was unanimous and the motion passed.
The motion and discussion were procedural recommendations to full Council; the transcript does not specify any timelines for implementation, nor does it state estimated costs for automation or the proposed diagnostic audit. The committee did not adopt any of the recommended controls as binding policy at this meeting—rather it voted to send the recommendations to the full Council for consideration.
Next steps: the recommendations will go to Chesterfield County Council for potential action; the transcript does not record a Council vote or a vendor selection for any audit firm.
