Mayor Levar M. Stoney said “under 30 checks” were found by officials in the Department of Finance on the desks of employees during audits in early August, during a press conference held in the lobby of City Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

This is a violation of city policy that requires desks to be clear of any checks or documentation with taxpayer information, according to the mayor.

Stoney noted the checks were a small percentage of the “over 71,000” processed in City Hall yearly, but made clear this discovery was “unacceptable.” He didn’t confirm what disciplinary actions were taken for the employees who left the unsecured checks on their desks, only saying that “accountability has occurred.”

Businesses and taxpayers who had written the unsecured checks have been contacted to ensure everything is in order and to resolve any issues, according to Stoney.

“Our policy is that your desk must be clean – period,” Stoney said. “Residents trust us, and they trust us with their information, and protecting this information remains our top priority.”

Despite this and other, long-term challenges present before he took office, such as understaffing, shifting leadership and outdated technology, Stoney said work to improve the Finance Department has gone well. Financial and audit reports are being turned in on time annually, departmental processes are being streamlined, and staffing has increased from 101 employees to 151.

A major focus has been recruiting high-skilled employees for the office, helped in part by the restructuring of the Department of Human Resources that has contributed to improved employee performance, according to Stoney.

“We are setting a standard and fully embracing a culture of continuous improvement,” Stoney said.

Stoney also had praise for the custodians at Cardinal Elementary School and the Richmond Fire Department, whose quick actions helped mitigate damage when the school was struck by lightning Monday evening, causing the roof to catch fire.

Stoney pledged his support to Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras, emphasizing the importance of the classroom environment but also noting the necessity of laptops and virtual learning options for the 800 students.

“(Kamras) has to find solutions ensuring that our kids get back to the learning environment as quickly as possible,” Stoney said, “And we stand ready to help in that endeavor if needed.”

The city continues to address issues surrounding the meals tax, with Stoney saying that a total 604 businesses have been reviewed so far, with 279 qualifying for some form of relief and contacted by officials.

As of Tuesday, 132 reviews were completed so far this week and the City was waiting to hear back from remaining businesses that have been contacted.

Other topics discussed included efforts to improve FOIA compliance and accountability, the impact of COVID-19 on RPS bus drivers and the successes of the Mayor’s Youth Academy and the Office of Community Wealth Building.