Last week’s sentencing hearing for former Goochland County Treasurer Brenda Grubb’s was a sad affair for all, in this observer’s view.

Although without a doubt justice had to be served, it was not a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, hearing the details of how an obviously unhappy, depressed public servant was enticed into sending hundreds of thousands of dollars of her own and Goochland County’s money to a likely fictional figure overseas.

Goochland Circuit Judge Timothy K. Sanner was seemingly unswayed by the testimony of the defense psychiatrist, who portrayed Grubbs as a vulnerable individual beset with health problems physical and mental, the latter not properly treated until after her arrest in February and suicide attempt in July.

One’s sympathies go out to her family, particularly her husband who has stood by her through it all. He testified at the hearing also, along with her son Jason and Rev. Tim Wilson of Perkins Baptist Church.

Yet, as the judge said in his sentencing statement, Grubbs did real harm to the county and people in it, not the least her immediate family but also others. He deemed prison time necessary.

And so did a sampling of Goochlanders we talked to later in the week (see story on page 2).

Coincidentally, the Board of Supervisors last week approved a legislative agenda (see story page 4) that includes a request that the General Assembly consider establishing minimum qualifications for the Constitutional Offices of Treasurer and the Commissioner of the Revenue, along with a plea for tighter controls on the operation of the Treasurer’s Office and the right to initiate an audit at any time, plus a request to enact legislation that requires a countersignature for wire transfers.

Those seem like reasonable requests and one hopes the county’s representatives in the General Assembly will write such a bill and carry it forward.

‘Tis the season

All the unpleasantness aside, however, it is the Christmas season and we hope everyone takes time out to celebrate with family and friends in whatever way they deem appropriate.
Despite the travails the county has been through, it’s still a great place to live and work, full of people of good will with their fellow Goochlanders’ best interests at heart.

With Christmas falling on a Sunday, we can just imagine the frenetic shopping that will take place this coming Christmas Eve.

As we count ourselves among those prone to chronic procrastination, you’ll likely find us among those desperate last minute shoppers, scouring the shelves for gifts we should have purchased earlier. But it will all work out one way or another, as it always does.

That said, we wish you and yours the best this Christmas.