If anyone needed a reminder of the importance of scrutiny by the voters of the candidates they pick in the privacy of the voting booth, last week’s report by the Auditor of Public Accounts should do the trick.

Some of the observations of the report, which records the turnover of accounts from former Goochland Treasurer Brenda S. Grubbs to Interim Treasurer Pamela C. Johnson, take one aback on first reading.

Not even considering the pending criminal charges against the former treasurer, it appears that the office was run for years without even the most rudimentary procedures one would have expected.

The language is plain.

“Basic controls and operational processes common to any Treasurer’s Office do not exist within this Office,” wrote auditor Walter J. Kucharski in his report on Internal Control Issues.

Numerous observations by the auditor make it clear that the office was run in a way no ordinary mom and pop business would likely have tolerated.

Literally jumping off the page is the line in the report that reads: “It is important that the Treasurer restrictively endorse all checks “For deposit only.”

Other deficiencies noted make it easy to understand the calls by some that the treasurer should have certain minimum qualifications to be allowed to run for the position, or that a different form of county government be instituted that would have an appointed treasurer.

But that’s not the case, so it’s left to the voters to evaluate the candidates based on what they can learn during the campaign season.

Maybe the disaster that used to be the Goochland Treasurer’s Office under Grubbs’ tenure will serve notice to voters that it is their responsibility to familiarize themselves with candidates for such a critical job.

But further still, perhaps the debacle will make plain just how important it is to insist on as much information as possible from candidates for any elective offices at every level.

Honesty, competence, dedication and good judgment are needed at every level in all offices, trumping all other attributes.

It’s up to the voters to make sure candidates elected possess them.

County draws visitors

Goochland farms served as host to two sets of visitors last week, as farmers from the Nuffield Scholars and attendees at the National Holstein Convention made separate visits to the county to learn more about what’s important to us all: producing food.

The busload of conventioneers who visited the Alvis Dairy Farm in Manakin-Sabot seemed mighty impressed at the recycling efforts of that operation, which the owners attributed to necessity as much as anything else.

And the six Nuffield Scholars, hailing from Australia, the U.K. and Ireland appeared impressed with the conservation and organic operation of Brookview Farm, also in Manakin-Sabot.

Just goes to show that although development is crucial, there’s still a lot to be said for the value of agriculture.