COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. (WTVR)--While rifling through paperwork over the weekend, the Colonial Heights treasurer discovered she and four of her staff members may lose their jobs.
According to an executive summary of the agenda for a Tuesday night work session, council members, the mayor and the director of finance will discuss it.
"It totally caught me off guard,” said Colonial Heights Treasurer Joy Moore. She normally spends Presidents’ Day catching up on work that seems to pile up, but Monday she couldn't help but get sidetracked by news that city leaders are meeting to discuss cutting her job and the jobs of four of her staff members.
"My staff are devastated,” said Moore. “They are fearful for their jobs. I have a great staff; they’re great employees."
Right now, all money collected by the city comes through Moore's office. But as spelled out in the city council summary, the duties of the city treasurer are lined out and shifted to the director of finance. Moore says she had no idea the city could eliminate an elected position, and even further, go against a referendum she says is in place.
“There was a referendum on the ballot in 2004 when they were talking about eliminating the treasurer and commissioner of revenue positions,” she said. “It would’ve gone to a circuit court, but 66 percent of the voters said, ‘keep it.’"
The council, the mayor and director of finance are scheduled to meet at a work session Tuesday night. Moore says she will be there but because it's a work session, she can only speak if someone asks her a question. "I've been told I'm not allowed to speak, but I'll be there," she said.
CBS 6 did reach out to a few council members for their take on the issue, but was told they're not allowed to speak to the media unless the mayor grants approval. Both the mayor and director of finance were not available for comment. As Monday was Presidents’ Day, no one was in their office.
We will continue to follow this story.
