Virginia’s independent auditor of local jurisdiction finances, as reported by David Sherfinski in the online edition of the Washington Examiner tonight, has confirmed that the City of Falls Church is one of only three jurisdictions in the state that has so far failed to meet a Nov. 30, 2010 financial disclosure deadline without offering an explanation. Auditor of Public Accounts Walter Kucharski made the disclosure, saying, according to the Examiner, “We [hound] these people because we have no stick to [make them] do it on time. The only stick I have is to try to embarrass them.”

F.C. City Manager Wyatt Shields returned a call from the News-Press at noon Sunday stating that the City has, in fact, been in extensive talks with the state auditor recently about how to best include the uncertainties of the recent claims against the City by some Fairfax residents and Arlington County. He said “Our numbers were ready in November,” saying the delay has been due simply to clearing up the best means for reporting the uncertaincies.

The Examiner report quotes Falls Church’s new director of finance, Richard LaCondre, saying that “lawsuits filed against the city’s water system by Fairfax County residents who say they were overcharged are one reason the city has yet to comply with the auditor’s report.” But Kucharski is reported saying he’s received no such explanation, and that while a handful of other jurisdictions failed to meet the disclosure deadline, most notified the state explaining why. Only Falls Church and Hopewell and Wythe counties have been late without explanation, he said.