Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations in 21 Counties
Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations in 21 Counties
HARRISBURG (Feb. 22, 2018) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today announced the release of audit reports for volunteer firefighters’ relief associations in Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Clinton, Dauphin, Delaware, Greene, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mercer, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland and York counties.
The Department of the Auditor General examines volunteer firefighters’ relief associations, which receive state aid from a 2 percent state tax on fire insurance premiums purchased by Pennsylvania residents from out-of-state casualty insurance companies.
In 2017, $60.6 million in state funds was required to be distributed through funding municipalities to 2,521 VFRAs to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.
The full audit reports for VFRAs with findings are available online using the links provided below, others are available online at: www.PaAuditor.gov/audit-reports.
Allegheny County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: untimely deposit of state aid.
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: duplicate payments.
Sharpsburg VFRA – No findings
Beaver County
Ambridge VFRA – No findings
Berks County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: failure to deposit refund on insurance policy, inadequate relief association bylaws, and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Kenhorst VFRA – No findings
Ruscombmanor Fire Co. No. 1 VFRA – No findings
Bucks County
American Hose, Hook and Ladder VFRA – No findings
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: inadequate minutes of meetings and inadequate bond coverage.
Chester County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: inadequate relief association bylaws.
Clinton County
Woolrich VFRA – No findings
Dauphin County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for five findings: untimely deposit of state aid, failure to maintain bond coverage, failure to obtain a federal tax identification number, relief association cash accounts inappropriately registered under another entity’s name and federal tax identification number, and failure to maintain a complete and accurate membership roster.
Delaware County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for unauthorized expenditures.
Greene County
Clarksville and Community VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain bond coverage.
Lancaster County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: unauthorized expenditures.
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: insufficient bond coverage.
Lawrence County
Mahoning Township VFRA – No findings
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for four findings: failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster, failure to maintain meeting minutes, undocumented expenditure, and unauthorized expenditure.
Scott Township VFRA – No findings
Lebanon County
Union Hose Co. of Annville Relief Association
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: unauthorized expenditures and inappropriate pre-signing of blank checks.
Lycoming County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: unauthorized expenditure, inadequate financial record-keeping system, and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain minutes of meetings.
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: inadequate signatory authority for the disbursement of funds, inadequate minutes of meetings, and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Mercer County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: payment of Pennsylvania sales tax.
Schuylkill County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: untimely deposit of state aid.
Ryan Township VFRA – No findings
Susquehanna County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: failure to maintain minutes of meetings, insufficient bond coverage, and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Venango County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: undocumented expenditures.
Warren County
Lander VFRA – No findings
Russell VFRA – No findings
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: untimely deposit of state aid.
Washington County
Fredericktown VFRA – No findings
Valley Inn VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: untimely deposit of state aid.
Westmoreland County
Adamsburg and Community VFRA – No findings
Hempfield Fire Co. No. 4 VFRA – No findings
Sewickley Township Fire Co. No. 4 VFRA – No findings
York County
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to conduct annual physical equipment inventories.
Manchester VFRA – No findings
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Media contact: Mike Hoover, 717-787-1381
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