Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for 16 Volunteer Firefighter Relief Associations in Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Columbia, Cumberland, Fayette, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Luzerne, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties.
Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for 16 Volunteer Firefighter Relief Associations in Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Columbia, Cumberland, Fayette, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Luzerne, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties.
HARRISBURG (Feb. 6, 2014) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today announced the release of 16 audit reports for volunteer firefighter relief associations in Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Columbia, Cumberland, Fayette, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Luzerne, Schuylkill and Westmoreland counties.
The department’s Bureau of Firefighters’ Relief Association Audits examines volunteer firefighter relief associations, which receive state aid from a two-percent state tax on fire insurance premiums purchased by Pennsylvania residents from out-of-state casualty insurance companies.
In 2013, $72 million in state funds was required to be distributed through funding municipalities to nearly 1,950 VFRAs to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.
The full audit reports are available online using the links provided below.
Allegheny County
Blaine Hill 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 for insufficient bond coverage.
Gill Hall VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: insufficient bond coverage, failure to adhere to relief association bylaws and failure to disclose related party transactions.
Berks County
Union Township 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: inadequate internal controls.
Bucks County
Warrington VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: untimely deposit of state aid and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for inadequate meeting minutes.
Columbia County
Montour Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for six findings: failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster, inadequate meeting minutes, inappropriate pre-signing of blank checks, inadequate financial record-keeping; and noncompliance with two prior audit recommendations for untimely deposit of state aid and failure to maintain complete and accurate membership roster.
Cumberland County
North Middleton VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.
Fayette County
Allison No. 1 VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for five findings: inappropriate ownership of funds, inadequate signatory authority for disbursement of funds, failure to maintain meeting minutes, failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster and failure to maintain bond coverage (a repeat finding).
Huntingdon County
Huntingdon VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contacts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: insufficient bond coverage and inadequate meeting minutes.
Lackawanna County
Whites Crossing 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 for insufficient bond coverage.
Lancaster County
Columbia VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.
Liberty VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.
Lawrence County
Hickory Township 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: failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Luzerne County
Sugar Notch VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.
Schuylkill County
Porter Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: untimely deposit of state aid and insufficient officer’s bond coverage.
Westmoreland County
Delmont VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.
North Belle Vernon 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 for an unauthorized expenditure.
# # #
Return to search results