Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for 29 Volunteer Firefighter Relief Associations in 25 Counties
Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for 29 Volunteer Firefighter Relief Associations in 25 Counties
HARRISBURG (March 27, 2014)– Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today announced the release of audit reports for 29 volunteer firefighter relief associations in Allegheny, Armstrong, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Clarion, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Delaware, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Luzerne, McKean, Montgomery, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Tioga, Venango, Washington, Westmoreland and York 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 for VFRAs with findings are available online using the links provided below.
Allegheny County
White Oak Borough 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.
Armstrong County
Washington Township VFRA – No findings
Berks County
Shartlesville 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: failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster and non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for insufficient bond coverage.
Bucks County
Morrisville VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for four findings: unauthorized expenditures, failure to maintain minutes of meetings, inappropriate ownership of rescue vehicle and inadequate relief association bylaws.
Plumstead Township 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: unauthorized expenditures, untimely deposit of state aid and non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain and complete accurate equipment roster.
Chester County
Avondale VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for four findings: undocumented expenditures, unauthorized expenditures, failure to maintain a complete and accurate membership roster and non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain complete and accurate roster.
Phoenixville VFRA – No findings
Clarion County
Rimersburg 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 maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster and failure to maintain minutes of meetings.
Clinton County
Avis Borough and Pine Creek Township VFRA – No findings
Columbia County
Bloomsburg 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 relief association bylaws.
Crawford County
Fallowfield 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: insufficient bond coverage and unauthorized expenditures.
Delaware County
Marcus Hook Trainer 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: failure to secure ownership in jointly purchased equipment and non-compliance with two prior audit findings for failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster and undocumented expenditures.
Jefferson County
Ringgold VFRA – No findings
Lackawanna County
Chincilla VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for four findings: undocumented expenditures, duplicate payment, insufficient bond coverage and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Lancaster County
Robert Fulton VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: undocumented expenditure, failure to secure ownership in jointly purchased equipment and non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Lawrence County
Taylor Township VFRA – No findings
Luzerne County
Jenkins Township VFRA – No findings
Newport Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: unauthorized expenditure, inappropriate ownership of rescue vehicle and inadequate relief association bylaws.
McKean County
Norwich 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: failure to maintain minutes of meetings and inadequate signatory authority for distribution of funds.
Montgomery County
Upper Frederick VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Northumberland County
Milton VFRA – No findings
Perry County
Duncannon 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: insufficient bond coverage and inappropriate ownership of rescue boat and trailer.
Snyder County
Perry Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster and non-compliance with prior audit recommendations for unauthorized expenditures and inadequate minutes of meetings.
Tioga County
Middlebury Township 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: non-compliance with prior audit recommendations for inadequate minutes of meetings, failure to maintain complete and accurate equipment roster and undocumented loans.
Venango County
Chapmanville VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for five findings: failure to maintain a complete and accurate membership roster, inadequate signatory authority for disbursement of funds, and non-compliance for prior audit finds for failure to maintain minutes of meetings, failure to maintain complete and accurate equipment roster and undocumented expenditures.
Washington County
Amwell 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 disclose related party transactions.
Westmoreland County
East Huntingdon Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: inappropriate ownership of rescue vehicle and failure to maintain a complete and accurate membership roster.
Yukon-South Huntingdon Township VFRA – No findings
York County
Dillsburg 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: insufficient bond coverage.
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