By Rusty Marks
The Charleston Gazette
INSTITUTE, W.Va. — State legislative auditors have recommended that leaders of the Institute Volunteer Fire Department reimburse the state almost $1,800 and hire an independent accountant to look at all Fire Department books after discovering apparent fraud at the department in 2009 and 2010.
Legislative auditors released audit findings for the Fire Department’s 2009-2010 fiscal year on Tuesday.
According to the state audit, a former treasurer for the Fire Department allegedly wrote and cashed two checks totaling more than $1,200 out of the Fire Department’s accounts. The audit did not name the former treasurer.
Auditors also found a suspicious electronic bank transfer of $200 for which they could find no documentation. The misspent money came from state funds.
Fire department officials also illegally paid about $400 in cable television bills using state money, auditors found.
Auditors want the Fire Department to pay the money back, and suggested the department hire an independent accountant to look at all the Fire Department’s finances. They also suggested fire officials make sure all checks have two signatures.
The audit says that Fire Department officials agree with the findings and intend to abide by the auditors’ recommendations.
“We’ve got a new treasurer,” Institute Fire Chief Andre Higginbotham told the Gazette on Tuesday. “We’ve got an accountant working on the finances. We’re going to make sure we’re doing things right.”
Copyright 2011 Charleston Newspapers