Fireman’s association funding to be withheld

Undocumented expenses uncovered

After a state audit revealed close to $250,000 in undocumented expenses for the Castle Shannon Volunteer Fireman’s Relief Association, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said he will withhold futurestate funding to the association.

Mr.DePasquale also has asked the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office to investigate the association with the emphasis on potential improperspending and mishandling taxdollars.

According to the auditor general’s state management guidelines, volunteer firefighters’ relief associations are separate legal organizations that are affiliated with volunteer fire departments or fire companies. Relief associations are funded by a statutory disbursement of foreign fire insurance tax funds, which are dispersed to the local municipality and forwardedto the relief association.

The audit, which covered the years 2013 to 2016, discovered the $249,873 in expenses that included $129,100in checks made out to “cash” as well as $59,524 in improper bonuses and $2,841 in payments to amusementparks.

“I have serious concerns over the handling of tax dollars,” said Mr. DePasquale in a Feb. 1 news release. “I have asked the district attorney’s officein Allegheny County to investigate this matter to determine if furtheraction is warranted.”

Mike Manko, spokesman for the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office said “my only comment would be that we are in possession of the information from the auditor general and we are reviewing that information.”

The audit also found nearly $1 million in 31 previously undisclosed accounts where the relief association’s funds and its affiliated fire company’s funds may have been combined into one fund.

There were accounts that were titled to the relief association while being registered under the Castle