Lower Burrell’s Kinloch fire company satisfied most issues in state auditor general’s report

Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 (Kinloch) has satisfied two of three issues flagged in a routine state auditor general’s report.

In an audit covering Jan. 1, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2020, the Auditor General’s Office concluded that Kinloch’s relief association had unauthorized expenditures, inappropriate ownership of a rescue vehicle and an inadequate financial record-keeping system.

The issues were caused by documentation and financing for a firetruck bought in 2014, according to the audit.

The truck purchase and financing was a part of previous audits where no issues were found, according to Ted Hereda, Kinloch’s fire chief and vice president.

After meeting with representatives from the Auditor General’s Office earlier this year, the expenditures and truck ownership issues were resolved, according to a revised report released late last month.

“We knew we were going to get it handled,” Hereda said. “It’s over and it’s done.”

The fire company explained the details of the truck purchases and provided extra documents to the auditor general, according to Hereda and an updated audit report.

The remaining issue — inadequate financial record-keeping — will be resolved this year, Hereda said.

The bookkeeping issues will be taken care of because there isn’t a lot of activity in the account subject to the audit, Hereda said.

“We run, maybe, three or four checks out of the account in the audit, with the majority of money paying for the fire truck,” Hereda said.

Lower Burrell Councilwoman Brandy Grieff said she was happy the audit was reviewed with two deficiencies resolved.

The state audit is independent of the city governance over the fire departments, she said.

The city contracts with the fire departments for fire services, and they are independent nonprofits, Grieff added.

As the councilwoman overseeing public safety, Grieff plans to dive into the finances and safety standards of the city’s two volunteer fire departments.

Grieff said she wants to take a fresh look at the departments in general.

She is not considering consolidating them.

“It’s not on my radar,” she said, “because both fire departments have to want a merger, and that has not been presented to me in any fashion.”

She is in the process of meeting with both fire departments and gathering information from them.

“My goal is to make fire departments efficient, effective and safe,” she said.

For example, she wants to examine the fire training standards for both departments.

Grieff wants to take a closer look at finances and help with the departments’ financial needs.

Financial reports are provided annually to the city, said Hereda and Mark Marmo, chief of Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3.

Both chiefs said they would give Grieff additional requested information.

In addition, she would like to involve the fire companies in more community events.