Mutual fire relief association flagged in audit; president says changes being made

Thomas Bartley, president of the Volunteer Firemans Relief Association of Mutual, said that the department is working to remedy audit findings recently released by the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General.

The auditor general’s review of the relief association’s finances for January 2020 through December 2023 — which was released in June — said the group did not take action to correct prior audit findings and were not compliant with applicable laws and procedures.

The audit determined that there was no corrective action taken to address an unapproved $405 spent in the prior audit period. Auditors recommended that the relief association be reimbursed. Association officials said that the affiliated fire company reimbursed the relief association $405.

Bartley said he was not president of the association when the audit took place. Bartley said he was told he needed to resubmit the receipt, and has since sent that information in to be reviewed.

The audit also determined that the association made a payment of $15,000 under a lease-purchase agreement to finance the purchase of a pumper truck, but the lessee named on the agreement was the affiliated fire company. The relief association must maintain ownership of all equipment purchased by it to provide protection over all relief association assets.

Auditors recommended that the relief association be reimbursed. The relief association indicated they will take action to comply, but their compliance will be monitored because of the potential withholding of state aid until compliance.

Bartley said that the group transferred the money from the fire department to the relief association’s account and the correct documentation has since been turned in.

The audit determined the association was unable to provide adequate supporting documents for four expenditures. Auditors recommended that the relief association be reimbursed or provide the department with documentation. The relief association indicated they will take action to comply.

Bartley said the reason the association had issues finding the correct documentations was because the filing cabinet was unorganized. He said he has rearranged the files for easier access.

The correct receipts were found and turned in, he said.

Since becoming president, Bartley has enacted that three versions of a receipt be saved: a laminated physical copy of the receipt, a photo of each receipt which is placed in a specific folder on a computer, and a physical log of expenditures that is signed by two trustees.

“I am making the necessary changes for us moving forward,” Bartley said.