February 13th, 2015 by WCBC Radio
The long-awaited study of the financial practices of local volunteer fire and rescue companies was presented to Allegany County Commissioners during a Thursday work session. Dick DeVore, the director of the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services was joined by Rick Hoover of Turnbull, Hoover & Kahl and County Finance Director Jason Bennett participated in the presentation. The $16,000 study included face-to-face interviews with department representatives. The study was commissioned after financial problems at some local departments. Some of the troubles involved financial mismanagement and at least two involved criminal misconduct by individuals who were at the time department officers. The recommendations essentially focus on tightening up internal controls by having the finances handled by at least three individuals per department rather than one, and by potentially outsourcing for a professional CPA to be part of the process. Devore, as he has in the past, said he would hope all volunteer firemen and the departments are not stained by a few cases of fiscal mismanagement by a few individuals…
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