Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to evaluate the Company’s financial operations for the period January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013.

Background

The Minetto Volunteer Fire Company is located in Town of Minetto, Oswego County and provides fire protection services to the Town of Minetto and the Town of Oswego. The Company, which was founded in 1938, is governed by a six-member Board of Directors and has approximately 25 active members. Budgeted appropriations for the 2013 fiscal year totaled $128,000.

Key Findings

• We identified $22,618 in improper and questionable transactions, most of which occurred because neither the Board nor the membership reviews and approves claims prior to payment.
• The Board has not adopted a code of ethics as required per statute.
• The Board did not ensure that the Treasurer maintained records and reports that accurately reflected the Company’s financial activity.

Key Recommendations

• Require that each claim be properly supported by a detailed invoice, receipt or other documentation to prior to payments.
• Adopt a code of ethics to communicate the expected standards of conduct.
• Maintain complete financial records that include a running cash balance, perform bank reconciliations and ensure that monthly reports include budget-to-actual amounts, cash receipts and disbursements and cash balances.