By Anton Riecher
An audit of the Devine Volunteer Fire Department finances for the fiscal year 2022-2023 uncovered new details in the fraudulent misappropriation of more than $76,000 over a two-year period, resulting in the VFD office administrator being criminally charged last December.
Karl Goering, a certified public accountant with Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, referred to the fraud involved as being “very straight forward.”
“They were mainly just paying themselves outside the contract,” Goering said. “The bookkeeper was paying herself outside the contract in addition to what she was supposed to be paid.”
The audit, one of two ordered by Medina County Emergency Services District 2, was presented to the ESD2 board of commissioners during their monthly meeting Nov. 18.
Complete video coverage is posted on The Devine News’ YouTube channel.
Matt Bowers, representing the Devine VFD board of directors, notified the ESD2 board that a resolution to transfer control of the VFD operations to the ESD lacks only one signature to become official.
“Because there are issues that need to be addressed and we don’t appear to be able to, we have drafted a resolution of necessity and transfer that would basically give (ESD2) control of the board so that you guys can implement the new bylaws needed to accept and appoint the new board,” Bowers said.
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