Audit: Copiague Fire District practiced poor record-keeping
Copiague firehouse seen on March 25. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
A state audit of the Copiague Fire District found the district reimbursed expenses without proper documentation and paid out thousands of dollars for invalid expenditures.
The audit done by the office of state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli looked at how the district handled cash disbursements for 2017 and 2018, and credit card purchases from Jan. 1, 2017, to Oct. 31, 2018. District officials said they have since made changes to ensure proper accounting. The district currently has a budget of $4.56 million.
Among the audit’s findings for cash disbursements: 18 claims totaling $33,446 were paid without an invoice attached; checks for 39 payments totaling $141,904 were deposited between one and 131 days before they were approved; 306 checks, totaling almost $2 million, had only one of the two required signatures; and payments totaling $3,190 were approved even though they were not valid district expenditures.
Among the invalid district expenditures was $2,899 for the purchase of auto parts for “vehicles that are not normally used by municipalities,” including a Kia and Nissan.
“When the Board fails to conduct a thorough and deliberate examination of each individual claim and the supporting documentation, it does not have enough information to determine whether the claims represent valid expenditures,” the state comptroller’s office wrote.
In the district's written response to the comptroller, Chairman Julian Wellington wrote that they were unable to verify the auto part claims.
“The Board has obtained reimbursement for these expenses from the employees assigned to the mechanics facility" and they were "disciplined for their actions,” he stated.
Wellington stated that since the audit, the district has "adopted an Internal Financial Control Policy” that incorporates most of the comptroller’s suggestions.
For credit card purchases, the audit found: 753 charges totaling $70,458 did not have receipts or invoices attached; 19 purchases exceeded the district’s travel meal allowance by $5,047; the board approved 28 charges totaling $5,786 for refreshments that were in violation of New York State Public Officers Law because the meetings were not public; and the board approved $1,488 in charges that were for non-valid purposes.
Among the charges was $1,524 for 14 meals at an Indianapolis steakhouse during a conference attended by 11 members which exceeded the district’s meal allowance by $699. Wellington wrote that the additional meals were for “officials from other Fire entities who were invited to the dinner to discuss Fire District business” and that officials will now reimburse excessive meal costs.
Wellington wrote that the public is now invited to the “work sessions” and has amended its credit card, meal and travel policies to ensure proper use of the cards.
“The auditors did a great job,” Wellington told Newsday. “They pointed out some things that we clearly missed and we made sure we put some processes in place to ensure that we don’t miss anything going forward.”
Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
