FARLEY, Iowa (KCRG) – The office of State Auditor Rob Sand did an annual audit and found that the Farley Fire Department needed to change some rules about how they buy and sell fire trucks.
The Farley Volunteer Fire Department sold a fire truck in 2022 and put the money from the sale in their own account instead of the city’s account, even though the city owns the truck. According to the law, the service is not part of the City of Farley.
Sand’s report says that during the fiscal year that finished on June 30, 2022, the nonprofit fire department sold a city firetruck for $85,000. The Auditor’s report says that city officials said the fire truck was bought with money raised through fundraisers.
The study says that the city should be in charge of selling the fire truck. Rod Kramer, the fire chief of Farley, says that the rule has been made better with the help of the state auditor’s office and the city and fire departments.
The office suggested a new rule that says the person who buys a fire truck from the department should pay the City of Farley. Next, the fire department will raise money and give the city the difference. The city will then pay for the new firetruck by writing a check to the seller.
In a statement, Kramer and Farley Mayor Jay Hefel said, in part, that “The City of Farley and the Volunteer Fire Department were working through new policies and procedures, recommended by the State Auditor’s Office, and have since put these into place.
These include how property sales are carried out.” There is a good working connection between the Fire Department and the City of Farley. All funds are tracked by both organizations, and no money has been wasted.
The report says that the Farley Volunteer Fire Department was formed in December 1968 as a legally different non-profit group.