By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
State auditors criticized Riverside Fire Authority for inadequate controls to verify that more than a half million dollars in radio equipment was used in accordance with the requirements of the grant which helped pay for them, according to a report released yesterday.
The fire department that protects Centralia and its surrounding area was responsible for administering the money that purchased communications equipment which was distributed among all fire districts in Lewis County in 2009.
The Washington State Auditor’s Office separately also made a finding that Riverside missed a federal deadline for an audit.
The two findings are related, Riverside Fire Authority Jim Walkowski said today.
“In order to submit your SEFA (Schedule of Expenditures for Federal Awards) you have to have the feds close out the grant, and the challenge was, the feds didn’t close it out,” Walkowski said. “When we realized that was going to happen, we contacted the auditor.”
In terms of the monitoring of the so-called sub-recipients of the equipment, Walkowski said Riverside neglected to list every requirement to the various fire districts.
There is no allegation of misappropriation of funds or equipment, Walkowski said.
The issue stems from an initiative from the Lewis County Fire Chief’s Association which helped secure a grant of $601,317 from FEMA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, according to the chief.
The new equipment to improve emergency communications between entities included about 300 portable radios, 90 mobile radios to go inside vehicles, 12 base stations and 39 mobile computers, Walkowski said, noting the particular numbers were not in front of him as he spoke.
Each fire district signed an agreement with Riverside about the responsibility for compliance with grant conditions, but upon being made aware of the deficiency, Riverside added further formal procedures to ensure compliance, according to the chief’s response to the auditor.
It was the first time Riverside had a federal grant which was passed through to sub-recipients.
More details and related issues can be found in the Washington State Auditor’s Office report.
Also released yesterday was a financial statements audit of Riverside for the year 2008 and a “close out” audit of Lewis County Fire District 12 for 2008.
District 12 and the Centralia Fire Department joined forces to create Riverside Fire Authority in early 2008.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter