Selectmen discuss fire department audit

WARE – Selectmen unanimously approved to put the proposals for the fire department operational and fiscal audit once again. In a continued discussion regarding the audit of the fire department, selectmen were presented a quote of $25,000 from one company that submitted a proposal by the July 2 deadline.

At the annual town meeting, the town approved an appropriation of $15,000.

The proposal the town received was from the Abrahams Group. According to an e-mail to Town Manager Stuart Beckley, Mark Abrahams President of the Abrahams Group, said the company has assembled a team consisting of both operational and efficiency experts with internal protocol in the Fire department field.

Beckley informed the board that there were several options – from changing the scope of the audit, to doing either the financial or fiscal audit separately or put it out to bid once again.

He added that is the board decided they wanted to do just a fiscal audit, that the proposal they received would not be preferable.

“If the preference is for a financial review,” Beckley said. “I don’t think this group is your group. This group is more operational.”

Selectmen Alan Whitney said if the board had to choose, he would prefer a fiscal audit.

“I think we should set one aside we would the operational one aside, most of the questions were financial part,” Whitney said.

Selectmen Tracy Opalinski added that she observed the payroll was not included in the scope.

“I also didn’t see part of this was payroll which is one of the largest expenses out of the $1.5 million is $1.3 million with the actual salaries and I didn’t see anything for ambulance receipts,” Opalinski said.

Whitney agreed and said there should be something for payroll and overtime.

Selectmen Keith Kruckas said he wanted to reiterate that the scope of the audit was at least five years.

Whitney proposed adding the additional categories of payroll, overtime and ambulance receipts, put it out to bid once again for a financial audit and see the proposed estimated costs of the audit.

“If they all beyond the $15,000 that was appropriated then I would shave it down,” Whitney said. “Most of the comments I’ve heard and had questions about are on the financial side.”

The board unanimously approved the motion.

Ware resident Cathy Cascio said she wanted the board to keep in mind that the majority of the fire department’s services were providing ambulance service.

“When we’re looking at companies, my thought process was, I know we don’t have a lot of money and maybe looking at a company that manages a very efficient ambulance service and having them take a look how everything is run and how things are,” Cascio said. “You would get both operational and money at that part.”

She also urged the board to consider both the operation and financial aspects of the audits.

Beckley said a local resident who is a former fire chief expressed interest in the public contributing thoughts about the audit as well.

“He felt there should be, as a part of the process or ahead of process, a discussion with the public to get their thoughts about what should be included in the audit. I know he’s willing to do that and I think it’s a good idea,” Beckley said.