Fire District ironing out audit discrepancies

POMEROY––Findings on a State Audit that is in process were answered with additional information provided by Garfield County Fire District No. 1 in the weeks since the January meeting, Commissioners Terry John, Gary Bowles and Aaron Stallcop heard at the February 9 regular meeting.

District Secretary Deedee Weymouth said she was able to find the information pertaining to the missing paperwork for the inappropriately established Revolving Fund. Auditors had questioned the Revolving Fund, which had been set up at US Bank by former chief Kris Darby.

“I’ve been able to produce all but one of the receipts that they’d asked for from the Revolving Account, and I haven’t heard anything more from them since I’ve that so I’m hoping that we’ll be able to finish it up,” she said.

Another audit question pertained to the use of a consultant. Weymouth was also able to obtain information concerning the Small Works Roster, which included a consultant that the District employed, Wombat. The information was supported by minutes which contained a recommendation from Public Works Director Grant Morgan, and the approval of that recommendation by Commissioners.

“I’m hoping that they [auditors] will take that as why we picked him and show that he was on the Consulting Small Works Roster,” Weymouth said.

Chief James Cleveland pointed out that the original problem was that the consultant was on the County’s Small Works Roster, and although the Fire District used the County’s Roster, it did not have an interlocal agreement with the County. “In theory we should have one of our own, or enter into an interlocal agreement,” Cleveland said.

Weymouth advised that the interlocal agreement is a possibility and will be explored when Morgan and Cleveland set a meeting to discuss the matter. “We can tell the State Auditor that we are putting that in place,” Weymouth said.

Commissioners unanimously approved a relationship with American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI) for first aid classes as a partial community service, with the provision that Fire District personnel’s time is covered with a small revenue potential.

The District affiliated with ASHI for the Advanced First Aid class, Cleveland said. The Institute is the third largest company providing this training in the United States. “We’re now set up where we can teach first aid, BLS [Basic Life Support], CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation], AED [automated external defibrillator] and Advanced First Aid,” Cleveland said. “Per event, they are a relatively inexpensive choice on a course-by-course basis, and pretty easy to work with.”

Cleveland said he brought up the topic because he was hoping the District could teach classes to other agencies and the private sector, keeping the cost low for government agencies and charge more for private companies to make up the difference in the District’s time, effort and expenses.

“What I was going to suggest was for public entities such as the Hospital District and Sheriff’s Department, $10 per student, which more than covers the cost and gives us a few dollars on the side,” Cleveland said. “For private entities, charging $20, which should, as long as we have a reasonably sized group, it’ll pay for the person’s time, and if it’s one of our employees, it’ll pay for cards and should cover everything.”

Cleveland says the training costs should be well below the costs found elsewhere, and should help the community and the Fire District.

Stallcop asked how an instructor would be supplied, and Cleveland said the idea at the moment is to have the instructor teach while on shift. Cleveland said he wouldn’t worry about being compensated for his time, but suggested possibly a training stipend could be agreed upon for Weymouth, and amounts could be discussed at a later time. The District’s other full-time employee, Kyson Fruh, is not an instructor at this time.

Weymouth stated that she would have time to instruct while on shift with the understanding that if there’s a call, she would take it.

“That seems like almost a disservice,” Stallcop said. “If we’re going to do it, we should be committed to getting the class, that we’re going to offer the class, we’re going to get through it and we’re going to have coverage.”

Weymouth said initial plans are to hold classes on Monday during the day, which is possible with the latest schedule.

“If the instructor is already on duty,” Cleveland said, “then obviously we’re not going to pay them additional.”

In other business:

-The District has received two unemployment claims, one from former chief Kris Darby and one for Zach Hyer. Weymouth noted that approval/denial paperwork hasn’t been received.

-Commissioners noted the recent retirement of Brad Gingerich after 41 years of service, and acknowledged that Gingerich and a few other volunteers deserve a retirement celebration. Cleveland and Weymouth were directed to pursue the matter.

-Regarding finances, Chairman John advised that expenses may reduce the cash balance to around $30,000, but he said the consensus was to wait until March to see what amount of tax dollars, and ambulance fees are received.

-Previous discussions about gifting the decommissioned Asotin ambulance to Lewis Clark State College in exchange for tuition is being worked on and Cleveland reported he anticipates receiving the paperwork soon.

-Cleveland updated the Commissioners on the officer training program.

-Five firefighters are scheduled for a live burn training on February 20 in Lewiston.

-Two firefighters are planning to take the Instructor I class to be able to teach classes in-house.

-Cleveland is working on possibility of a training prop, containers that are set up as a burn building for training.

-COVID: All in the department who wanted the vaccine have received it.

-Ambulance has been on hand at the local vaccination clinics.

-Washington State Rating Bureau will visit at the end of March. Ratings are performed every five years. Cleveland expects the county to remain at seven although his goal is to reduce the rating to five (on a scale of 1-10). The Bureau evaluates dispatch, water systems, the Building Department, how the district is equipped and other factors. The rating impacts insurance rates of structures within seven miles of the station; outside of seven miles, the rating is 10, Cleveland said.

-Cleveland is working with Asotin County to borrow additional SCBAs to adequately equip the engines.

-Calls in 2020 counted 306 total calls, including 18 fires, 260 medical calls, nine vehicle accidents and 19 other calls. Medical calls in 2019 were higher because the first three months of 2020 experienced virtually no calls. Cleveland anticipates the numbers will return to normal.

-Cleveland asked if the District would pay the $250 fee for his paramedic recertification. Being certificated has no treatment advantage in the field but will help with training opportunities, he said. Commissioners unanimously approved the expenditure.

-Commissioners held a 20-minute executive session to discuss personnel and adjourned without further action.