Glade Creek volunteers report ISO progress; commissioners press for financial transparency

Tony Shepard, chair of the Glade Creek Fire Department board, introduced Chief John Bennett, who said the department is finishing preparations for a state ISO inspection and has certified about 28 water points in the district. Bennett said pre-planning for commercial structures and training and equipment work are complete and the inspection may occur in one to two months.

"We're in the finishing stages," Bennett said. He described a goal of placing a water point about every mile to reduce response times and noted that a rating improvement can lower homeowner premiums, though residents usually must notify insurers to receive that benefit.

The discussion then turned to governance and finances. Fire-department leaders described a new bookkeeping system using QuickBooks and a purchase-order code to track spending, an implemented fuel-card program and repairs to vehicle odometers used to manage maintenance schedules. They said an excavator purchased with an OSBM grant is already in service at the transfer station.

Commissioners raised longstanding audit and documentation questions. Department representatives said a house the department acquired underwent PFAS/PFOS water testing; recent results were clear, and the department intends to sell the property. Commissioners pressed for timely audit records after at least one audit year was previously missing; staff said auditors cannot finish without complete documentation and that department leaders are working to provide records to auditors.

Board members also acknowledged past legal costs from a lengthy animal-related court case that carried a $40,000 taxpayer cost; they said those events showed the expense of protracted seizures and litigation.

The board urged the fire department to proceed with the new bookkeeping and PO system, to provide requested documentation to auditors promptly, and to make bylaws and audit updates available at the next meeting. No formal sanctions were imposed; the board said it expects continued transparency and documentation to resolve outstanding financial questions.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff and the fire department to expedite audit documentation and promised to review bylaws and financial controls at the next meeting.