Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010

Garner looking into missing fire department money

GARNER -- A Garner fire department employee has resigned in the wake of an audit that showed thousands of dollars missing from department coffers, town officals said Wednesday.

Leaders declined to release the amount of money missing or the name of the employee who resigned, citing an ongoing investigation.

The Raleigh accounting firm James A. Lucas and Co. noticed the missing funds during a routine audit of the fiscal year that began in July 2008, said Assistant Town Manager Rodney Dickerson.

Dickerson said earlier this week the amount in question could be about $10,000, but Mayor Ronnie Williams said the investigation has revealed an amount that is “substantially more.”

Garner police are preparing for a criminal investigation, said Chief Brandon Zuidema.

The town, fire department and Wake County emergency management officials are working together to look into the missing funds, Dickerson said.

“It will take some time to complete the investigation,” he said.

Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue is not a department of the town, unlike most town fire departments in Wake County. But the department depends on tax money. Its $3.1 million budget comes from Garner’s fire tax and Wake County.

The department has 36 paid employees, said Fire Chief Phil Mitchell, who declined to comment further Wednesday.