Funds distributed to the Coffee County Volunteer Firefighters Association and to eligible fire departments and emergency medical service squads with a written contract with the Coffee County Commission may only be expended for fire protection and emergency medical services, including training, supplies, equipment, and to purchase insurance including liability insurance to insure coverage of acts or omissions which are directly related to the functions of a fire department or emergency medical service squad which are committed by a fire department or emergency medical service squad and the personnel of a volunteer fire department or emergency medical service squad. The funds may not be expended for food, drink, social activities, or fund-raising activities. After receiving the funds, the fire departments and emergency medical service squads shall keep accurate records to verify that the funds were properly expended. Should the Coffee County Commission, in its sole discretion, find or determine that funds provided by this article have been improperly expended by any eligible fire department or emergency service squad, the department that has improperly expended funds shall return all funds improperly expended and in addition thereto shall pay a penalty equal to 10 percent of all improperly expended funds. At the discretion of the Coffee County Commission, any fire department or emergency medical service squad that fails to comply with this article may be deemed to have forfeited the funds generated by this article and shall be subject to Section 45-16-140.09.
Last modified: May 3, 2021