Funds paid to eligible volunteer fire departments and the association shall only be expended for fire protection, including training, supplies, and equipment. The funds may also be expended to purchase insurance, including liability insurance, to insure coverage of acts or omissions which are directly related to the functions of a volunteer fire department which are committed by a volunteer fire department or the personnel of a volunteer fire department, or both. The funds may not be expended for salaries, food, drink, social activities, or fund-raising activities. After receiving the funds, the volunteer fire departments and association shall keep accurate records to verify that the funds were properly expended. By September 15th of each year, the departments and association shall file a form with the county commission detailing the expenditure of all funds during the previous 12 months. The filing shall also account for all unspent funds and whether the unspent funds have been obligated. The county commission shall supply the accounting forms to each eligible volunteer fire department and the association. Should the Houston County Commission, in its sole discretion, find or determine that funds provided by this article have been improperly expended by any eligible volunteer fire department or the Houston County Volunteer Firefighters Association, the department or association that has improperly expended the funds shall reimburse and refund to the Houston County Commission, the funds found by the county commission to have been improperly expended and in addition thereto shall pay a penalty amount equal to 10 percent of all improperly expended funds. Any volunteer fire department that fails to comply with this article, at the discretion of the Houston County Commission, may be deemed to have forfeited the funds generated by this article and shall be subject to Section 45-35-140.09.
Last modified: May 3, 2021