Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 29, 1993 TAG: 9307290240
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN and NANCY BELL STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Goodman, who learned of the allegations through an anonymous letter to the town's police chief, was reluctant to discuss the specifics until the state police inquiry is completed.
Still, Goodman provided a record of Fire Department expenditures for fiscal year 1992 that was compiled by the town's finance director and given to Town Council.
That breakdown shows that $6,332 of the $18,398 raised by the volunteer department in fund-raising campaigns was spent on social functions, such as initiations and a Christmas banquet.
Another $1,477 was spent on a coffee service.
Fire Chief Barry Fuqua defended the expenditures as necessary perks of the job.
On Halloween, firefighters and their families are served supper so volunteers will be readily available to respond to emergencies. At Christmas, the department spends around $1,300 to buy toys for firefighters' children, gift certificates for wives and cash gifts to the chief and other department officers.
Occasionally, the department would buy breakfast for firefighters who had been out on a call, Fuqua said.
"There's no telling how many man-hours the volunteers have covered," he said.
The Fire Department's 34 volunteers are worth $1 million to the town, he said. The town also has four paid firefighters.
A list of expenditures has been provided to Town Council for the past two years but it has not been discussed publicly.
By comparison, Franklin County spends $2,500 on a Volunteer Appreciation Day for more than 435 volunteer firefighters and rescue workers.
Fort Lewis Fire Department spends between $1,800 and $2,000 for an annual dinner for present and former members, Chief Roy Crowe said.
Vinton Councilman Joe Bush said the amount spent on social events and even coffee is a small price to pay for quality firefighters.
"It doesn't seem odd to me," Bush said. "We ask a lot of those volunteers. You're asking people to turn out at 1, 2, and 3 in the morning. Guys are showing up at all times of day and night. For goodness sake, give them a cup of coffee."
Firefighters said they know they may have been paying too much for their doses of caffeine. They've now dispatched one of their own to buy coffee at the grocery store.
Some Vinton residents interviewed Wednesday said they stand by the firefighters.
"I don't begrudge them anything, even if it comes from community donations," said Wayne Lawhorne, a downtown repairman who puts little stock in the anonymous accusations. "It sounds like sour grapes to me."
Kaiely Lynch, a food vendor in Vinton who donates to the Fire Department, said, "I feel like, as much free time as they put in, they deserve" the perks.
"I think its rotten," said Juanita Houff, who has two sons in the Fire Department. "They deserve more praise. I definitely think there is malicious intention."
Vinton Mayor Charles Hill said ill-intentions aside, time would be better spent reaching a resolution of the allegations, which have left a cloud over the department.
"I think it is imperative that we find out if there is any validity to these allegations as soon as we can," Hill said.
Joan Furbish, Vinton's finance director for 2 1/2 years, said she compiled the expenditure figures from data provided by the Fire Department's treasurer.
"What I did was not an audit," she said. "This is a summary of financial records."
Furbish said Fire Department accounts involving donated money are not routinely audited, unlike money allocated to the department by Town Council. For fiscal year 1992, council provided the department with $158,911 for such things as new equipment, training and insurance.
The state police concern was prompted by a meeting Friday with Goodman and Town Attorney Buck Heartwell, who declined comment on the probe when contacted Wednesday.
"The Fire Department supported it," Goodman said. "They have nothing to hide."
Goodman learned of the allegations when a April 13 letter and several documents were sent to the office of Police Chief Rick Foutz. Lt. Bill Brown, who was sitting in for Foutz, forwarded the packet to Goodman.
Goodman, who has been town manager for just three months, consulted with Heartwell and decided an independent inquiry into the department's finances was necessary.
"We wanted it done by a professional organization," he said. "We wanted to make sure we have a complete report that looks at all the issues."
Goodman said he told Fuqua, the fire chief, last week that he was going to request the investigation. He said he talked to Fuqua in broad terms and did not discuss the specifics of the accusations with him.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***