NC Dept. Asks County to Pay Bills to Keep Station Open

Hubert Volunteer Fire Department has no money to pay “current and future bills” after Onslow County withheld funding until the nonprofit generates a certified audit, according to county documents.

To alleviate the department’s money pinch, Onslow County at its next meeting will be asked to consider $36,980 in tax-based funding for the agency as a one-time outlay.

The department generated an audit that cited lack of receipts for hundreds of thousands of dollars — and the audit was not completed by a certified accountant. The county requires all independent fire departments to provide audits by certified public accountants. The department’s latest audit checked finances through June 30, 2015, and that uncertified document reported $171,504 in “unclassified income” and $285,721 in “unclassified written checks” at the nonprofit fire station.

“An audit is now expected within the next two weeks,” according to the agenda item for the meeting 7 p.m. Monday at the government center in Burton Park. Onslow County Board of Commissioners placed the matter in its consent agenda.

“However, continuing to withhold funding would result in the termination of utility service to Hubert VFD, default on equipment loans, or other negative consequences,” according to the agenda. “As a stop-gap measure, the county manager has approved reimbursing Hubert for July and August mandatory expenditures from funds previously allocated to Hubert VFD but being held in reserve. This partial payment is based on an audit of the VFD conducted by the county’s own internal auditor.”

The agenda continues: “The payment of July and August bills is no promise of future payments.”

The payment also would not substitute the required audit by an accountant, according to the agenda.

“However, in light of the anticipated imminent receipt of an audit, it keeps the fire department functional,” according to the agenda.

Onslow County Emergency Services Director Norman Bryson declined to comment on details of the requested funding and asked The Daily News to coordinate questions through county spokeswoman Riley Eversull, who said she did not immediately have information regarding the situation but was working to find details late Tuesday.

“I’m not going to talk about it at this moment until we can get Riley on board with this,” Bryson said. “A recommendation has gone to the (Onslow County) Fire Rescue Commission. It’s now a process that goes before the board of commissioners.”

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