Volunteer fire department in Mahoning Twp. audited

By MARY GRZEBIENIAK

news@vindy.com

HILLSVILLE, Pa.

Supervisor Vito Yeropoli said the Mahoning Township Volunteer Fire Department is undergoing an audit that the township had requested in January as a prerequisite before considering whether to give the department more financial assistance.

He said it has not been determined whether the township or the fire department will pay the $3,000 audit cost.

The township uses its fire-levy proceeds to pay only for major repairs and insurance on firetrucks and workers’ compensation for firefighters. The money is paid directly from the township and does not go through the fire department.

Township Fire Chief Poncho Exposito had requested more support from the township at January’s reorganizational meeting since the fire department’s budget comes from members’ fundraising efforts.

Exposito’s request followed his prosecution last year for misuse of a fire-department credit card, and he is on a six-month probation and taking part in an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. Yeropoli said the fire department has started only this year to issue annual reports.

In other business, supervisors hired Shadda Krull as township pool director at $50 per day. Pay rates were set for lifeguards at $7.75 per hour and for pool workers, $7.25 an hour.