Excerpts from the HeraldNews.com:

Plainfield Fire Protection District Chief David Riddle said recently that he has told staff to stop buying certain items after he acknowledged the district may have misused public funds on purchases last year.

The action comes after the Edgar County Watchdogs, revealed that the fire district had, between August 2014 and November 2015, used more than $11,900 on what it deemed questionable purchases made on fire district credit cards. Those items included Christmas gifts, edible arrangements, flowers, massages, food, and parties.

“The changes are immediate,” Riddle said. “I’ve told staff that we’re not buying flowers or edible arrangements for immediate family members of those that passed away [among other purchases].”

Riddle also said he will be more involved with oversight of the district’s Foreign Fire Tax Board, which also was targeted by the watchdog group for spending more than $12,000 on 150 personalized blankets and throw pillows for staff and others in November and December.

Riddle said purchases such as the blankets and pillows, which were paid for by the board, will also stop immediately.

“That’s all we can ask for,” Kraft said about Riddle’s response to the watchdog group’s reports. “Except for maybe reimbursement [to the taxpayers] from whomever was doing the purchasing, we generally ask that they just quit doing it.”

The credit card purchases include more than $1,325 for the annual Turkey Raffle charity auction, $1,300 in Christmas gifts, $1,490 for a retirement party, $724 in edible arrangements, $165 in flowers, $714 for a hog roast, $67.99 for corncob pipes, $75 for massages, and $6,045 for food and parties.

Riddle said he agreed with some of the watchdog group’s assessment, noting that flowers and other gifts have often been sent to the loved ones of people who recently died. “I can make a case that some of these purchases support the fire department,” Riddle said. “But on the other hand, it may not be a good use of taxpayer money.”

Riddle became chief about a year ago, but he said he thinks the purchases were part of traditions started decades ago when the district was a volunteer agency.

thanks Dan

Tags: Plainfield Fire Department, Plainfield Fire Protection District, Plainfield Fire Protection District Chief David Riddle, questionable expenditures by fire district