During a recent routine audit of the Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department, Inc. (GVFRD, Inc.) for the fiscal year July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009, some GVFRD, Inc. funds were discovered missing. The employee alleged to be involved has resigned. At GVFRD, Inc.’s request, the bookkeeping and check writing functions have been taken over by an independent accounting firm.

The GVFRD, Inc. is a privately chartered organization, governed by a Board of Directors, which contracts with the Town of Garner and Wake County to provide fire service in the town limits and fire/rescue service in the remainder of the Greater Garner rural service area. GVFRD, Inc. is not a Town or County department. However, they do receive over $3 million in funding from tax payer funds. Because of the involvement of public funds, The Town of Garner and Wake County believe that a fiduciary responsibility to examine this fully exists and will see that a thorough investigation is conducted.

The amount of missing GVFRD, Inc. funds appears to exceed $300,000.

A full criminal investigation is now underway. Town of Garner Police Chief Brandon Zuidema has asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to take over the investigation. SBI has accepted the investigation and will begin on the case immediately.

It appears that the SBI investigation will take several weeks to complete.

The independent auditing firm for GVFRD, Inc. and GVFRD, Inc. personnel and GVFRD, Inc. board members are cooperating fully with investigators from the SBI, Town of Garner, and Wake County.

Town officials stress that there will be no impact to Garner and Wake County fire service response and delivery.

In an effort to avoid hindering the investigation, there will be no further statements from Wake County, Town of Garner, or Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Inc. concerning the SBI investigation.