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Council restores $635 to South Foster Volunteer Fire Company after letter raises discrepancy
Summary
After a letter from South Foster's treasurer flagged a discrepancy in post‑town‑meeting allocations, council members debated whether volunteer departments have separate bottom‑line budgets and ultimately voted to transfer $635 to restore the company’s intended allocation.
The Foster Town Council addressed a complaint from South Foster Volunteer Fire Company about a small discrepancy in its annual allocation following the recent financial town meeting.
A letter read into the record said the department expected $124,000 (with quarterly payments of $31,000) but received $30,841.25; the letter ended with the signatory, "Thomas Walden, treasurer." The discrepancy (about $635 for the year) prompted questions from council members and members of the public about whether the financial town meeting's votes created a single public‑safety bottom line or separate bottom‑line budgets for each volunteer department.
The town solicitor's written opinion was discussed; the solicitor's office stands by an opinion that certain volunteer organizations operate as separate entities with their own bottom‑line lines. Council members debated the history and intent of the June 13 motions and the administrative handling of leftover funds. To resolve the matter, the council voted to transfer $635 from the town's incentive account to the South Foster distribution to reconcile the intended amount. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.
Council members also asked for better documentation going forward so that allocations and any leftover funds are clearly accounted for and publicly traceable.
