Document from Copenhagen Fire Department suggests more possible financial woes in wake of 2020 audit

LEWIS COUNTY- The financial books for Copenhagen Fire Department were off in 2020 following a state audit, but a new document that has surfaced suggests the practice of disorganized book keeping may have continued through 2021.

This development is according to a new report from WWNY-TV.

The original department audit revealed $27,000 in finances that with “inadequate documentation.” However, according to this new document, signed by three fire department members in January, shows an audit for the end of 2021 and reports suggest the numbers are off by over $60,000 for three different accounts.

Fire Department Corporate President Jim Henry told reporters the new document in question is outdated and the books have been “reconciled 100 percent.”

On the other hand, Village Attorney Candace Randall confirms to have examined the document and has doubt that the books have been fixed completely, citing various bank statements and a QuickBooks report from the department, marked for June, 2022, that do not match.

Randall iterated as of this report that the fire department has yet to hand over its books for 2021, despite multiple requests.

Corporate President Henry claims he didn’t know the village had such request until seeing it on the news Monday night.