A support organization for Spring Creek Volunteer Fire Department has cleaned up a series of audit problems that stretch back more than a decade.

The Pennsylvania Auditor General’s office on Wednesday announced a clear audit of the Spring Creek Township Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association.

Relief associations are separate entities from the fire departments they support, according to the release.

“Relief associations provide vital support to Pennsylvania’s dedicated first responders,” Auditor General Timothy DeFoor said. “Our audits make sure state aid is used to equip and protect volunteer firefighters.”

The latest audit of the Spring Creek association was clean.

“Based on our audit procedures, we conclude that, for the period Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2021:

¯ the relief association took appropriate corrective action to address the finding contained in our prior audit report.

¯ the relief association, in all significant respects, complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws, and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds.”

A 2010 audit (the oldest available through the Auditor General’s website) of the association’s activities from 2006 through 2008 — representing just under $15,000 — came back with three findings:

¯ noncompliance with prior audit recommendation — insufficient officer’s bond coverage;

¯ inadequate signatory authority for the disbursement of funds; and

¯ failure to maintain minutes of meetings.

Audits from both 2013 and 2015 resulted in two findings:

¯ noncompliance with prior audit recommendation — insufficient bond coverage; and

¯ undocumented expenditure.

In a 2019 audit, the association had cleared up the expenditures, but was still found to be out of compliance with its bond coverage.

The Department of the Auditor General distributes state aid for VFRAs and audits how they use the funds, which are generated by a 2% tax on fire insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania by out-of-state companies. In 2021, $54 million went to 2,517 municipalities for distribution to VFRAs to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.

The Spring Creek audit was one of 25 state-wide released Thursday.