The state auditor has completed a special investigation of the non-profit association created to support a southwest Iowa fire department. The Corning Volunteer Fire Association was created in 2006 to support the activities of the volunteer fire fighters in the community. Eight years later, city officials found out the proper paperwork hadn’t been filed with the I-R-S, so the group didn’t quality as a non-profit.

That means the funds it raised should have been considered city funds. Auditors say the money should only have been used for fire department operations. Instead, nearly four-thousand dollars was improperly spent during that eight year period on fitness club memberships for volunteer fire fighters and almost 17-hundred was spent on holiday parties.

The association got all its paperwork in order a year ago and now qualifies as a non-profit group. That means it can spend its money on fitness and social activities for the fire fighters.

(Radio Iowa)