Audit: Gwinner Fire Dept. used public money for booze, food, golf

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A state audit of a rural fire department in eastern North Dakota found that it used public money to purchase booze, food and golf outings for its volunteers and staff. State Auditor Josh Gallion said Friday that the Gwinner Rural Fire Protection District spent more than $28,000 of public funds on alcohol, meals and golf trips from 2015 to 2020. Fire officials in the town of about 1,100 say the funds used for the purchases came from raffle ticket sales, and money was kept in a separate bank account than its general fund account derived from tax dollars. Gallion says any money received by such an entity is considered public money.

AP