The Towamensing Township supervisors are considering pulling their funding from the township's fire department if they don't select a new chief, and agree to improve their bookkeeping.

The township has been looking for more transparency from the department.But there do not appear to be any issues with the money appropriated by the state for fire service in the township, according to the state Auditor General's office's most recent audit, which was conducted in 2013.The state does regular audits of the township's firemen's relief association, an organization that is legally separate from the fire company, but pays for its insurance and other functions using money appropriated by the state.State auditors are expected to do their routine audit of the relief association later this year.In the most recent audit, covering Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2011, and completed in October 2013, the auditor general's office found that the relief association's accounting practices were in compliance with state law.They did observe, however, that the department did not use checks that require two signatures, which would provide tighter control over its expenses.The supervisors have recently been looking into the department's finances, conducting an audit that they presented at their April meeting.The township is only required by law to supply workers' compensation insurance for the department. But many donate more.Earlier this year, they audited the fire company's financial statements for 2014. The auditor found that there were several "material weaknesses" in the way that the company accounts for its funds - namely that they did not maintain tapes in the cash registers during its bingo events.The supervisors recently sent a letter to the department threatening to withhold any future funds - outside of the legally required workers' compensation - unless they appoint a new chief and submit a plan to correct the accounting issues.An ordinance they passed in December gives them the power to reject or approve the chief.In 2015, the township gave the department a $5,000 cash donation and $16,393 in in-kind services.The deadline imposed by the township passed April 7, but the supervisors ultimately did not vote on the decision.The board's next meeting is May 5.