The Vertex Standard VX-354 is a nifty two-way portable radio,with 16 channels and a numeric display that identifies whoeverspeaks on the frequency.

The New Sight Volunteer Fire Department ordered six of them lastweek to begin replacing their old worn-out handsets, a discontinuedbrand with bad batteries. The New Sight firefighters have longneeded new radios, but with more than $24,000 missing from thedepartment’s account over two years, they’ve had to make do withthe old stuff.

“We never could figure out where the money was at,” said New SightVFD Chief Michael Beauvais. “We’ve never had new equipment, it’salways been hand-me-downs or borrowed from anotherdepartment.”

But New Sight is getting its gear in order now that the LincolnCounty Fire Association’s insurance company has reimbursed themoney stolen by former chief Mike Boyd, who was sentenced to threeyears in prison and restitution for the crime early in March. Boydhad written department checks to himself and pocketed rebate money,using public funds to pay his personal bills while leaving NewSight in a longtime money bind.

Beauvais said the restored amount – $24,356.25 – has been a boostfor the cash-strapped department, which for the first time has beenably to supply equipment to three new members.

“When that stuff was going on, we couldn’t buy any turnouts oranything like that,” he said. “But now we’re taking care of thatand getting the financials back in order.”

New Sight isn’t taking the reimbursement for granted, and stepshave been taken to make sure embezzlement never happens again. Thedepartment’s board of directors was liquidated and reconstituted inJanuary and Beauvais was named chief, and firefighter OrlandoLittle was named assistant chief.

Beauvais said treasurer Ruben Kahl presents the record books atevery department meeting for members to review, and the board mustapprove any purchase, no matter how large or small. Limitationshave also been placed on the department’s account, restrictingspending beyond a certain level, he said.

“We weren’t doing this in the beginning, and we never saw any ofthe bills,” Beauvais said. “Now we’re moving ahead as a departmentand everyone has to approve of what’s going on. Everyone is doingwhat they’re supposed to do.”

Lincoln County Fire Coordinator Clifford Galey said all volunteerfire departments follow similar protocols, with a mandatory monthlyreview of the books and quarterly and yearly financial statementsreviewed by him.

The same system was supposed to have been in place at New Sight,but somehow it was “sidestepped” under Boyd’s leadership.

“That’s part of the reason we found out what was going on, becausewe didn’t get the books,” Galey said. “In the scope of things,there’s approximately 200 volunteer firefighters out there. We’rethankful it doesn’t happen more often.”