Oklahoma § 19-901.56 - Effectiveness of section - Coordinator defined Consideration and determination of need of financial assistance Certification - Distribution of monies - Expenditures

§ 19-901.56. Effectiveness of section - Coordinator defined Consideration and determination of need of financial assistance Certification - Distribution of monies - Expenditures

A. The provisions of this section shall become effective when

funds are made available for such purpose. Upon the availability of

such funds, the State Department of Agriculture shall notify the

coordinator of such available funds.

B. For the purposes of this section "coordinator" means the

rural fire coordinator in each rural fire protection coordination

district as defined in Section 901.61 of this title.

C. Upon notification of the State Department of Agriculture

pursuant to subsection A of this section on or before the last day

of June of each year that funds are available for such purpose, the

district coordinators shall consider and determine the relative

needs of participants for monies in the Rural Fire Protection

Program Fund. Participants shall include incorporated cities under

ten thousand (10,000) population according to the latest Federal

Decennial Census, towns, and legally formed rural fire departments.

Based upon the information available to him, the coordinator shall

certify to the Commissioner of Agriculture the names of the

incorporated cities, towns, and legally formed rural fire

departments which he determines are in need of financial assistance

from the Rural Fire Protection Program and the amount required by

each in accordance with the provisions of this section. In making

this determination and certification, the coordinator shall consider

the intent and purpose of the Rural Fire Protection Program Fund

Act. No incorporated city, town or legally formed rural fire

department shall receive monies distributed from the Rural Fire

Protection Program Fund merely for the purpose of accumulation when

such monies are not required to accomplish the purposes of this

section.

D. In making such determination of needs, the coordinator shall

first determine that each fire department to be certified has been

duly formed under the appropriate state statutes.

E. On or before the last day of August of each year, the State

Department of Agriculture shall distribute the monies in the Rural

Fire Protection Program Fund in the manner provided by law.

F. Any amount so distributed from the Rural Fire Protection

Program Fund to any eligible participant shall be expended only for

the maintenance of its fire department, the purchase, construction,

maintenance, repair and operation of its fire stations, fire

apparatus and equipment, the purchase, rental, installation or

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 19. Counties and County Officers

maintenance of fire hydrants, the payment of insurance premiums upon

fire stations, fire apparatus and equipment, and insurance premiums

for injuries or death of fire fighters, as otherwise provided by

law. Provided, however, that no monies shall be expended from the

fund for any purpose relating to the water supply systems of any

participant, nor for the improvement or construction of such systems

nor for any other appurtenances relating to the distribution or use

of such water supply system. Monies so distributed from the Rural

Fire Protection Program Fund to any eligible participant may also be

expended, in an amount not to exceed ten percent (10%) of the

allocated funds or the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) in

the aggregate during any period of one (1) year, whichever is

larger, for the expense of any fire fighters attending a certified

fire school.

G. No amount so distributed from the Rural Fire Protection

Program Fund to any eligible participant shall be expended or

obligated for the purchase of land or the construction of buildings

for fire stations unless all obligations previously incurred for

such purposes and to be paid from monies distributed from the Rural

Fire Protection Program Fund by such eligible participant have been

fully paid and satisfied. No monies from the fund shall be expended

or obligated for the construction of buildings for fire stations

unless the participant proposing to expend or obligate monies

distributed from the Rural Fire Protection Program Fund for that

purpose holds fee simple title, not encumbered by any lien, or holds

a lease for a period of not less than ten (10) years, with

provisions for renewal of the lease annually, to the land on which

it proposes to construct any such building. Provided, however, that

this provision shall not prohibit construction or location of a fire

station on land donated in whole or part to the participant for the

purpose, and use of Rural Fire Protection Program Fund monies for

such construction or location, where the donor has reserved right or

reversion of such land under stated conditions, if such use be

appropriate and reasonable.

H. Amounts so distributed from the Rural Fire Protection

Program Fund to any eligible participant shall be expended under the

direction of the chief of the fire department upon duly executed

vouchers approved as required by law. In no event shall any such

monies to be expended for any purpose which does not relate to the

permitted purposes specifically stated in this section.

Added by Laws 1988, c. 294, § 2, operative July 1, 1988. Amended by

Laws 1992, c. 44, § 1, emerg. eff. April 3, 1992.