The Marbletown Fire Department is located on Silver Hill Road, Newark, New York, a small town less than an hour’s journey from Rochester. Respected within the community, the organization’s reputation was shaken recently by the startling discovery that its former fire chief and treasurer had allegedly misappropriated over $100,000 in department funds.
The individual implicated in the crime is Williams Storrs. Storrs is accused of abusing his dual role in the Marbletown Fire Department, leveraging both his positions as the treasurer and fire chief to secretly drain the department treasures over a period of four years.
Unlike many municipal fire departments, the Marbletown Fire Department was established in Wayne County back in 1971 and operates as a volunteer organization. The department prides itself on its three fire engines and involvement in various community service activities.
The discovery of the malfeasance was made in 2024, when an unsuspecting fire department member was taken aback when the department’s debit card was unexpectedly declined during an attempt to make a routine purchase.
This sudden lack of funds in a usually sufficient account was alarming. Worried, the Marbletown Fire Department promptly reported the suspicious circumstances to the State Police, concerned about a potential theft off their funds.
State troopers initiated an investigation following the report of suspected embezzlement. The examination of financial records led to a shocking discovery that from the period of January 2020 and July 2024, a sum total of $101,000 was unlawfully withdrawn from the department’s funds.
Upon deeper analysis, it was found that Storrs misused the fire department’s debit cards for his personal shopping and even processing direct payments from the department’s accounts. The sudden drain on the department’s funds was consequently traced back to his activities.
Investigation findings also revealed that Storrs allegedly used the money siphoned from the fire department’s account to settle his wife’s credit card bills. Additionally, he was found to have made purchases from various retail outlets, utilizing the stolen funds.
The weight of the allegations and subsequent discovery of the deceit led to serious legal repercussions for Williams Storrs, one of them being formally charged with second-degree grand larceny.
Post discovery, the Marbletown Fire Department took immediate action. After the allegation of theft emerged in 2024, Williams Storrs was promptly removed from his position as the chief of the department.
Furthermore, Storrs also faced suspension from the Marbletown Fire Department, his reputation within the department and community severely tarnished due to the allegations of embezzlement and theft.
This incident has highlighted the important aspect of financial transparency, even in volunteer and community-serving organizations. There is a subsequent push within the Marbletown Fire Department to improve systems of financial integrity and to ensure such an incident does not repeat itself in the future.
In the aftermath of the event, there is a stronger than ever need for trustbound roles within the fire department to be handled with the utmost transparency and dedication, that principles of honesty, and public service remain unflawed.
The Marbletown Fire Department and its community now look forward to recovering from the impact of this incident and fostering a transparent, responsible, and dedicated atmosphere, a crucial characteristic for any public service organization.
The actions of one individual have undoubtedly shrouded the department in unwelcome controversy, but the hope remains that this incident will serve as a lesson moving forward. Fire departments and other volunteer organizations will take greater measures to safeguard their funds, and to ensure the actions of their members are in line with the principles of public service and community support.