Debate Monday evening by the Westport Selectmen followed the reading of a written request from Chief Robert Mooney to transfer funds to the volunteer fire department’s checking account from other accounts.

Citing new fiscal controls and accounting procedures being instituted by the department, Mooney requested that the funds currently in the direct purchase and direct payment accounts be transferred into the fire department’s checking account by Jan. 31, 2015.

Currently, fire department invoices are forwarded to the town and placed on a warrant, which is then paid from the direct purchase account. With its request, the fire department is seeking the ability to pay invoices from its checking account as the invoices are received from vendors.

Mooney explained that the fire department has recently made arrangements for heating oil bills to be delivered directly so that the department can track heating oil usage and expenses. The ability to pay vendors directly will, as he explained, “...enable us to keep an accurate, up-to-date accounting of all funds received, expended and on hand whenever necessary.”

The board of selectmen was substantially in agreement with the chief’s request, but voted to table the matter pending additional information.

At issue was a concern that there may be statutory limits to the amount of money the volunteer fire department can have in its checking account and still qualify as a nonprofit entity.

The board did not want to approve the measure without first checking to make certain that it was not prohibited or limited by a law or local ordinance. The 2014/15 budget for the fire department is $13,000.

A motion to obtain the needed additional information was approved. The matter was tabled for a later meeting.