Peel Fire Protection District

“All fire dues payers become members of the Fire Protection District by paying their $40 annual fire dues. Members have some voting rights but the vast majority of all operating decisions are made by the 8 member Board of Commissioners and Directors. Commissioners are the officers of the corporation, the Directors are not officers but have equal voting rights.”

“A copy of the summary page for the Form 990 was shown to each Board member at the April 1,2025 Board meeting, with 6 out of 8 Board members in attendance. A laptop computer was on hand with the complete Form 990 return for viewing by Board members, or to answer any questions. The Peel fire station is 55 round trip miles from the nearest commercial copy machine. Making the 200 copies needed to give a complete Form 990 to each Board member is a hardship for a small rural fire department.”

“The governing instruments and financial statements are available to all that request to see them. 2024 Financial statements for the Fire Protection District (excluding the Friends) are filed for record with the Marion County Arkansas Clerk, and are a public record. A large sign in front of the main fire station shows when activities are scheduled and all meetings are open to the public.The Fire Protection District does not have a conflict of interest policy. No one is paid, all are volunteers.”

“The Peel Fire Protection District hereinafter called PFPD was formerly known as the Peel Fire and Rescue Department. The name was changed in 2020. PFPD was formerly on a fiscal year ending October 31st. In 2021 the financial year became the calendar year. A 2 month short tax return was filed for November and December 2020. The 5 year financial data for Schedule A is on a proforma basis as if all the years ended on December 31st. This convenient presentation has no material effect on the financial statements.”

“We filed for a Group Exemption Number a year ago but have not heard back from the IRS. We have one unincorporated affiliate called the Friends of the Peel Fire Protection District (Friends) that has been affiliated with the fire department since its incorporation in 1981. The function of the Friends is to raise money for the department by putting on a pancake breakfast and also has a drawing for a Kayak. The Friends are subordinate to and under the supervision of the PFPD. The Friends only asset is a bank account. The Friends had beginning cash of $10,547, revenue from can recycling, Pancake Breakfast, Christmas Pie Auction, ticket sales for a Kayak auction, and other income totaled $3,689. Expenses total $2,617 and include the Pancake Breakfast, Newsletter, Christmas party supplies, and payments on behalf of the PFPD. Surplus revenue of $1,072. Ending cash of $11,619.”