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 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.