The bayport fire department relief association

The Bayport Fire Department Relief Association is a 501(c)(4) organization whose purpose is to support the members of the Bayport Fire Department.  That support in part depends on donations from our local community and businesses.

The relief association manages two distinct funds: the Special Fund for firefighter retirement benefits and a General Fund for administrative and community-related expenses.

The Special Fund is the core financial account of our association and used exclusively for firefighter relief benefits. Funding for the Special Fund comes from fire state aid payments from the State of Minnesota and investment income from the fund itself.

The General Fund supports day-to-day operations and community engagement of the relief association. Funding for the General Fund is provided by fundraisers and public donations. We have used this fund to purchase life-saving equipment such as: E-Hydraulic rescue tools (Jaws of Life), advanced CPR equipment, confined space rescue equipment and a new fire/rescue boat.

State law mandates that a relief association be governed by a nine-member board of trustees. At the Bayport Fire Department Relief Association, six trustees are elected by members of the Bayport Fire Department, with the Fire Chief, City Administrator and Mayor serving as voting Ex-Officio board members. We hold monthly meetings to oversee the management of our funds. An independent accounting firm audits our fund annually, and our financial statements, assets and liabilities are overseen by the Office of the State Auditor (OSA).