Fire District 3 again receives clean financial audit

Brush Prairie — Clark County Fire District 3 passed its financial and accountability audits conducted by the Washington State Auditor’s Office for the 28th straight year, the district announced in a news release. The auditing process involves assessing how the fire district manages, uses and safeguards public resources. Emergency operations at the district are funded through a levy of $1.42 per $1,000 of assessed property value, and the levy rate falls as property values rise. The district’s levy is projected to fall from $1.42 to $1.29 per $1,000 in 2017. Emergency calls just from fire district residents have increased 32 percent in five years, according to the district. The fire district operates under a balanced budget and is debt free, according to the same release. “These are public tax dollars we use to save lives and property, and we take that responsibility seriously,” Fire Chief Steve Wrightson said in the release.