Benton County Fire District 4 passed its most recent financial and accountability audit by the Washington State Auditor’s Office. The Fire District is audited every three years to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements. “We welcome this scrutiny because it’s important our community knows that we are good stewards of their tax dollars,” said Fire Chief Paul Carlyle. Voters in the Fire District approved a bond in 2018 to build and equip a new fire station. That project is nearing completion, and the agency looks forward to welcoming community members to the new facility when it is safe to do so. Last fall, voters approved a fire levy lid lift to fund three additional full-time firefighters to respond to higher call volumes. Those positions have been filled as of February 1, 2021. Benton County Fire District 4 has a long history of clean audits. The agency operates under a balanced budget and maintains adequate reserves. These strong financial pra