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Another Clean Audit for Benton County Fire District 4

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 practices earned it one of the highest credit ratings possible by Standard and Poor’s for its bond issuance three years ago.

In its communication to the Fire District, the State Auditor’s Office said, “District operations complied, in all material respects, with applicable state laws, regulations, and its own policies, and provided adequate controls over the safeguarding of public resources.” The State Auditor’s report for the Fire District or other public agencies can be viewed at www.sao.wa.gov.

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