New Regional Fire Authority Gets to Work!
Photo courtesy Klickitat County Fire Dist. 3
From West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority:
White Salmon, Wa. Sept. 20, 2024 — The voter-approved West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority (WKRFA) will be effective on September 30, 2024. The inaugural Governing Board Members will be White Salmon City Council Members Ben Giant, David Lindley, Jason Hartmann, Fire District 3 Commissioner Thomas Montag, Robert Connors, and Charles Virts, Jr.
The WKRFA Planning Committee, comprised of the Governing Board members, has been diligently working with the assistance of sub-committees since early 2024 to address the necessary formation documents that will be presented for approval at the inaugural WKRFA Meeting on September 30, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
The Governing Board will hold monthly meetings to draft and approve the necessary founding documents to govern the WKRFA in preparation for full operation on January 1, 2025. As part of the approved WKRFA plan all White Salmon Fire Department and Fire District 3 assets and funding, including reserves and operating funds, will be transferred to the WKRFA as of January 1, 2025. This will allow for WKRFA operation to begin while awaiting the first property tax levy revenues which will be collected in March 2025 and received by the entity in April 2025.
White Salmon and Fire District 3 voters approved the WKRFA Plan in November 2023, creating the new entity and a dedicated funding stream to sufficiently fund fire and emergency response and preparedness. The approved levy amount will be certified in November 2024 by the Governing Board and is written in the approved voter plan to be $0.76/$1000 of assessed value. This proposed levy amount includes increased full-time staffing including a training officer and full-time fire fighter, as well as 10% of received property tax funding to be allocated to a Capital Improvement Reserve Fund to prepare for equipment and vehicle replacements.
The White Salmon Fire Hall, owned by the City of White Salmon (119 NE Church St), will become the main fire station of the WKRFA allowing for a central response location for all areas served by the WKRFA. The City Council chambers and Public Works facility on the bottom floor of the building will continue to be used as city facilities.
If you are interested in joining the WKRFA Volunteer Fire Department, please contact Fire Chief Bill Hunsaker at 509 774 8476 or Fire Chief Wes Long at 509 493 2996.
The WKRFA will meet on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
For agendas and documents please visit the WKRFA website here:
https://www.kcfd3.com/rfa-planning-committee
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