Voters approve fire district merger

NEWPORT — Fire District 4 voters overwhelmingly agreed to merge into Fire District 2, with 75% agreeing to the merger. Only voters in Fire District 4 voted, with 518 casting yes votes and 164 voting no. Commissioners from both fire districts voted to put the matter before voters earlier.

“We did pretty good,” Fire District 4 commissioner Alan Thompson said. “It’s a great thing for the fire district.”

He said it will allow the enlarged Fire District 2 to get more resources for both Emergency Medical Services and fire protection.

“The people have spoken” Chris Kurkendal, Fire District 2 commissioner said of the 75% approval vote. “That says something about what the people wanted.”

Fire District 2 has been providing $8,466 a month in support to Fire District 4, Kurkendal said. The two districts entered into an agreement in May 2025 to provide funding and staff a full-time ambulance in the central part of the county.

The merger will take effect Friday, Feb. 20, when the election is certified. All commissioners will serve out their terms, said Pend Oreille County Auditor Marianne Nichols. Fire District 2’s Board of Commissioners will increase to eight. As the commissioners’ terms expire it will revert to five.

After Fire District 2’s board returns to five, commissioners will stand for election as their terms expire. All commissioners are elected at large, meaning they can live anywhere in the newly expanded district.

Fire District 2’s commissioners include chair Chris Kurkendal, whose term will expire in 2027; Conrad Ervin, whose term will expire in 2029; and James Mundy, Jr., whose term runs through 2031. When voters approved expanding the Fire District 2 board of commissioners to five, commissioners appointed Alan Rice and Kenneth Jarrett to be commissioners. They will stand for election next year for terms that end in 2031, according to Pend Oreille County Elections Supervisor Liz Krizenesky.

In addition to Thompson, Fire District 4’s commissioners include Gary Frisque, whose term expires in 2027, and Charlie Slocum, whose term ends in 2029.

Fire District 4 will hold their last meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18. Commissioners will sign a resolution joining the two districts. Fire District 4 will become part of Fire District 2.