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Disaster declared for troubled Mason County fire district

The district’s insurance provider would not renew the fire department's policy, which shut down the district’s ability to provide medical and fire services.

MASON COUNTY, Wash. — The situation surrounding Mason Fire District 12 has officially reached disaster status.

On Friday, Mason County commissioners declared the communities around Matlock a disaster area.

The announcement came after the district’s insurance provider announced it would not renew the fire department's policy, shutting down the district’s ability to provide medical and fire services. The declaration qualifies the area for county and state funding to help train volunteer firefighters to respond to aid and medical calls.

Neighboring fire agencies are covering fire-related calls, according to a county fire spokesperson.

The district has been under fire since a state audit released in 2022 discovered more than $150,000 auditors considered “questionable” or “misappropriated.”

The three commissioners in office at the time of the audit, Brian Jutson, John Pais, and Albert “Buck” Wilder, all resigned ahead of a recall election last summer. But two commissioners they appointed, Cinda Compton and Kelli Walsworth, were also under investigation.

Mason County Commissioner Randy Neatherlin said the insurance company would not renew the policy if Compton and Walsworth remained in office.

On Sunday, Compton and Walsworth resigned, along with Nick Jones, who was elected last November and was not part of any fraud allegations.

Jones said he resigned because “It was the only way to get them (Compton and Walsworth) out.”

Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling said the commissioners in office in 2022 and Compton and Walsworth are all under criminal investigation by the county and the FBI. 

Since Friday’s disaster declaration, 26 community members have signed up to become volunteer firefighters to respond to calls for help from Matlock-area residents.

Until the district gets insurance, the volunteers can only respond to medical calls. Firefighters will be coming from neighboring agencies, a spokesperson said.

Retired fire chiefs Mike Brown and Mike Patti are heading up the volunteer force.

Patti said he’ll serve as long as he’s needed.

“Once you’re a firefighter, you’re always a firefighter and when a community needs help, we step in to make it happen,” said Patti.

Neatherlin said the county commissioners are interviewing fire commission candidates Friday and hope to appoint two commissioners by the end of the day.

The appointed commissioners will select the district’s third commissioner.

A new insurance policy cannot be applied for until the commissioners are appointed.

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