From The Spokesman-Review: Fire departments and districts in the Spokane Valley area were taking stock this week and trying to determine how to move forward after levy and bond requests on the November ballot failed.

Newman Lake Fire District 13 tried to pass a $2.2 million construction bond to build a new fire station. It received only 48% approval.

Spokane County Fire District 8, which stretches across a large area south of Spokane and Spokane Valley, tried to pass its first Maintenance and Operations levy to replace dropping property tax revenue. It failed with 51% approval. The measure needed 60% approval to pass.

The district will not be purchasing a new brush truck or a new fire engine as planned. An empty deputy chief position will remain unfilled. Several full-time paid firefighter positions that were approved but not yet filled will remain vacant.

The loss of a fire levy was perhaps more painful in Rockford. The town's replacement fire levy got a 56.7% approval vote, just a few points shy of the 60% required. The levy would have paid for the expense of running the town's all-volunteer department, including training and maintenance of the fire station.