Island County Fire District 3 commissioners will begin discussion tonight on a proposed $2.6 million budget for 2011.

Fire Chief Rusty Palmer said the proposed budget is lower than this year’s $2.9 million, mostly due to fewer proposed capital expenditures.

The commissioners will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, at the Freeland Fire Station, 5535 Cameron Road.

Palmer said the proposed budget includes needed repairs of the district’s Cultus Bay radio tower property, and an anticipated federal grant of $210,000 for a new marine rescue boat.

“If we get the grant, we’ll buy the boat,” Palmer said. “If we don’t, we won’t.”

Palmer will also propose a citizen survey to determine what South End residents want from the district.

He said the district in the past has conducted surveys of residents who have been served, but he said a larger, more random survey may be more useful for district officials.