Planning will highlight this week’s meeting of Island County Fire District 3 commissioners.

The commission meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Freeland Fire Station, 5535 Cameron Road.

First will be a recap of the district’s proposed $2.6 million budget for 2011, down slightly from this year’s $2.9 million budget. A final budget must be approved in January.

Fire Chief Rusty Palmer said commissioners will also discuss a proposed meeting involving officials of all fire departments in Island County to discuss items of mutual interest.

That and a strategic planning meeting of District 3 officials would occur after the first of the year, Palmer said. The latter would focus on updating the district’s long-range plan, which is five years old.

Palmer also said an all-department meeting will be scheduled in January to go over a new comprehensive citizen survey the district plans to conduct among residents.