TITLE
Title
APPROVE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE NC DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER SERVICES AND GUILFORD COUNTY FOR THE PROTECTION, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF FOREST LANDS IN GUILFORD COUNTY
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
J. Leslie Bell (Jamey Walker)
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BACKGROUND
Background
The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services historically enters into an annual agreement with Guilford County to provide for active forest protection, development, reforestation, management and improvement in forested lands in Guilford County. The agreement attached herein is for FY25/26 for the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The agreement with Guilford County provides for the State to maintain a legally appointed and equipped Forest Service office to support the aforementioned efforts and is funded jointly via a 60% (state portion) - 40% (Guilford County portion) funding split.
The Planning & Development Department's Division of Guilford Soil and Water District's approved FY25/26 budget includes the County's 40% funding responsibility ($119,008). Additionally, with the State's 60% share ($178,514), a FY25/26 total cooperative appropriation of $297,522 is allocated for Forestry Service efforts in Guilford County. The Guilford County Forestry Service office is located at the County's Cooperative Extension Building (Agricultural Building) at 3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro. This agreement allows the State to pay assigned staff in accordance with the existing State salary administration policy.
For its part, the State is contracted to provide/fund the following:
- One (1) County/Area Ranger assigned for the purposes of controlling forest fires; for detecting and extinguishing fires that break out; for investigating the origin of forest, woodland, and field fires; for enforcing the State's forest fire laws; for taking such preventive measures, educational and otherwise, to prevent forest fires; for developing and improving the forests through reforestation, promotion, and practice of Forest Management practices; and for protection of forests from insects and diseases;
- One (1) Assistant County Ranger to assist the County/Area Ranger with those aforementioned duties /responsibilities and services above;
- Staff support necessary to carry out the functions of a designated Forestry Service office in Guilford County; and
- Other necessary equipment, office space rental allocation, public information/education materials/efforts and assistance (as necessary) to support the County in the proper management, best practices and other Forestry Service improvements as funding allows.
More specifically, Guilford County activities either recently provided or planned for FY25/26 include, but not limited to, the following:
- On July 3, 2025, two management plans for forestry deferment for private landowners were developed.
- Assisting Summerfield Fire Department with a kid's fire camp on July 18th.
- One (1) timber exam for tax deferment is scheduled for the afternoon of July 18th.
- Assisting with Guil-Rand Fire Department kid's fire camp Tuesday, July 22nd.
- Assisting NE Fire Department with their kid's summer fire camp on Friday, August 1st.
- Suppress all grass, brush, and woods fires as they occur.
- Continuing the prescribe burn program when burning season comes around again. Burn season begins late this Fall and continues into late April 2026.
- Field all landowner requests pertaining to urban forestry and traditional forestry as they come in.
- Continue to assist Guilford Parks & Recreation with any assistance pertaining to hazard tree assessment, chainsaw training, and prescribed fire as the request come in.
Historically, total cooperative appropriation for FY23/24 - FY24/25, and requested for FY25/26 is as follows:
FY23/24 - $249,000 (Guilford County 40% @ $99,600; State 60% @ $149,400)
FY24/25 - $215,777 (Guilford County 40% @ $86,310; State 60% @ $129,467)
FY25/26 - $297,522 (Guilford County 40% @ $119,008; State 60% @ $178,514)
Funding requested for Guilford County for FY25/26 is approx. 38% more than FY24/25 (in part because the request by the State includes costs for an additional vehicle, Frontline Fire Truck/Type 6 Engine. The current truck has reached over 100,000 miles).
The FY 2025-26 interlocal agreement is attached along with the cost breakdown of the total cooperative appropriation.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
FUNDS INCLUDED IN FY 2025-26 ADOPTED BUDGET
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve contract, in substantial form, between the NC Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services and Guilford County for the protection, development, and improvement of Guilford County's Forest Lands with a Guilford County obligation of $119,008 for a term beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
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