Agenda - 06-02-2009 - 4e - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 Orange County Environment ~ Resource Conservation 306-A Revere Road 1 PO Box 8181 Hillsborough, I~?C 2727$ Phone: (919) 245-2590, Fax: (919) 644-3351 MEMORANDUM TO: Laura Blackmon, County Manager FROM: David Stancil, Environment and Resource Conservation Director DATE: May 29, 2009 RE: Background Information on Proposed ERCD /Orange Soil and Water District Partnership The purpose of this memorandum is to provide supplementary background information outlining the progression toward the proposed affiliation of the Soil and Water District Office and the ERCD. For many years, ERCD and Soil and Water have collaborated on a variety of projects, from agricultural conservation easements to stream restoration projects and environmental education efforts. With each passing year, the opportunities for collaboration have increased. In the late-spring of 2008, the County Manager began looking at a reorganization scenario that would combine small departments with like missions to help them manage and share resources. Due to the similarity in mission and scope, and the trend for District activities to focus more on environmental efforts, the reorganization plan proposed to create a formal affiliation between ERCD and the Soil and Water District. The staff resources in the two agencies are complementary in many respects, with District staff having expertise that is of valuable assistance for ERCD, and ERCD having staff and resources that are useful for the District. Coincidentally, later in 2008, the USDA, as part of its own restructuring, changed the role and duties of the District Conservationist. District Conservationists are USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service employees that are assigned to and co-housed with the Soil and Water Districts. In Orange County's case, the District Conservationist (since 2004, Brent Bogue) had always served as the defacto "department head" for the District office. However, a new administrative