Agenda - 12-06-2010 - 4i - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 Over the last 18 months, administrative changes from USDA and County reorganization has strengthened and formalized mutual support, administrative and program relationships between the District and the County. The Soil and Water District was assigned as an Office within the Environment and Resource Conservation Department in 2008 (and subsequently within DEAPR in April of this year). Staff has taken the opportunity of the new Operational Agreement to formalize and acknowledge this structure, and propose a Partnership Initiative that addresses the support and program activities of DEAPR and the District. With the passage of time, many of these activities are already in place within DEAPR's organizational structure and have been occurring for some time now. In this sense, the Operational Agreement and the attached Partnership Initiative for the most part merely formalizes arrangements that are already in place. The Operational Agreement itself is a four-party document that addresses the role and responsibilities of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (especially District Conservationist Brent Bogue, who splits time between Orange and Person counties) with the N.C. Division of Soil and Water, the Orange Soil and Water District and the County -especially with regard to implementation of USDA programs at the District level. The Orange Soil and Water District Board of Supervisors first approved the draft Operational Agreement on May 28, 2009. Due to delays in USDA approval processes, the Agreement was not received back in the County until earlier this year. Minimal changes (none of which were substantive) were made by USDA staff in Washington. The Orange District Board of Supervisors and staffs have reviewed and concur with the current version (attached). The Agreement has also been reviewed by the County Attorney. Some names and dates have been updated (ERCD to DEAPR, for example). FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with the Operational Agreement or the proposed partnership, which essentially affirms and acknowledges administrative changes made in 2008. Funding for Partnership Initiative activities already exists within the DEAPR budget (of which the Soil and Water District budget is part), and many of these activities have been occurring for over a year due to previous reorganizations. Some reductions in costs and efficiencies in service provision have already occurred by virtue of the arrangement as staff shares equipment and vehicles, web and GIS resources, and coordinated staff coverage. Importantly, District staff will also begin assisting with conservation easement monitoring and stewardship upon approval of the Agreement, thus mitigating future stewardship needs and costs. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the Operational Agreement and attached Partnership Initiative and authorize the Chair to sign the documents as necessary.