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005 <br />Blau. Family Land Trust. <br />30 June 2012 <br />PO 2087 Durham, NC 27702 <br />400 W. Main Street Suite 204 <br />Durham, NC 27701 <br />919 - 683 -LAND 888 - 585 -9139 Fax <br />Mr. David Stancil, Director <br />Orange County Dept. of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation <br />P.O. Box 8181 <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Dear Mr. Stancil, <br />The Black Family Land Trust (BFLT) was awarded funds from the USDA Farm and Ranchland <br />Protection Program (FRPP) and the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation <br />(ADFP) Trust Fund to purchase an agricultural conservation easement for a 40 -acre portion of the <br />Thompson Farm. The farm is located at 5919 Allie Mae Road in Orange County (Cedar Grove <br />Township) . <br />As you know, Orange County has earmarked $36,000 from its Lands Legacy program budget for <br />this project, including the cost of a boundary survey and an environmental site assessment. Our <br />proposal to the grant agencies also envisioned that Orange County would serve as the back -up <br />and /or secondary conservation easement holder in perpetuity. <br />I am writing to request your confirmation of Orange County's financial participation in this <br />project and to ask whether there needs to be some formal agreement between Orange County and <br />the BFLT to complete this project as envisioned and for Orange County to accept the easement. <br />I will also take this opportunity to update you on the status of the project to date. Wireless <br />security cameras were installed in 2011 at critical locations around the farm to reduce thief. This <br />allows the Thompson's to monitor these locations twenty -four hours per day from their home or <br />mobile telephone; an Energy Audit using NRCS funds is currently in process and all three ponds <br />are fully stocked with prawns for the fall harvest. <br />Jay Shackelford of Rasberry Shackelford & Associates performed the new conservation easement <br />appraisal which received approval in March 2012 and the survey has been completed as well. <br />The BFLT has received a contract extensions from both NRCS and ADPP; all of the closing <br />documents have been completed we anticipate closing the easement within the next ninety days. <br />Sincerely, <br />Lillian ` Ebonie" Alexander <br />Executive Director <br />Black Family Land Trust, Inc. <br />