Agenda - 11-21-2000-8i - Laserfiche WebLink

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i ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 21, 2000 Action Agenda. Item No. _ S- ~ SUBJECT: Soil and Water Operational_Agreement DEPARTMENT; Soil & Water PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Proposed Agreement INFORMATION CONTACT: Brent Bogue, District Conservationist, ext 2751 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider approving an operational agreement outlining the respective responsibilities of the County, the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regarding soil and water conservation services. BACKGROUND: For some years, Orange County, USDA, and DENR have maintained a memorandum of understanding that only outlined certain aspects of cooperation between the Conservation Partnership (e.g. personnel, office space, supplies). The new Operational Agreement is designed to strengthen the relationship between all partners by not only addressing national and state priorities, but also projects of local importance. This agreement is designed to be a work in progress and may be revised to include relationship with not only the traditional partners, but also other local entities such as The Eno River Association and Orange County's Environment and Resource Conservation Department (ERCD). The Operational Agreement is meant to be wide-ranging to facilitate cooperation at all levels to promote natural resource conservation. The agreement will be reviewed annually so that any new priorities may be addressed by all partners. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The responsibilities assigned to the respective parties in the agreement have generally been ongoing for many years. Adequate funds for personnel and operating expenses have already been appropriated in the department's FY2000-01 operating budget. The BOCC may recall that there was same discussion during preparation of the FY 2000-01 budget that the State was planning to reduce its historical share of the funding of two Soil Conservationist positions and that the County's share of funding might have to increase. That reduction of State funds for FY 2000-01 did not occur. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the agreement and authorize the Chair to sign it, subject to final review by staff and the County Attorney.