§ 113-54. Duties of forest rangers; payment of expenses by State and counties. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 113‑54.  Duties of forest rangers; payment ofexpenses by State and counties.

Forest rangers shall have charge of measures for controlling forestfires, protection of forests from pests and diseases, and the development andimprovement of the forests for maximum production of forest products; shallpost along highways and in other conspicuous places copies of the forest firelaws and warnings against fires, which shall be supplied by the Secretary;shall patrol and man lookout towers and other points during dry and dangerousseasons under the direction of the Secretary; and shall perform such other actsand duties as shall be considered necessary by the Secretary in the protection,development and improvement of the forested area of each of the counties withinthe State. No county may be held liable for any part of the expenses thusincurred unless specifically authorized by the board of county commissionersunder prior written agreement with the Secretary; appropriations for meetingthe county's share of such expenses so authorized by the board of countycommissioners shall be provided annually in the county budget. For each countyin which financial participation by the county is authorized, the Secretaryshall keep or cause to be kept an itemized account of all expenses thusincurred and shall send such accounts periodically to the board of countycommissioners of said county; upon approval by the board of the correctness ofsuch accounts, the county commissioners shall issue or cause to be issued awarrant on the county treasury for the payment of the county's share of suchexpenditures, said payment to be made within one month after receipt of suchstatement from the Secretary. Appropriations made by a county for the purposesset out in Articles 4, 4A, 4C and 6A of this Chapter in the cooperative forestprotection, development and improvement work are not to replace State andfederal funds which may be available to the Secretary for the work in saidcounty, but are to serve as a supplement thereto. Funds appropriated to theDepartment for a fiscal year for the purposes set out in Articles 4, 4A, 4C and6A of this Chapter shall not be expended in a county unless that county shallcontribute at least twenty‑five percent (25%) of the total cost of theforestry program. (1915, c. 243, s.4; C.S., s. 6136; 1925, c. 106, s. 1; 1927, c. 150, s. 3; 1935, c. 178, s. 2;1943, c. 660; 1947, c. 56, s. 1; 1951, c. 575; 1961, c. 833, s. 17; 1963, c.312, s. 1; 1973, c. 1262, s. 86; 1975, c. 620, s. 1; 1977, c. 771, s. 4; 1983,c. 327, s. 2; 1989, c. 727, s. 62; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1039, s. 23.)