106-898. Duties of forest rangers; payment of expenses by State and counties.

Forest rangers shall have charge of measures for controlling forest fires, protection of forests from pests and diseases, and the development and improvement of the forests for maximum production of forest products; shall post along highways and in other conspicuous places copies of the forest fire laws and warnings against fires, which shall be supplied by the Commissioner; shall patrol and man lookout towers and other points during dry and dangerous seasons under the direction of the Commissioner; and shall perform such other acts and duties as shall be considered necessary by the Commissioner in the protection, development and improvement of the forested area of each of the counties within the State. No county may be held liable for any part of the expenses thus incurred unless specifically authorized by the board of county commissioners under prior written agreement with the Commissioner; appropriations for meeting the county's share of such expenses so authorized by the board of county commissioners shall be provided annually in the county budget. For each county in which financial participation by the county is authorized, the Commissioner shall keep or cause to be kept an itemized account of all expenses thus incurred and shall send such accounts periodically to the board of county commissioners of said county; upon approval by the board of the correctness of such accounts, the county commissioners shall issue or cause to be issued a warrant on the county treasury for the payment of the county's share of such expenditures, said payment to be made within one month after receipt of such statement from the Commissioner. Appropriations made by a county for the purposes set out in Articles 75, 76, 78, and 82 of this Chapter in the cooperative forest protection, development and improvement work are not to replace State and federal funds which may be available to the Commissioner for the work in said county, but are to serve as a supplement thereto. Funds appropriated to the Department for a fiscal year for the purposes set out in Articles 75, 76, 78, and 82 of this Chapter shall not be expended in a county unless that county shall contribute at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the total cost of the forestry program.