The Halifax County Forest Service says it needs $18,000 to make up a deficit in the amount it was funded or face losing a position in an already short staffed agency.

In a letter sent last month to the board, Ranger Jim Short said, “Our budget situation here in Halifax County has become an important issue. While I know that we must do everything we possibly can to cut back during these lean times, the Forest Service’s budget in this county can’t stand to be cut any further.”

Short notes in the letter the department operated last year on a budget that was $25,000 to $30,000 less than comparable counties in the district. “We were extremely frugal this past year and ended the fiscal year with no money to spare.”

Short said in the letter the only reason the department was able to survive was because it had a position vacancy for five months, a position which has been filled.

“We requested $93,140 as the county’s share of our budget,” Short said in the letter. “It is the minimum dollar amount that we need in order to continue operations.”

Short said, however, the agency has only been approved for $75,443. “It is impossible for us to be able to operate on that amount of funds.”

If forestry doesn’t get the funds, Short said, “It will result in the loss of a full time permanent county ranger position in this county.”

Short says that loss will result in delayed fire response times which could lead to larger fires and possibly more damage to life or property. “It will also lead to delays in the forest management services we provide. This could result in a loss of cost share money that Halifax County landowners normally would receive. Halifax County has already lost one Forest Service position due to lack of funding in the past and cannot stand to lose another.”

Short told commissioners today Halifax County is ranked first in a nine county district for the number woodland acres it has. “Warren is the only county that’s even close.”

The agency is considered an emergency response unit, Short told the board. “So far this year we’ve already saved a million dollars worth of property and structures. What the county puts out in funding, they get way more back.”

Short explained to the board the forest service puts out fires volunteer departments can’t get to and provides personnel for disaster situations.

Board Chairman James Pierce said this was something that should have been discussed during budget negotiations.

Short said the forest service did have conversations with the county manager and finance officer on the matter.

“The forest service is an emergency responder,” Commissioner Rives Manning said. “Fire happens quickly and it’s disastrous.”

Manning said he believed the agency should be funded. “I don’t feel like other emergency management services were cut as badly as the forest service was.”

Commissioners Marcelle Smith and Carolyn Johnson praised the rangers for the work they did on suppressing a series of brush fires in the area two years ago.

Commissioners directed staff to see if they could work with the rangers.