Counties offer to pay more for forestry services
CARSON CITY -- Clark, Elko and Eureka counties have agreed to pick up the cost for the state Division of Forestry to provide emergency response services.
The services include handling medical emergencies and auto accidents in outlying areas.
Gov. Brian Sandoval had recommended transferring the responsibility to the counties.
The counties, however, offered to fund the services, a gesture that was welcomed Tuesday by members of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees.
Counties already pay the full cost of staffing and operations for the posts. In the upcoming year, they also will pay 35 percent of administrative expenses. They will cover the entire tab from 2013 through 2015 when the agreement expires.
Forestry officials say the shift will allow the agency to retain six positions.
