The 2009 Executive Budget Document
Department of Forestry
Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Forestry is to protect and develop healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians.
Operating Budget History
| General Fund | Nongeneral Fund | Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Appropriation | $ 14,339,700 | $ 9,714,092 | 326.38 |
| 2006 Appropriation | $ 15,828,704 | $ 9,814,092 | 323.38 |
| 2007 Appropriation | $ 18,301,714 | $ 10,234,820 | 323.38 |
| 2008 Appropriation | $ 18,274,268 | $ 10,234,820 | 323.38 |
| General Fund | Nongeneral Fund | Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Base Budget | $ 18,604,326 | $ 10,270,122 | 323.38 |
| 2009 Addenda | $ (1,899,833) | $ 0 | (4.00) |
| 2009 Total | $ 16,704,493 | $ 10,270,122 | 319.38 |
| 2010 Base Budget | $ 18,604,326 | $ 10,270,122 | 323.38 |
| 2010 Addenda | $ (2,292,692) | $ 2,341,370 | (23.38) |
| 2010 Total | $ 16,311,634 | $ 12,611,492 | 300.00 |
Recommended Operating Budget Addenda
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Increase federal appropriation for grantsIncreases the agency's federal fund appropriation to reflect federal grant awards. For 2010, $2.3 million (NGF).
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Reflect Governor’s October reductions in agency budgetsReflects the reductions approved by Governor Kaine in October 2008 for 2009 and the corresponding continuation of savings in 2010. See Part D of this document for reduction details. For 2009, a decrease of $1.9 million (GF) and four positions. For 2010, a decrease of $1.2 million (GF) and an increase of $66,370 (NGF).
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Implement targeted reductionsImplements targeted reductions for 2009 and 2010 included in Governor Kaine's 2008-2010 Budget Reduction Plan. Reduction details can be found in Part D of this document. For 2010, a decrease of $1.1 million (GF) and a reduction of 19.38 positions.
Budget Reduction Strategies
October Reduction Strategies
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Capture capital outlay balances
Close two general fund capital projects and capture the unexpended balances. Both projects are complete.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (223,020) $ 0 -
Capture nongeneral fund balances
Capture nongeneral fund cash balances. This strategy would transfer a portion of FY 2008 year-end balances to the general fund.
FY 2009 FY 2010 Revenue / Transfers $ 211,113 $ 0 -
Capture turnover and vacancy savings
Capture turnover and vacancy savings. The agency will continue to keep forester, forestry technician, water quality, mechanic, and central office positions vacant.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (447,495) $ 0 -
Combine administrative support position
Share the cost of an administrative support position with the agency's nongeneral funded nursery operations. This strategy adjusts funding sources to more accurately reflect the position's responsibilities.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (39,647) $ (39,952) -
Consolidate regional offices
Effective October 1, 2008, the agency consolidated its regional offices and reduced the number of regions from six to three. This strategy captures these savings. This will not have an impact on services provided by the agency.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (232,404) $ (357,896) Position Changes (3.00) (3.00) Layoffs 1 0 -
Defer purchase of heavy equipment
Defer purchase of heavy equipment. This will leave the agency with approximately $384,000 in general fund support for the purchase of heavy equipment, including heavy trucks and tractor and transport units. In addition to the equipment the agency is able purchase with this direct general fund appropriation, Forestry also purchases heavy equipment through the state's Master Equipment Lease Purchase (MELP) program. This strategy does not impact equipment the agency may acquire through the MELP program.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (140,769) $ 0 -
Eliminate commute for fire fighters
Eliminate daily commute from home to work for first responders. The agency's 140 first responders will no longer drive their agency vehicles to and from work except when authorized during fire season or when conditions in which a wildfire is more likely to occur exist.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (60,000) $ (120,000) -
Increase fee to recover cost of administering the Reforestation of Timberlands Program
Increase the per acre fee used by the agency to recover its costs of administering the Reforestation of Timberlands (RT) Program. The agency will increase this per acre fee from $2.00 to $4.00. For the remainder of FY 2009, the RT program will the pay the agency this fee. Beginning in FY 2010, the additional fee increment will be borne by the landowner. The fee cannot be collected from the landowner in FY 2009 because the agreements with the various landowners do not provide for the collection of an administrative fee from them.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (120,000) $ (120,000) -
Partner with Virginia Tech for a hydrologist position
Share the cost of Virginia Tech's hydrologist position, in lieu of filling a vacant hydrologist position within Forestry. Virginia Tech and the Department of Forestry will each pay one-half of the position's salary and benefits. This position provides research, training, and educational knowledge about Virginia's forested watersheds and practical water quality problems and solutions for loggers.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (50,000) $ (50,000) Position Changes (1.00) (1.00) -
Reallocate funding for general fund positions
Transfer a portion of the support costs of eight general fund FTEs to the appropriate nongeneral fund sources.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (526,498) $ (530,611) NGF Appropriation $ 0 $ 66,370 -
Supplant general fund dollars with nongeneral funds
Supplant general fund dollars with federal funds from a grant.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ (60,000) $ 0
December Reduction Strategies
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Eliminate vacant general fund positions
Eliminates vacant general fund positions throughout the agency.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ 0 $ (996,719) Position Changes 0.00 (19.38) -
Reduce information technology costs
Reduces the amount expended on information technology services provided by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) by eliminating discretionary equipment and pagers, and managing the number of PC's in use.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ 0 $ (30,000) -
Remove additional funding for pay practices
Removes the half-percent pay practices funding granted to Executive branch agencies in the 2006-08 biennium.
FY 2009 FY 2010 General Fund Savings $ 0 $ (47,514) -
Sell an office building in Staunton
Sell an office building in Staunton and deposit 100 percent of the revenue to the general fund.
FY 2009 FY 2010 Revenue / Transfers $ 0 $ 250,000