Section 36-1-503 - Powers and duties of state forester(a) The state forester shall: (i) Administer the account;(ii) Ensure that all funds generated from good neighbor authority projects or other federally funded cooperative forest management projects are deposited in the account;(iii) Enter into contracts on behalf of the division for good neighbor authority projects or other federally funded cooperative forest management projects funded through the account;(iv) Adopt rules governing the administration of the account and to carry out the purposes of this article;(v) Have the authority to partner with one (1) or more counties on good neighbor authority projects or other cooperative forest management projects and disburse funds from the account for these purposes.(b) The state forester may hire additional employees as necessary to conduct good neighbor authority projects or other federally funded cooperative forest management projects funded through the account. Employees hired under this subsection shall be funded using federal funds deposited in the account. The state forester shall not fill more than four (4) full-time employee positions and six (6) at-will employee contract positions under this subsection.Amended by Laws 2024, ch. 68,§ 1, eff. 3/8/2024.Added by Laws 2020 , ch. 93, § 1, eff. 7/1/2020.