Mississippi § 29-3-47 - Forestry escrow fund.

§ 29-3-47. Forestry escrow fund.

For its services the state forestry commission shall be entitled to receive its actual expenses incurred in the discharge of the duties herein imposed. In order to provide funds with which to pay for the general supervision and sale of forest products, fifteen percent (15%) of all receipts from the sales of forest products shall be placed by the board in a forestry escrow fund and reserved to pay for work performed by the state forestry commission. Such payments shall be equal to the actual expenses incurred by the commission as substantiated by itemized bills presented to the board. Money in the forestry escrow fund may be used to pay for any forestry work authorized during the period of the agreement and shall not be subject to lapse by reason of county budget limitations. In each school district having need of tree planting and timber stand improvement, the board of education is authorized to place additional amounts in the forestry escrow fund to reimburse the state forestry commission for actual expenses incurred in performing this work, or to pay for any work done under private contract under the supervision of said commission. Such additional amounts may be made available from forest products sales receipts, funds borrowed from the sixteenth section principal fund as is provided for in Section 29-3-113, or any other funds available to the board of education excluding minimum foundation program funds. Expenditures from the forestry escrow fund for tree planting, timber stand improvement, and other forestry work will be limited to payment for work recommended by the forestry commission and agreed to by the board of education. When it becomes evident that the amount of money in the forestry escrow fund is in excess of the amount necessary to accomplish the work needed to achieve the goals set by the board of education and the forestry commission, the state forestry commission shall advise said board to release any part of such funds as will not be needed, which may then be spent for any purpose authorized by law.