If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
That seems to be the thinking of Guilford County officials when it comes to a long-standing mutually beneficial agreement between the county and its two largest cities – an agreement meant to provide information to area residents during a hurricane, terrorist attack or other disaster or emergency.
On Thursday, Sept. 2, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve the agreement between the county and the cities of Greensboro and High Point to continue using a “Shared Community Notification System” for emergencies.
The county commissioners will vote on extending the agreement, which county Emergency Services staff obviously consider to have been a success. The three local governments have participated in the shared notification system since 2010.
According to the information in the commissioners’ meeting materials, the county and the two partners have “determined that there are mutual interests and advantages for the parties to maintain this relationship.”
The agreement will be extended by an amendment to an existing interlocal agreement that otherwise would be set to expire in October.
The motion the commissioners will vote on Thursday will extend the terms of the initial agreement for three additional one-year renewals. It will be in effect unless one of the local governments provides written notice of non-renewal at least 90 days before the start of a fiscal year, which is July 1 every year.
At the same Sept. 2 meeting, the county commissioners are expected to enter into an agreement with the City of Burlington that calls for Guilford County to provide the City of Burlington with a host of emergency management services for about $150,000 a year.
Guilford County, Greensboro and High Point often work together on community initiatives – though High Point will sometimes go down its own path. Guilford County Animal Control, for instance, handles animals in Greensboro, but High Point has its own animal control service.
