Dec. 16—GUILFORD COUNTY — Guilford County leaders are preparing for the disbanding of the Colfax Fire Department serving western parts of the county with the department being taken over next year by the city of Kernersville.

The Colfax Fire Department has entered negotiations to have its operations, which date back decades, absorbed by Kernersville effective July 1. At its meeting Thursday night, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners approved agreements with Kernersville for fire protection in areas of the county that have been served by the Colfax Fire Department.

The fire protection contract with Kernersville will be for the Colfax Fire District, Colfax Fire Service District and Colfax Fire Insurance District. The agreements don't involve any annexation by Kernersville into the county or Colfax area, staff told the commissioners.

Under the agreement, Kernersville will be required to take part in the annual budget process in Guilford County concerning county fire districts and participate in the Guilford County Fire Rescue Council.

Kernersville and the Colfax Fire Department have agreed to terms for a consolidation of services under the Kernersville Fire Department. The city borders the Colfax community along the Guilford-Forsyth County line.

The Kernersville Board of Aldermen approved the agreements in an unanimous vote Nov. 30. The board of the Colfax Fire Department unanimously approved the agreements previously, staff told the commissioners.

The terms of the agreements include the dissolution of the Colfax Fire Department and provisions to transfer the assets of the fire department to Kernersville.

In another matter at its Thursday afternoon work session, the commissioners continued to discuss updating the policy that governs money given each year to community nonprofits. The commissioners may amend the policy, but also want to open the period for applications next month.

The commissioners decided to consider possible changes in consultation with county staff during the holiday period, with a goal of approving final standards by the next board meeting Jan. 5.

The commissioners already made one change during a work session last month. The commissioners raised the threshold exempting groups that have to perform an external audit to qualify for a grant.

Nonprofits receiving $10,000 or less had been able submit receipts and expenditure reports in lieu of an external audit, which involves a greater expense. The commissioners voted unanimously in November to raise the threshold exempting an external audit for nonprofits getting a grant of up to $100,000 and made the policy retroactive to the current 2022-23 fiscal year.

Commissioners expressed concerns that the expense of an external audit could be greater than the amount of a grant.

In another matter at its evening meeting, Guilford County government was given a clean audit for its 2021-22 fiscal year. The independent audit was conducted by the firm Cherry Bekaert.

The auditors found no major deficiencies or substantial issues with county finances.

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul