HomeMy WebLinkAboutU.W. Extension Committee - Minutes - 1/14/2016
BAYFIELD COUNTY
AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION COMMITTEE
January 14, 2016
County Board Room, 1:00 p.m.
Courthouse, Washburn, WI
MINUTES
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 1pm by Vice Chair Marco Bichanich. Committee
members present included Marco Bichanich, Jim Crandall, John Bennett and Fred
Strand. Absent was Dee Kittleson. Also present were Tim Kane, Liz Lexau, Ian Meeker,
Donna Ganson, Jason Fischbach, Matt Cogger, UWEX Northwest Region Director Julie
Keown-Bomar, Mark Abeles-Allison and Karen Bade.
2. Approval of Minutes of October 21, 2015 Meeting (action item)
Motion made/seconded by Crandall/Bennett to approve the October 21, 2015 minutes.
Carried.
3. Public Comment
None.
4. Out-of-State Overnight Travel Requests (action item)
None.
5. 2015 UW-Extension Budget Update Report
Tim Kane reviewed the 2015 budget. Although not all expenses/revenues have been
posted by all indications the 2015 Bayfield County UW-Extension expenses will fall
within budget guidelines.
6. 2015 UW-Extension 292 Budget Amendment Resolution (action item)
Because the Bayfield County UW-Extension Office has received funds above the
amount budgeted for 2015 from various agricultural projects and grants and has
expended funds above the amount budgeted for 2015, a resolution to amend the 292
budget is needed to reflect this and was presented to the committee for their approval
Motion made/seconded by Crandall/Bennet to approve the resolution and have it
presented to the full county board at their next meeting. Motion carried.
7. Additional UW-Extension Agricultural Agent Support for Bayfield County
Kane brought to the committee’s attention that one of the 2016 Superior Days issues is
for an additional UW-Extension Agricultural Agent in order to meet the demands of
Bayfield County’s growing sustainable agriculture community. Kane wanted to make it
clear that this issue was submitted by a Bayfield County citizen and not by anyone in
UW-Extension.
8. Coop Extension Reorganization Proposal Update and Q & A – Julie
Keown-Bomar
Reorganization of Extension – Chancellor’s recommendations sent out earlier.
The 10 percent/3.6 million dollar cut to UW-Extension base funding has resulted in
extensive self-study of the organization and a proposal for a transition to a multi-
county/cluster model. Each county was asked to submit suggestions for their own
cluster model. Suggestions made by the Bayfield County Extension Office were as
follows:
1st Choice. Bayfield and Ashland Counties along with the two tribal nations, the Red Cliff
and Bad River Tribes
2nd Choice tie. Bayfield, Ashland and Sawyer Counties along with three tribal nations,
the Red Cliff, Bad River and LCO Tribes.
2nd Choice tie. Bayfield, Ashland and Douglas Counties along with two tribal nations,
the Red Cliff and Bad River Tribes.
3rd Choice. Bayfield, Ashland, Douglas and Sawyer Counties along with three tribal
nations, the Red Cliff, Bad River and LCO Tribes.
These recommendations were based upon collaborative history, demographics, natural
resources and geographic area. After review of local recommendations by Chancellor
Cathy Sandeen, her recommendation for the multi-county model includes Douglas,
Bayfield, Ashland and Iron Counties and the Red Cliff and Bad River tribes. The
following diagrams help explain how the reorganization model would function.
Some of the points which emerged from a lengthy discussion of the situation included:
Concern over the City of Superior using more than their share of available
resources.
The need for balance of resources among cluster members.
Staffing model has changed from original mode presented by Dean
Klemme and may change yet again
Position funding breakdowns per cluster:
o = Area Leader – 1 @ 100% state funding
o = Area Educator – 4 @ 60%/40% County/State split
o = Local Educator – 4 @ 60%/40% County/State split
o = Support Staff/Administrative Assistant - 4 @ 100% County
short term and transition to state funded
o = Operations Coordinator – 4 @ 80%/20% County/State split
Counties could still buy in by funding 100% of a position if they though it
was needed.
New positions would take over administrative duties leaving agents to
concentrate on teaching.
Department heads might be replaced by the area leader.
Criteria that funds are distributed by must be fair but as yet are unknown.
Will amount of educational programming provided by a county be based
on the county’s financial support? What is fair?
Historical alliances are important.
Abeles-Allison expressed his concern about reducing UW presence in
Bayfield County - UW presence is important for community. UW
presence is already high in metro areas and yet they want to increase it in
those areas and reduce it in rural areas; taking from the counties that
have the least.
Committee was encouraged to communicate their wishes and concerns
to Chancellor Cathy Sandeen.
Strength of Extension dependent upon local presence.
Extension has traditionally brought the knowledge of the university to the
people; not requiring the people to go to Extension.
Can’t do more with less, only less with less.
Need to influence our future or we will be left behind.
Need to advocate for our cluster and share feelings about fairness of
resources
We are already collaborating in cross-county programming. Need to
communicate that to Sandeen.
Local educator will have to pick a program area; can’t do all four. Each
county will have to choose a focus area and then that agent will share
their time with the other counties.
WACEC (Wisconsin Associated County Extension Committees, Inc.)
will be meeting February 11 in Eau Claire if board members would like to
meet with other county members.
Implementation begins in July 2016 and continues through the 2016-2017
fiscal year. Most personnel changes will occur in late 2016 and early
2017.
9. Next Meeting Date and Time
The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, March 16 – 4pm, County
Board Room, Courthouse, Washburn.
10. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 2:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted by:
Karen Bade, Office Manager
UWEX Bayfield County