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HomeMy WebLinkAboutU.W. Extension Committee - Minutes - 9/20/2017 Bayfield County UW-Extension Committee Meeting 9-20-17 Page 1 of 4 BAYFIELD COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, September 20, 2017 – 2:30 PM Human Services Conference Room A Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, WI Minutes 1. Call to Order Chair Fred Strand called the meeting to order at 2:30 pm. Members present: Fred Strand, Jim Crandall, Jeff Silbert and Larry Fickbohm Members Absent: Brian Goodwin. Also present: Bill Bailey, Chequamegon Bay Renewables Inc., Mark Abeles-Allison, Jason Fischbach, Donna Ganson, Theresa LaChappelle, Liz Lexau, Ian Meeker, Gina Monroe, Mary Pardee, and Matt Cogger joined the meeting by phone at 2:30 pm. 2. Approval of Minutes of July 19, 2017 Meeting Motion (Silbert, Crandall) to approve the minutes of July 19, 2017 as presented. Motion Carried. 3. Public Comment There were no public comments. 4. Out-of-State Overnight Travel Requests There were no overnight travel requests. 5. 2017 UW-Extension Budget Update Report The budget updates were included in the committee members’ packets. LaChappelle noted that although the Agriculture Agent’s mileage item is over budget, we are currently waiting for some reimbursements to come in. Discussion on the style of the budget update report that is preferred by the committee. The Committee would prefer see the non-reformatted report from New World using the most up-to-date figures available from New World. 6. 2018 UW-Extension Budget Request with County Administrator’s Recommended Changes Included in the committee members’ packets is a report showing the requested 2018 budget numbers by the UW-Extension Department and the suggested 2018 budget numbers by the Administrator. Discussion on the budget. Consensus of the Committee is that the 2018 Budget request and changes are acceptable. Bayfield County UW-Extension Committee Meeting 9-20-17 Page 2 of 4 7. Marketing F.E.A.S.T. Website Bill Bailey (former owner of Bailey’s Greenhouse) is currently on the Board of Directors for Chequamegon Bay Renewables, Inc. Bill spoke about an interaction with someone new to the area and their inability to find information about local foods. He knew about the FEAST by the Bay website (www.feastbythebay.com). While showing it, he noticed that it had not been updated recently. Bill contacted Jason Fischbach regarding the site. First some background on the FEAST website: The FEAST website was started by Bayfield County UW-Extension’s AmeriCorps Vista Volunteer, Lillian Soshnik-Tanquist. This site is a non- political, clearinghouse for gathering information in one place for those in Ashland & Bayfield Counties working on local food issues. Farm-to-School information, food pantries, local farms, recipes, and Bayfield County’s UW-Extension Winter Greens Spinach data are just some of the components of the site. Fischbach put website up on the screen in the room. Bailey was added on as an additional administrator of the website and can update the site. Bailey would like to see a marketing campaign done to bring attention to the website. Bailey sent a proposal to Tim Kane, outlining his plan for marketing the FEAST by the Bay website. (The proposal for marketing assistance was not included in the committee’s packets, but LaChappelle will send this information to the committee members after the meeting.) Bailey’s original proposal asked for funds to carry out the proposed marketing plan. He noted that non-monetary assistance would also be welcome in lieu of monetary assistance. Bailey noted that he will continue to maintain the FEAST by the Bay website and Facebook page at no charge. Most of the Committee members were not aware of the site until having it brought to their attention tonight. They acknowledged this website as a good idea and valuable. Discussion on whether FoodWIse program could take part in providing assistance for the site. Monroe noted that she would be able to use the site, but would not be able to provide any funding. She explained that FoodWise has specific grant parameters that specify where their funds can be used (underserved, targeted audiences, Healthy Food Coalition) and that they must verify that their targeted audiences are being reached. Consensus of the Committee is to continue to support the FEAST website and assist with the marketing campaign with non-monetary support. The committee will revisit and assess the impact the marketing has had. 8. CRD Educator Tim Kane’s Retirement Announcement and Filling CRD Educator Position Tim Kane, Bayfield County UW-Extension CRD Educator, has notified that he will be retiring at the end of January 2018. Since both the Ashland and Bayfield County CRD Educators are retiring at that time, the pros and cons of a shared position will be discussed. Pardee stated that the State will support whatever the two counties decided to do, but also noted that if a position is cut, is most likely that it would not be restored to the original in the future. LaChappelle will send the list of Tim’s duties and projects to Pardee and the Committee members. Pardee will work with Abeles-Allison and Jeff Beirl to look at and compare Bayfield County CRD expectations, Ashland County CRD expectations and the Statewide CRD changes. They will come up with a needs assessment to bring to the next meeting. Bayfield County UW-Extension Committee Meeting 9-20-17 Page 3 of 4 9. Coop Extension Reorganization Update & Discussion – Mary Pardee, Area Extension Director for Area 1 Extension is going to two Academic Departments-Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources and Department of Youth, Family, & Community Development. Cooperative Extension will begin the first wave of hiring by filling some open Extension educator positions before the end of the year. It was recently decided by Cooperative Extension that Probationary Faculty (non-tenured) can move into their positions without having to apply for them. They will then become Academic Staff with a contract that is renewed each year. In our office, this will affect Liz Lexau. Jason Fischbach’s State Specialist duties ends on Dec 31st. If his State Specialist position is not renewed, Matt Conger’s position will end. If Fischbach’ s State Specialist position is renewed, then Cogger’s Horticulture educator position will continue. Silbert stated that he does not want to lose Cogger and his valuable expertise. Pardee will keep the committee informed on the State Specialist position. 10. Volunteer Criminal Background Check Form Meeker noted that Social security numbers are required to become a UW-Extension volunteer. This is true for 4-H Leaders and for Master Gardeners, as well. Meeker and Ganson expressed their concern that some of the language used towards the volunteers was rather intrusive/ harsh. Especially if a paper application was used, as opposed to an online application. These concerns have been forwarded on. 11. Issues and Program Ideas Discussion Matt Cogger – Cogger updated that he is on his way to an Academic Staff meeting in Madison. Cogger left the meeting by closing off after his report. Ian Meeker - Meeker shared his involvement with the Chequamegon Bay Soccer Club. It is the largest youth organization in the Chequamegon Bay area. Meeker is also involved in the Hydro Atlas Project. This is the studying of the underground water sources and where some of the areas of water quality concerns are for Bayfield County. Meeker encouraged some local youth to attend a meeting to learn about the project and get involved with the project. Using “Place-Based Education” there is emerging involvement with the science teachers at Bayfield and Washburn schools. The teachers and students will be checking the water quality at the schools. Currently, schools are not mandated to have to have their water quality checked. Jeff Silbert Left at 4:00 PM Donna Ganson – 4-H Update - Ganson noted that photos showing 4-H youth at the 2017 Bayfield County Fair were included in the committee members’ packets. It is currently re-enrollment time for 4-H members and leaders. Fourteen youth applied for the Older Member Awards. The Achievement and Award night has been scheduled for November 4th, at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. FoodWIse Update – Ganson will be beginning her school visits to South Shore and Drummond School Districts in October. Donna Ganson announced that December 31st will be her last day a FoodWise Educator. She plans to retire from her FoodWIse position but she will be staying on in her part-time role with 4-H. Bayfield County UW-Extension Committee Meeting 9-20-17 Page 4 of 4 Gina Monroe – Monroe noted that Heather Laakso will be resigning from her part-time FoodWIse Educator position at the end of October. Monroe is waiting to hear from the State when the positions will be filled. The fiscal year for FoodWIse runs from October 1st to September 30th. Monroe noted that she attended the food preservation workshops put on by Liz Lexau & Heidi Ungrodt. The classes were really appreciated. Thank you to them for a job well done. Monroe also mentioned that the FoodWIse educators and schools will be participating in the Great Lakes Apple Crunch, which is a multi-state Farm to School event held on October 24th. www.cias.wisc.edu/applecrunch/ Liz Lexau – Lexau has been continuing her involvement in expanding and modifying the “Money Matters” online module that she helped create. This online program allows the people in our area who have transportation issues (which do not allow them to attend the workshops) to complete the workshop. Lexau had been asked to expand on the modules in this program, which would allow other counties to use this program as well as. Lexau included a poster for the upcoming Parent Cafés. The Parent Cafés is a research based model that will help families build resilience by working on the five protective factors. The first meetings will start in Ashland on October 9th. Jason Fischbach – Fischbach shared via screen his latest issue of the Hazelnuts News. This newsletter issue follows the ten-year journey of the Hazelnut trials. The Committee requested a copy for their review. LaChappelle will forward a copy on to them. Fischbach also shared the High Tunnel Spinach trials results from last year via the feastbythebay.com website. Bayfield County UW-Extension will be hosting The Successfully Applying for Ag Grants workshop which will be held on October 11, 2017 in the EOC Room. Materials were included in the Committee members’ packets. 12. Next Meeting Date and Time The next meeting has been scheduled for November 14, 2017 at 4:30 pm in Human Services Conference Room A. 13. Adjourn The meeting was adjourned at 4:18 pm. Minutes submitted by: Theresa LaChappelle, Office Manager Bayfield County UW-Extension