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HomeMy WebLinkAboutU.W. Extension Committee - Minutes - 11/14/2017 UW-Extension Committee Meeting 11/14/2017 Page 1 of 3 BAYFIELD COUNTY AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, November 14, 2017 – 4:30 PM Human Services Conference Room A Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, WI Minutes 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Fred Strand at 4:29 pm. Committee members present: Jim Crandall, Larry Fickbohm, Jeff Silbert and Fred Strand. Committee members not present: Brian Goodwin Others present: Mark Abeles-Allison, Mary Pardee, Matt Cogger, Jason Fischbach, Donna Ganson, Tim Kane, Theresa LaChappelle, Liz Lexau, and Gina Monroe. 2. Approval of Minutes of September 20, 2017 Meeting (action item) Motion (Silbert, Fickbohm) to approve the minutes of September 20, 2017 as presented. Motion Carried. 3. Public Comment There were no public comments. 4. Out-of-State Overnight Travel Requests (action item) There were no out-of-state overnight travel requests. 5. 2017 UW-Extension Budget Update Report The budget update was included in the committee members’ packets. Kane provided insights on the budget numbers. 6. Filling CRD Educator Position and Priorities Discussion (possible action item) Pardee confirmed that the County and the State have agreed to continue to pursue filling the Bayfield County CRD Educator as a full-time position. The goal is to have the position filled by February 2018 if the position is filled internally or by March 1st if the position is filled from the outside. “Priorities Discussion – Bayfield County Communities Educator, 11/14/17” handout was presented by Pardee as a starting point on the discussion of the priorities that Bayfield County would like the CRD Educator Position to focus on. Pardee noted that the new standard CRD Educator position descriptions do not include natural resources programming (Clean Sweep, lakes and groundwater protection, etc.). However, if so desired, natural resources programming can be added. More discussion occurred regarding many different aspects of the programming that Kane has been a part of while he has been with Bayfield County. Kane shared a copy of the Communities Educator position description from Iowa County UW-Extension to get a sense of what other counties’ positions descriptions look like. Pardee will work on the position description, which will put the focus on strong facilitation and organizational skills, as well as focusing on the programming areas of business, community, economic and organizational development, local government education, and natural resources. UW-Extension Committee Meeting 11/14/2017 Page 2 of 3 7. State Extension Specialty Crops Specialist Position and Backfilling Ag Agent Position Discussion (possible action item) Jason Fischbach has been offered a one year-full-time specialist position by UW-Extension. If he accepts, he would retain a presence in the Bayfield County office. Currently Fischbach is currently employed as ½ time Specialty Crops Educator and as ½ time Agriculture Agent. Fischbach expressed his concern for the local projects that he is involved in and has therefore asked UW- Extension if the Specialty Crops Educator position could be an 80% position with him still retaining 20% County Agriculture Agent status. UW-Extension has not yet responded to this request. If Fischbach accepts the State Specialty Crops Educator position, regardless of the percentage, the County Agriculture Agent position will need to be backfilled. Matt Cogger is currently in the backfill Agriculture Agent position and would automatically be asked to backfill for the increased percentage of time. Discussion continued on seeking a 100% backfill position even if the 80/20 proposal is accepted, thereby increasing the County Agriculture Agent to 120%. Pardee will look into this possibility. The Committee is supportive of the 80/20 proposal. 5:24 pm Mark Abeles-Allison left. 8. UW System Restructuring Proposal Assigning UW Cooperative Extension to UW-Madison Implications UW System restructuring proposal assigning UW Cooperative Extension to UW-Madison has passed through the Board of Regents. July 1, 2018 is the official start date. Pardee will keep everyone updated. 5:34 pm Matt Cogger left. 9. Marketing F.E.A.S.T. Website Update The design and printing of support materials will be done by the Bayfield County UW-Extension office when asked to do so. Monroe was at a Healthy Change Coalition meeting where she brought up the FEAST website. The coalition members loved the site and are very interested in it. 10. Issues and Program Ideas Discussion Monroe spoke about the FoodWise educators participating in the Great Lakes Apple Crunch and the Science Fair both held at Bayfield School. Apple information and photos were in the Committee members’ packets. Monroe also brought up the FoodWIse Healthy Food Retail project involving area grocery stores. Ganson is finishing up teaching at Drummond & South Shore Schools, with classes to start at Bayfield School soon. Ganson also shared the Ojibwa cultural foods worksheet that she uses in her classes. The draft for the next Co-parenting classes was also included in the committee members’ packets. Lexau also included some of the comments that parents have made regarding their experiences with this class. She also gave an update regarding the Parent Cafés. The first session held in Ashland went ok, but the second session in Washburn was cancelled due to childcare issues. There will be a Parent Café in January in Ashland and one in February in Bayfield. Childcare is being provided upon request for each of these workshops. Kane noted that he had been contacted by Kim Bro to assist with the Bayfield County Flood and Erosion Hazard Prevention Working Group. Information was included in the committee members’ packets. During the fall of 2017, a small group of Bayfield County residents began meeting to UW-Extension Committee Meeting 11/14/2017 Page 3 of 3 discuss flooding and erosion prevention standards that have been adopted by other Wisconsin counties to reduce property damage and safety risks. This informal working group includes town, lake association and economic development representatives. The group will be developing recommendations for the Bayfield County Planning and Zoning Committee to consider in early 2018. If you are interested in participating in the Bayfield County Flood and Erosion Hazard Prevention Working Group, please contact Tim Kane, Bayfield County UW-Extension Community Development Educator. Jason Fischbach discussed the Renewable Energy Workshop series that he has been involved in putting together. The series starts on November 30th with “Understanding the Grid” presentation at 6:30 pm at the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center. Personalized solar planning sessions for homeowners, businesses and government are some of the other sessions that are planned. A flyer with this information was put in the committee members’ packets as well as having flyers available at the meeting. 11. Next Meeting Date and Time The next meeting will be at 9:00 am on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 in Human Services Conference Room A. 12. Adjourn The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 pm. Minutes submitted by: Theresa LaChappelle, Office Manager Bayfield County UW-Extension