HomeMy WebLinkAboutAg & Ext Jan 22 Grant Lafayette Iowa GreenMINUTES OF MEETING OF AG and EXTENSION EDUCATION COMMITTEES
OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY, GRANT COUNTY, GREEN COUNTY, and IOWA COUNTY
FRIDAY, January 22, 2016 – 1:00 PM
Town Bank, Darlington, WI
Lafayette County Members Present: John Bartels, Larry Ludlum, Jack Wiegel, Leon Wolfe (Ag &
Extension Committee); and Jack Sauer (County Board Chair), David Hammer
Grant County Members Present: Grant Loy, Mark Stead, Dan Timmerman, John Patcle (Extension
Committee); and Bob Keeney (County Board Chair)
Green County Members Present: Ken Hodgson, Kristi Leonard, Betty Grotophorst
Iowa County Members Present: Dan Nankee, Bob Bunker (Extension Committee); John Meyers (County
Board Chair); and Larry Bierke (County Administrator)
UW-Extension Educators Present: Lori Berget, Mary Knellwolf (Lafayette County Educators); Kory
Stalsberg, Ted Bay (Lafayette & Grant County Educators); Bev Doll (Grant County Educator); Mark Mayer,
Ellen Gertsch (Green County Educators); Paul Ohlrogge, Deb Ivey (Iowa County Educators).
Others Present: Matt Hanson, Rick Klemme (Dean), Molly Vidal (Chancellor’s Office), Rep. Todd Novak,
Jean Stauffacher, Steve & Lisa Carpenter (4-H Leaders); Marne Wilson (LAHCE), Lance Lansing, Jackie
Bevin (Badgerland Financial); Kayla Barnes (Republican Journal)
Approve Agenda
A motion was made by Ludlum and second by Wolfe to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Opening and Welcome – Matt Hanson, Regional Director UW-Extension and Jack Sauer, Lafayette
County Board Chair. Meeting was called to order by Jack Sauer at 1:05 p.m. Each County (except Iowa)
had a quorum and opened their meetings. Sauer turned the meeting over to Matt Hanson.
Committee Chairman John Patcle opened the meeting for the Grant County Committee. The meeting
notice was posted at the Administration Building, Extension Office, Youth & Ag Center and Grant County
website. Motion by Grant Loy, seconded by Mark Stead to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Review of the nEXT Generation Plan – Matt Hanson
Hanson described why there was a plan in execution – due to massive budget cuts on the State level; there
are openings throughout the State – allowing UW-Extension time to plan direction for the future.
Cuts will be made in Campus level, Administrative and County level – $3.6 million cut with $1.2 on the
County/Tribal level; $1.7 on the Campus level; and $0.7 on Administration.
Dean Klemme and Molly Vidal (Chancellor’s office) here to answer questions. Feedback forms are on the
table, please use them to supply questions, etc. to the Chancellor.
Hanson explained how the nEXT Generation plan was developed and viewing the model asked for
questions.
Sauer read the letter from Green County Ag & Extension Committee.
Questions from the Floor (Anyone in Attendance) -
David Hammer asked why the Sheep facility at Spooner was being closed ($150,000); this will hurt the
youth and not the sports programs at the UW-Madison. What are the names of the individuals who have
made decisions so far? Hanson said 60 wrote the plan – hundreds from all of the counties. Chancellor is
still asking for feedback through January 29. UW-Extension didn’t have a choice about the $3.6 million cut.
Vidal explained how the Budget works. Extension touches every person in Wisconsin.
Klemme said notes are being taken and will be shared with the Chancellor.
Representative Novak explained that the cut was made due to reserves in the University of Wisconsin fund;
and some of this is politics from the UW-System. Vidal explained that this is adding all bank accounts
together across the State. Novak said that WARF (Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) is sitting on
$6-7 billion and won’t give any up. UW-Madison will not hurt because of these cuts
Stead (Grant Co.) what is thought process wanting to take over support staff?
Hanson is personally not in favor of this: one less County employee; and office meeting creates more of a
team.
Why do urban areas have an extension office? They have a University presence. Hanson if no Extension
there will be a lot of people who won’t have services (poor, disabled, etc.) 80% of the State’s population live
in urban areas. The population doesn’t know Extension like rural areas do; harder to get support.
Bartels (Lafayette Co.) how much damage to 4-H program? Totally different kids that show at County
fairs? Hanson said that they are learning important leadership/life skills.
Klemme how do we fund something like this model? We still have $34 million left.
Leonard (Green Co.) still going to have to have a Department Head in each County for day-to-day “issues.”
Klemme stated Department Heads say they spend 20-40% of their time with Department Head issues. So
all around the State we would have enough FTE’s for the area supervisors. Sauer stated Department
Heads can be flexible to prioritize when to commit, etc.
Nankee (Iowa Co.) stated that let us have our own control of who we eliminate! 4-H has been one of the
best things for our youth; creates challenges for kids.
Hanson counties are big financial partners; specialists on campus need more of a local presence working
with local educators. 4-H is making a big contribution in urban areas.
Sauer need to have our own people at local level also. Extension is only as good as the people in it!
Digressed into his history with Extension.
Klemme commodity organizations don’t use local agents at all, only campus people.
Sauer share agents so you can have 2 with specialties; commodity organizations are looking for business
for profit! Extension is independent – research based.
Klemme how do we strike a balance? Have 2 vacancies Entomology and Agronomy and they are very
important.
Bevins (Badgerland) if people aren’t utilizing County agents now, they certainly won’t go onto a campus to
seek specialists.
Novak how firm is $3.6 million cut? Vidal said it is a direct order from the Board of Regents and is very
firm; cut to colleges was firm and completely re-organized them. Novak – the UW-Extension should not be
taking the cut!
Hammer will cuts be made by tenure? Klemme in our area (relatively well staffed) how do we make cuts?
We don’t have a clear plan – staff in your area and very good- worries about people without tenure will think
they don’t have a job and leave Extension. Hanson – still in place and brings a great amount of scholar to
a County.
Klemme – Nutritionist are federally funded. WNEP educators working across multiple counties.
Sauer – Lafayette County doesn’t have CNRED; Ag Agents why give up; 4-H Agent – every County wants
one; FLE
Sauer asked other Counties if they had any agents in their counties not doing enough they can travel to
other counties? Maybe cut campus staff? Hanson retirements, changes, etc. will hopefully help.
Can you go over the plan for agents?
Hanson don’t look at the plan and fit your agents into it. FTE per county: Lafayette 2.5; Grant 4.2; Green
4.0; and Iowa 4.0. FTE for all 4 counties 14.7.
Bartels – complimented the Lafayette County office staff and agents.
Sauer again asked how cuts will be made in each County. Area leader, support staff, operations
coordinator (lower degree, set up meetings); area educators; local educators.
Base package?
Sauer – we need to be able to tell our educators what we need. Human Resources should be laid on
County person.
Nankee – being led down a path by UW-Madison and UW-Athletics and Extension are all University
programs – all funded by state dollars.
Timmerman – Grant County has been absent one agent or another the last 5 years which is a 20% savings
. . . more than proposed 8% cut. Funding for Extension Agent 60%/40% (25% of this funding is from the
Smith-Lever Funds) most of federal funds are spent on campus. At the Fair convention, there was an hour
presentation by 4 Extension people – why do you need 4 people? The session was on MAQA and
Health/Safety Requirements.
Hammer project manager? Klemme hired J. Rowen as project lead; not a decision maker, just a conductor,
he helped with college re-organization. Dollars aren’t from Cooperative Extension (college is providing)
helping keep County Government voice.
Wolfe – our numbers are 14.7. How does that compare to your plan? Hanson – take 8.2% of that number
and that would be the cuts. Klemme some counties don’t have support staff so educators are taking on a
lot of that role. Grotophorst (Green Co.) just leave us alone! We (our counties) are working fine!
Vidal – Timeline: feedback due January 29 to Chancellor, but also welcome entire time; Chancellor will
make some basic decisions like a Steering Committee with 10-12 working groups; the work groups will be
6-8 people; will advertise for work groups and get feedback.
Novak – will Chancellor’s office send information to Novak’s office? Vidal – yes.
Wolfe – will we have input into the 4-county area? Hanson – will have more input.
Novak – some of my colleagues are not aware of these cuts to UW-Extension.
Ivey – Short Course is feeling the impact also – be careful when throwing stones at UW-Madison.
Klemme – can’t fill the positions of entomology and agronomy due to lack of funds.
Bartels – won’t be a reoccurring debt (cut)? Vidal – no.
S. Carpenter (user of Extension and Ag Producer – see’s the problem as the State taking control out of the
County’s jurisdiction. Klemme – trying to strike a balance (will need to have involvement in final say).
Hanson – each County has a subset and be speaking with larger entities to figure out.
Knellwolf – rely on people as resources if we move people around . . . people are going to say “not with
drive” “not worth call” then people will become disconnected. Hanson – have learned that from other state.
Closing remarks – Given by Hanson.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 2:58 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Berget, 4-H & Youth Development
UW-Extension Co-Department Head
Lafayette County