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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAg & Extension Committee 03-07-2000 REVISED, ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Tom Dorsey, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Chris Bethke, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Extension Ag Committee/Resource&Education Committee DATE: March 7, 2000 TIME: 12:30 p.m. LOCATION: Agricultural Services & Education Center,Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES ACTION ON VOUCHERS UNFINISHED BUSINESS: ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT • Federal Budget Update • State Budget Update • County Budget Update • Staffmg Priorities for St. Croix County 4-H & YOUTH AGENT'S REPORT • Interview date for Summer 4-H Assistant • New Leader.Orientation • Mini Talent Explosion • Jr. Leader Community Service at Mary's sPlace • President elect professional development opportunities • Report on the 4-H All Faculty Conference • Report on the Office Chairs Conference PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S REPORT • 2000 Clean Sweep Program • DNR Recycling Grant/Funding • Earth Day RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT • Land Use Programs - Smart Growth Mailing - Extension Specialists Position • Labor Market Survey • Business Retention and Expansion Interviews • Small Business Management Programs • Drinking Water Testing and Education Programs 1 ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Tom Dorsey, Chairman I St. Croix County Board FROM: Chris Bethke, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Extension Ag Committee/Resource& Education Committee DATE: March 7, 2000 I; TIME: 12:30 p.m. LOCATION: Agricultural Services&Education Center, Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES ACTION ON VOUCHERS UNFINISHED BUSINESS: ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT • Federal Budget Update • State Budget Update • County Budget Update • Staffing Priorities for St. Croix County 4-H &z YOUTH AGENT'S REPORT • Interview date for Summer 4-H Assistant • New Leader Orientation • Mini Talent Explosion • Jr. Leader Community Service at Mary's Place • President elect professional development opportunities • Report on the 4-H All Faculty Conference • Report on the Office Chairs Conference PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S REPORT RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT • Land Use Programs - Smart Growth Mailing - Extension Specialists Position • Labor Market Survev • Business Retention and Expansion Interviews • Small Business Management Programs • Drinking Water Testing and Education Programs 1 Ag& Extension/Resource &Education/Planning Committee March 7,2000 Ag Services & Education Center,Baldwin Convened: 12:30 p.m. Adjourned: 2:30 p.m. Present: Art Jensen, Chris Bethke, Lois Burri, Leon Berenschot, Ronald Raymond, Dave Fodroczi, Kim Reaman, Mary Lestrud, Martha Mabis, and James Janke. Absent: Lee Milligan and Diana Alfuth. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Chris Bethke at 12:30 p.m. Date of next meeting was set for April 4, 2000 at 12:30 p.m. Art Jensen moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Leon Berenschot seconded the motion. Motion carried. Leon moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Lois Burn seconded the motion. Motion carried. Leon moved that the vouchers be approved. Lois seconded the motion. Motion carried. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Federal Budget Update—No report. State Budget Update—The UW-Board of Regents meets this week. It is expected that they will pass the compensation package. If it is passed, agents will receive salary letters within a couple days of their meeting. The pay plan is retroactive to July 1999 so in April,agents will receive two checks: the regular monthly salary and a separate check for the retroactive pay. County Budget Update—No report. Staffing Priorities for St. Croix County UWEX—Preliminary discussion occurred about identifying staffing priorities for St. Croix County UWEX. The item will continue to be placed on the agenda for future discussiori– 4H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT interview Date for Summer 4-H Assistant—Burri, Bethke and Berenschot volunteered to help conduct the interviews for the 4-H Summer Assistant position. Two dates have been identified as possible interview dates depending on Deb Kathan's availability. The dates/times are March 29, 1:30 p.m. and March 30, 10:00 am. Reaman will contact the committee members who volunteered to conduct the interviews as soon as she has a response from Kathan. Mini Talent Explosion-17 clubs and 187 individual members participated in the St. Croix County 4-H Mini Talent Explosion. Clubs performed drama and music entries and individuals practiced public speaking skills through interpretive reading, original speeches and demonstrations. Jr. Leader Community Service at Mary's Place-14 4-H Jr. Leaders volunteered to "staff' the playroom at Mary's Place on Valentine's Day. It's a wonderful experience for these older 4-H members because through this experience they can develop compassion and empathy for people who are homeless. Reaman noted a need to help the Jr. Leaders be betterprepared to react to particularly aggressive children in the playroom. 1 President Elect Professional Development Opportunities—Reaman will be attending the Public Issues Leadership Development forum in Washington D.C. as president-elect of the Wisconsin Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals. Reaman will participate in sessions to develop leadership working with legislators ands end one day visiting Wisconsin onsm Assemblyman. Report of the 4-H All Faculty Conference—Reaman was one participant on a three-member panel to present at the 4-H All Faculty Conference in Eau Claire. The panel discussed three critical components county Extension Agents must develop to remain viable in the changing market in their counties. The components are: Faculty Expertise, University Resources and Local Environment. FAMILY LIVING AGENT'S REPORT ` Mary discussed the need for stable funding at the Family Resource Center. She recently worked with their director to complete a$20,000 grant request to the Children's Trust Fund of Wisconsin. Mary is also working on a fundraiser for the Family Resource Center,which will be an educational program on gardening for young children and parents on April 8 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Baldwin. The center served 265 unduplicated parents and children during the first seven months, and volunteers logged 300 hours of time at the center(excluding Board members). Mary has accepted two new responsibilities,one as district representative on the Western District Resource Management Team and the second as chair of the St. Croix County Interagency Council. Mary has attended many inservices this winter on parent education and is currently involved with an inservice called 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. A grant for $750 was received from the AnnMarie foundation to conduct two full days of programming for youth next summer, one on clothing construction and one on quilting, Money was also requested from United Way to continue funding Family Camp and Parenting the First, Second, and Third Year newsletters. Mary developed a display on Building Baby's Brain for the HCE members to use at early childhood screenings throughout the county. FAMILY NUTRITION EDUCATOR'S REPORT Circulated copies of the 1999 St. Croix County Nutrition Program report. Mentioned a number of inmates have contacted the IRS to pay delinquent taxes as a result of the WNEP classes. i Told of a new countywide program for at risk teens called Alternative Behavior Learning Environment(ABLE). This group will meet at the Hudson High School. I've been asked to provide two hands-on cooking/food safety classes in April. Provided a year-to-date report of the venison program. In 1999 60 donated deer, which in turn served 250 families with the possibility of helping an additional 50 families with the remaining ground venison. i Diane Cronk and I will appear before the United Way panel on March 9 and the county American Legion Committee March 14 to request funding for the year 2000 for processing. I also sent a letter of request to Northern States Power Company for the program. 2 o v RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT Janke mailed a description of the new Smart Growth Law to all cities and villages in the county. This new law will require comprehensive plans by all local governments who have land use ordinances and regulations. UW-Extension is creating three new land use education specialist positions. One will be at UW-River Falls. It will be housed in the Department of Geography and the specialist will have access to the GIS laboratory and student intern assistance. The Hudson Area Development Corporation is planning a Labor Market Survey and Business Retention and Expansion Study with the cooperation of UW-Extension. The new manager of the UW-River Falls Small Business Development Center has been hired. The next round of small business counseling will be March 24. Drinking water testing and education programs are scheduled in Troy, Kinnickinnnic, and Star Prairie in the upcoming weeks. PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S REPORT Fodroczi reviewed a list of February vouchers totaling $4,074.18. Berenschot moved that the vouchers be approved as presented. Bethke seconded the motion. Motion carried. 2000 Clean Sweep: Fodroczi reviewed proposed changes to the contract with Northwest Regional Planning Commission for Ciean Sweep collection services. The RPC proposed adding lodging expenses at approximately $350 and increased labor rates at$36 per hour. Fodroczi indicated the rate changes and lodging would amount to less than $1,000 in annual expense and are within our budget resources. Motion by Berenschot to approve the proposed 2000 contract with Northwest Regional Planning. Jensen seconded the motion. Motion carried. Fodroczi also reported that the County just received notice that we were the only county in the West Central DNR District to receive a 2000 Clean Sweep grant in the amount of$15.000. The Committee commended Recycling Specialist Mary Barney for her persistence with the grant funds. DNR Recycling Grant Funding: Fodroczi reported that DNR recycling grant awards for 2000 are expected any day. We will receive the same prorated amount of the State's 2000 appropriation of$24.5 million that we received for 1999. Therefore, we should be eligible for a somewhat higher amount. Grants will be disbursed in full on or before June 1'. Fodroczi also reported that the State legislature continues to look at funding options for recycling; because the current sources will not be sufficient to maintain current funding levels beyond this year. Earth Day: Fodroczi indicated that staff would participate in an Earth Dav observance at Prairie Elementary School in Hudson. Mary Barney will conduct various recycling demonstrations for the expected 300 children and adults that attend. Leon moved to adjourn. Ron seconded the motion. Motion carried. Submitted by, Art Jensen Secretary C 3