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Home My WebLink AboutAg & Extension Committee 03-02-1999 x 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 2, 1999 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 • St. Croix County UWEX 1998 Budget Update • State WACEC Meeting, April 12-14, 1999 in Madison - Preparation for Legislative Visits • Position Description Updates • Civil Rights Review • Work Station for Horticulture Agent PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S REPORT • Future Funding for Recycling • Eau Claire County Resolution • Tire Roundup Prices 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT • Department of 4-H Youth Development Conference • Web Page • Jr. Leader's Community Service at Mary's Place • New Family Newsletter • Changes in Swine Project RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT • Small Business Management Programs • Position Description Update • Drinking Water Program—Town of Richmond • Y2K Task Force . 1 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 2, 1999 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 • St. Croix County UWEX 1998 Budget Update • State WACEC Meeting, April 12-14, 1999 in Madison - Preparation for Legislative Visits • Position Description Updates • Civil Rights Review PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S REPORT • Future Funding for Recycling • Eau Claire County Resolution • Tire Roundup Prices 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT • Department of 4-H Youth Development Conference • Web Page • Jr. Leader's Community Service at Mary's Place • New Family Newsletter • Changes in Swine Project RESOURCE AGENT'S REPORT • Small Business Management Programs • Position Description Update • Drinking Water Program—Town of Richmond • Y2K Task Force 1 X _ EXTENSION AG COMMITTEE/RESOURCE &EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING March 2, 1999 Ag Services and Convened: 12:30 pm Education Center Adjourned: 3:30 pm Present: Leon Berenschot,Ronald Raymond, Art Jensen, Chris Bethke, Lois Burri, Dave Fodroczi,Lee Milligan, Jim Janke, Kim Reaman, and Mary Barney The meeting was called to order at 12:30 p.m. Date of next meeting was set for April 6, 1999 at 12:30 p.m. Berenschot moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. Burri seconded the motion. Motion carried. Raymond moved that the previous meeting's minutes be approved. Jensen seconded the motion. Motion carried. Burri moved that the vouchers be approved. Jensen seconded the motion. Motion carried. Administrative Rem Federal Budget Update--The President's budget was released mid February. The total request for discretionary funds for the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service increased 2.6% over current appropriations. These funds will be competitively-awarded grants and integrated research, education and extension programs. The request for base funds for research, forestry and extension have been reduced. Smith Lever funds down 6:8%. This is the first step in several before the budget for FY 2000 is finalized. Changes can occur in both the House and the Senate or in the Joint House and Senate Conference Committee. The final budget then moves back to the President for final approval. State Budget Update--Governor is recommending a 2%increase in GPR for the UW during the first year of the biennium and .7% increase in 2000-01. Initiatives that benefit UW-Extension include $4.9 million for instructional technology; $3 million for international education; and$.7 million for Plan 2008. Local Government education initiative is not included in the Governor's budget recommendations. St. Croix County 1998 Budget Update—No report. State WACEC Meeting-- Legislative visits have been scheduled with Joe Plouff and Kitty Rhoades. Reaman has prepared a letter from the Extension Committee requesting a time to meet. We will have about 45 minutes with each legislator. The main message is a UW-Extension message with two points: 1. Support base funds for UW-Extension, 2. Support competitive compensation for faculty and staff. It will be very helpful to come with local stories about the impact of Extension in our county. 1 i Planning Department's Report Fodroczi reviewed a list of February vouchers totaling$3,404.13. Berenschot moved that the vouchers be approved as presented. Jensen seconded the motion. Motion carried. Barney indicated that she would be meeting with the Fair Board in March and encouraged support from Committee members. She also announced that the County received a Clean Sweep,Grant in the amount of$15,000.00 from DNR. Future Funding for Recycling: Fodroczi reported that statewide solid waste and recycling organizations were cooperatively developing proposals for continued State funding for recycling programs. The proposal includes the extension of the State sales tax to waste collection and disposal services and a landfill tipping fee surcharge of$1 per ton. These proposals would yield about$30-35 million per year statewide. They would be consistent with a related resolution passed by the County Board in early 1997. Motion by Raymond to reaffirm and resubmit the County's previous resolution to the Governor and Legislature. Jensen seconded the motion. Motion carried. Eau Claire County Resolution: Fodroczi presented a draft resolution requesting legislation to authorize counties to levy special charges on the property tax bill for recycling services. He also reported that the administration Committee had endorsed the resolution and recommend it to the County board for approval. Bethke seconded the motion. Motion carried. Tire Roundup Prices: Barney reported that the tire fees for the 1998 Tire Roundup covered all but $1,026 of the disposal fees. The Recycling Grant covered this amount. We budgeted$10,000 for tire disposal in the 1999 Recycling Budget. Although our 1999 disposal costs will increase $5 per ton. we should have ample resources in the Recycling Grant to keep the local tire fees at$1 per car tire,,$2 per. truck tire, $7 per tractor tire and$10 per heavy equipment tire. Committee concurred to keep the fee schedule the same for 1999. Resource Agent Report Small business management counseling will be held in Hudson on March 3. All appointment slots have been filled, and there are two people on the waiting list. Plans for the drinking water testing program in the Town of Richmond are moving ahead. Bottles for collecting the samples will be distributed on April 16 and 17. Participants can return the bottles on April 18. Janke will deliver the samples to the lab on April 19. It is anticipated that 50-75 households will have their drinking water tested. Janke has volunteered to be on the County Y2K Task Force. Janke distributed an updated job description for committee review. He noted that there were no significant changes from the model provided by UW-Extension administration. As previously discussed in the February meeting, the committee approved the change in title from"agent"to "educator." Ag Agent's Report Fifty-six dairy producers and professionals participated in the Western Wisconsin Dairy Health Seminar in Baldwin. Evaluations indicate that producers increased their knowledge on calf scour diseases, Johne's Disease, and the amount of phosphorus needed in a dairy ration. 3