NORWICH – Indications are that the county’s agriculture and livestock budget will be up about $10,000, or 4.3 percent over last year.
The 2008 proposed budget for Cornell Cooperative Extension passed through Chenango County’s Finance Committee this week with only the supervisor from Pharsalia voting against it.
However, committee Chairman Lawrence N. Wilcox, R-Oxford, warned the Extension’s executive director not to come back again next year with an increase.
“I’m not a big fan of the Extension ... We represent 50,000 people in this county and taxes are an issue. I don’t want to see a $10,000 increase year after year,” he said.
The department requests a total of $240,000 from Chenango County to support its personnel and programs, which is more than a third of what the state and federal government contributes. The total amount for salaries and fringe benefits budgeted for next year is $424,992. Revenues of approximately $595,000 are anticipated.
Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown said the department’s budget passed through the Ag, Buildings and Grounds Committee last week because two of the committee’s supervisors sit on the Extension’s board of directors. “They lobbied it very hard,” he said, referring to Janice O’Shea of Coventry and Peter C. Flanagan of Preston.
Wilcox and Brown were joined by Town of German Supervisor Richard Schlag who all expressed concern that the Extension’s programs were duplicating services already funded in other ways by taxpayers.
Some of the agency’s local partners in 2007 were: Chenango Health Network, Chenango Memorial Hospital, the Place and the Chenango United Way. Executive Director Keith Severson told the committee that plans are “to reach forward into more and more school-based programs” next year to teach “life skills, agriculture and the benefits of value-added food production and consumption.”
Brown repeated his comments from last week, admonishing the Extension from moving away from traditional agriculture and 4-H based programming. “I don’t know how we got back here, but these are programs we are paying enough for already – the area’s schools, OFC, Roger’s, Chenango Health Network, The Place ...”
“We are where we are because we bought into the state’s programs. There are great reasons for all of this stuff, no doubt about it. But, it’s not working for me. It’s still dollars into the system,” said Brown.
The requested $10,000 would be to afford a grant writer employed two years ago. Economic development funds were applied last year.
Executive Director Keith Severson reported that 22 grants were written from January through August, for a total of $269,000, and that 11 or $137,330, have been awarded. Much of the funding was used for building repairs and handicapped accessible upgrades made this year to the Extension’s 99 Broad St. headquarters.
“Our programs are intended to help local producers as well as consumers. Grants don’t help administration. They are for supporting programs, and embellishing programs we both have. We partner, share equipment, show good will,” Severson said.
Supervisor Schlag commended the agency for “doing a great job,” but said if federal and state funding begins to erode, the county won’t be able to contribute at the same level.
“I hope you can begin to find operating funds,” he said.
Town of Guilford Supervisor Alton B. Doyle commented that too much programming is ending up targeting youths living in the City of Norwich rather than in the countryside.