Members Present:
Martha Couch
Marilyn Norman
Darlene Baker
Susan Holder
Bill Umscheid
Debby Hurlbert sitting in for Terrill Faul
Charles Cox
Thearon McKinney
Dave Barret
Agenda:
1. Retirement Plans
Bill sent an email out one month ago. His last day of employment is July 31st, after 40 years of service. An interim will be appointed followed by administrative action on the position.
Thearon - status quo in the state. He has been asked to handle the program for two years. Bad news is that they had to give up a position.
Nine of thirteen have changed in the last ten years.
2. Nashville Meeting
Agenda: Registration is out and on the website. Starts early Monday morning on August 26th, 2002. We will have program committee meetings on Monday afternoon 2-5; regional committees Tuesday morning (work with technology and others); Tuesday afternoon is 3:30-5 for cross discipline meetings. Wednesday morning is also available for meetings. This would be an opportunity to discuss multi-state programming. Examine the previously designed list for priorities: (volunteerism and leadership, character Ed) and revisit those that overlap. The liaison for volunteer contacts for us is Bob Meadows. Volunteer group has a 2003 (March 23-27) meeting - National Volunteer conference (been meeting every year). We could work on this together. There was also a group working on staff development; need to check the progress of that group. State 4-H Leader training could be looked at - if mentoring would be an option, that would be a good help.
Monday night - resource fair. Tuesday night - committees should have dinner together.
Susy will check on the hotel and make reservations for a place to eat.
-Meeting with CD & FCS- Martha will contact FCS and CD to initiate a meeting. Please send agenda items for the next meeting, in addition to the regular updates.
3. National
a. 4-H Conversation
Would like a simple position paper out of the Conversation reports to help bridge the youth perspective with the professional perspective. We also need to encourage USDA Families and Youth to respond to State Leader Training and to the Conversation Report.
b. There are two position (one for FCS / one for 4-H) which are currently being filled. Little information is available on the status of the two positions.
Martha will call Jane to follow-up on the need for training and interaction with USDA. It would also be good to request an opportunity to interact with Don Floyd.
A different question was asked about constituent follow-up for the National Council appeal for support for earmarked fund.
CCS report and the National Council initiatives effort interaction with ECOP may not have been as full and polished as needed.
4. Farm Bill
Don Floyd did correspond with State Leaders several weeks back. (Some of these numbers may not be completely accurate.) $8M has been allocated for support of special youth programs. Part was intended for national conversation. The rest should be in an RFP available to youth groups - approximately 3.7 M . Specifications should be coming soon, with money anticipated on available October 1. The original formula included state and county conversation underwriting. If some dollars are left over for distribution to the states, the original formula would no longer apply. More information will be coming, after the lawyers have taken a look at the situation.
5. Update by state - snatches of conversation...
Martha: could not make time for the full Conversations report to state government, full summer of activities, did not have a budget recission.
Marilyn: did not get to the Governor, but did send information internally and externally to key leaders; budget is not good, busy summer; learning a lot.
Darlene: could not make time; survived a huge budget cut, full summer of activities; curriculum position on hold
Susy: able to work inside with National report and delivered to upper govt. officials, nice response; on July 20 has a 4-H festival to dedicate a 3000 foot museum at Ag museum; tremendous budget cuts. In the middle of a complete restructuring of Extension (field and state assignments). County positions have been changed to 1 county director, area educator and 4-H agent. Most willing to share.
Bill: Kentucky had already asked the governor to sign a proclamation for the centennial, used that opportunity to present the report by teens. So they were ahead. That day - just released a new press release to media. Had a presentation to Mayor of Louisville. Also will do some at their state fair with that potential for visibility. Have a new president of UKY captured energy; new Dean and new director. Much change. Going through a re-envisioning process. Shrinking from 14 to 9 area directors. Now the gaze is turning to Extension to look at programming. President has said that Extension Service and County Offices should be the primary conduit to the citizens. Wants focus on "Kentucky Uglies"- those most in need.
Debby: Short course is next week, legislature just ended yesterday - balance budget and had a few extra. Cigarette tax passed that gave some additional flexibility (2-4 M), Still have to wait for outcomes of Board of Regents, think they are okay. Conversation was/ in presented during 4-H legislative days. Next week will have 1400 kids on campus. Taking lead from Texas, will form a 4-H clover on the football field. Invited all the key people.
Triennial conference - February 28 - March 3rd, 2004. Hotel Mont de Leon. Rate is $145 night. For a double. Are rates available for quads. Staff are beginning to work on it to get it planned.
Charles: Conversation information - put together a state report, did a slick brochure, shared state report with state legislators - did that in April. Did some news releases to follow -up. Not sure beyond that. Other things going on - playing catch up - broke like the rest. Still have one faculty position that has not been filled and one Animal Science specialists vacant. Did have a good state 4-H round-up a couple weeks ago. Getting some good visibility by having a permanent 4-H exhibit in a prominent meeting. Changes are coming to the University as well.
Thearon: In NC rolled out the day of the national event. Was in the Deans office and on the phone with the chancellor. Had the national conversation featured at the annual fund-raiser in May. Had breakfast with key university and foundation leaders, discussed major presentations that would be held in major state event. Will have a "hands around the capital" and had young people personally deliver the conversation report. The chancellor is trying to get the pledge card in all the programs for football home games. Other things relative to Chancellor, she is interested in combining the alumni list for the University with the 4-H Alumni list. It is hard to the keep the list up-to-date - valuable contact, relationship, and service. The delegation that went to Washington designed a program for cards for the elderly. Got good visibility. Tentative agreement with local public TV on youth issues - based on the conversations. Also excited about the grant from council to build youth action councils.
Dave: Conversation had good press coverage with government and key leaders. Have had a 3% reverse in this year. Starting July 1 , base budget was cut 7%. Virginia economy really suffered. Then next year, 1% additional cut. Could not do business as usual. University came out with a plan for severance options. Quite a number in the field that left. Had 6 years added to state benefit (67 left). Major impact on this year, but next year might be able to recover, particularly in positions. Operating was fairly well protected. Dean announced his retirement. Dave also approved - but asked to stay on until next March of next year. 288-67 field agents. Hopefully hire back 40 next year.
Diana Smathers: South Carolina present - but has laryngitis. - situation is about the same. Lost 44 agents in retirement and 14% PSA budget.
Assignment to regional horse group - Susy has been
liaison. We need to say to the directors that we want to have a representative
to the Horse Group, rather than Animal Science completing determining
the time. Susy is not necessarily recognized by the group and needs
to be invited to participated. This group comes out of A&R, but
a liaison relationship needs to be maintained. Susy will summarize the
situation and provide a brief assessment and preferred outcome.
No tele-conference between now and Nashville.
Next meeting, 8 AM August 26th.