BURNETT COUNTY AG/EXTENSION COMMITTEE
September 20, 2004
Minutes

I. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Maury Miller, at 9:32 a.m. in Room 165 of the Burnett County Government Center on Monday, September 20, 2004.

II. Notice was posted according to open meeting law requirements.

Present: Charles Peterson, Maury Miller, Gene Olson, Mary Falk, Marilyn Kooiker, Douglas Stubbe, Mike Kornmann and Wanda Hinrichs.

III. Motion to approve the August 16, 2004 minutes with the addition of Kevin Schoessow and Otto Wiegand in attendance, was made by Peterson, seconded by Olson. Motion carried.

IV. General Business

A. Department Head Report

An update on the Community Partner Advisory Group progress was given by Marilyn. Burnett County has been chosen as one of several counties to implement a pilot group of community members to form a Community Partner Advisory Group. A letter from Dean Leholm was received congratulating Burnett County in its efforts. Joan P. Ploetz of Vilas County has been assigned as the liaison and will be in Burnett County to meet with staff on Oct. 4.

Dean Arlen Leholm's visit on August 26 went very well. They met at the Grantsburg Fair and traveled to the Crex Meadows Education Center in Grantsburg. From there they traveled to Burnett Dairy, through the tornado area as they made their way to Siren and ended up at the Government Center where an Open House was held in his honor.

An update from the Dean's Wisline included information on the completion of Dean Leholm's visits to all 72 counties in Wisconsin.

Marilyn attended the District Department Head Workshop on August 24 in Cornucopia, WI. Ronnie Strickland, Milwaukee County Extension Director, was one speaker who shared strategies on working with county boards.

The 2004 budget expense report through August was distributed and discussed.

Marilyn met with Candace Fitzgerald, County Administrator, Lynn Miller, County Bookkeeper and Helen Steffen, County Clerk, to go over the 2005 budget request. No major cuts to date. Discussion led by Maury Miller on the county budget process and prioritizing. The criteria looked at when determining cuts to a budget are: 1) Is it legally required? 2) Does it directly affect public safety? 3) Does it have a direct economic benefit? 4) Then all indirect benefits.

Marilyn participated in a Department Head Brown Bag WisLine to discuss county budget progress around the state. Some counties had public listening sessions in various locations of the counties to gain input from constituents.

Upcoming Department Head Activities:
-2005 County Budget meeting with Finance Committee, Sept. 29-30
-Stubbe recognition at the October County Board meeting
-October 4 meeting with Community Partner Advisory Group liaison, J.P. Ploetz. Gene Olson will plan to attend

B. Agent Reports

Doug Stubbe, 4-H/Youth Development - Rebecca Olson, Wood River Beavers, earned a first place for her demonstration, "Summer Snowman" at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Jena Coyour, Coomer Badgers, has been appointed to a two-year term in the WI Youth Leader Council. YLC functions somewhat as a student government for UW-Extension Department of Youth Development. They also play a significant role in the annual state youth conference held in Madison every June.

The 20th annual Superior Days has begun. Superior Days is a citizen lobbying effort by adults and on issues pertaining to NW Wisconsin. BCDA helps with the funding of youth for Superior Days; schools help with transportation and the Leader's Association helps with paying for chaperone rooms. The first meeting was held in Superior last week. The event is scheduled for Feb 21-24, 2005. Contact has been made with all three schools to identify participants and 4-H has already identified two members to participate. So far, Doug has met with the Grantsburg H.S. principal and counselor and the Siren Superintendent. All extended their continued support for Superior Days. The first youth meeting is in Superior on Oct. 6. Superior Days folks are trying to limit Burnett County to six participants this year. Doug is addressing that issue and pushing for the number of Burnett County youth to remain at ten, as in past years. The issue identification meeting in Superior will be held on October 19.

Doug is currently working on his annual and multi-year plans of work that are due in October.

Maury Miller was asked to judge the 4-H Community Service Award entries for 2004. This award will be presented on October 16 during Achievement Night.

Preparation for the 4-H Achievement Night is well on its way. The awards committee will meet September 22. Members of the Extension and the public are welcome and invited to attend.

A warm welcome was extended to Dean Leholm by the Burnett County 4-H members when he attended the fair on August 26.

Upcoming Events:

Oct. 6, Superior Days Meeting
Oct. 12, 4-H Leaders Meeting
Oct. 16, 4-H Achievement Night
Oct. 19, Superior Days Issues Identification Meeting
Oct. 30-Nov. 5, NAE4-HA Conference, OK City
Nov. 5, 4-H Music Contest

The committee was asked by Doug to support a proclamation to support National 4-H Week. Motion made by Gene Olson, seconded by Mary Falk. Motion carried.

Mike Kornmann, Community Development - The first of two organizational meetings to start a Leadership Program was held. A number of Burnett County residents who couldn't make it to the Burnett County meeting will attend the session in Balsam Lake on Sept 22. (Burnett and Polk are working on a joint program). A direct mailing was done to generate participants for the program and hopes are for a steering committee to be formed from the Sept. 22 meeting. Mary Falk posed the question of youth participants in the program. This issue was not discussed at the first meeting, but Mike will address in at a future meeting.

Grantsburg Fire Association Long Range Plan will be resented tonight (Sept. 20) at the Fire Association Board meeting. Mike's primary role there was as the facilitator. He assisted the committee in identifying its key issues and developing the strategies to address those issues.

Andy Lewis from the Center for Community and Economic Development will speak to BCDA at the Sept. 20 meeting. He will address a number of organizational issues including a board profile worksheet to help them determine where their skills are lacking. He will also address the five general economic development strategies that have been proven to work. The Sept. 1 meeting had a good discussion on the amount of tax credits to award to McNally Industries. BCDA has appointed Mike the Tech Zone Coordinator until July 1, 2005. Maury Miller raised the question of the direction and future of BCDA and a letter of concern received from John Preissing. Mike responded with positive feedback, seeing things starting to move forward and hopes for a revived group with new direction.
A discussion on held on the county's economic growth and where our dollars should go for our area. Industry and Natural Resources was discussed as far as what the focus for the area should be in terms of jobs and growth. A discussion on small business was held, and the low wages paid to employees as a problem in the area. Maury asked for figures on the average family income and poverty level in Burnett County for future discussion.

A Northern District In-service on Tourism was held in Price County. Presentations from Minnesota and Michigan State Universities helped to frame what we had stopped doing in some areas since the middle 2990's. The information was very valuable in helping to develop our future direction in tourism programming. Extension used to be the leader in tourism education. Mike is on the statewide tourism team. They are working on tourism education through Extension and what role do they play in tourism conflicts. Will Extension be the future facilitators in this area?

Marilyn Kooiker, Family Living - The Annual report was distributed to the County Board and partner agencies throughout the county along with non-discrimination letter (sent annually).

Marilyn attended the HCE State Conference in Green Bay on September 15-16. Three HCE members attended also.

Meetings continue with Habitat for Humanity family, Safe & Stable Families steering committee, Coordinated Community Response team and sub-committee, County Housing Committee, State committees.

Marilyn will be the District representative for Family Living programs starting January 2005 & for the next two years. Our district takes turns alphabetically and Burnett's turn in next. Grace Gee will be working with Marilyn as WNEP representative.

Upcoming Family Living Activities:

-Sept. 20, HCE program at Forts Folle Avoine on History Burnett County.
-WEAFCS WisLine on Sept. 23 with a report by Marilyn on Public Issues Leadership Development Conference in Washington, DC from last May with WACEC Lay Leaders.
-First Book Reader Training on Sept. 23. Women of the Moose want to donated money to the program.
-UWEX District In-service, Sept. 28-29 at Boulder Junction near Minocqua.
-Tenure Workshop on Sept. 28 in Boulder Junction.
-United for Students project evaluation WisLine.
-Positive Parenting of Teens, Grantsburg Middle School in October with Wendy Wall.

V. Any Other Business

Gene Olson was approached by persons in the county, inquiring if the county board would be in support of a "Hay Days" swap meet and/or sponsor such an event. Discussion was held on the possibility of this and what avenues someone might take to get such an event approved and in the works. Suggestions were made to approach the Grantsburg Fair Board first and take it from there. This might be a possibility for tourism support.

VI. Set Next Meeting Date

Next meeting date will be held on Monday, October 18, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 165 of the Burnett County Government Center.

Adjournment - Motion to adjourn the September 20, 2004 meeting was made by Peterson, seconded by Olson. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m. by Chairman Maury Miller.