Measure would fix funding

Talk about it

Not all of the measures on the county general election ballot this fall deal with roads. One measure is meant to stabilize the funding of the county extension office, according to Eunice Sahr, Stutsman County Extension agent.

“We’re looking at adding a half mill to the funding for the county agent’s office,” she said. “Right now we’re funded by 2 mills, which is part of the state law. Every county agent’s office is supported by a 2-mill levy. To go over that you have to go to the voters for an increase of up to a maximum of 4 mills.”

The 2-mill levy generates about $120,000 each year. The 2010 county share of the budget for the county agent is $145,930 with a proposed budget of $147,000 for 2011. The entire increase is made up of increases in health insurance and worker’s compensation. Wages and computer costs for the county agent are split evenly between the state and the county.

The difference, about $20,000 per year, has been covered by a transfer of funds from the county’s general fund. The increase in the levy, which Sahr said would only be partially used initially, would eliminate the need for the general fund subsidy.

“It is not a new expense for the taxpayers,” she said. “We’ll just stand on our own two feet for funding.”

Mark Klose, chairman of the Stutsman County Commission, agreed.

“My feeling is it needs to stand on its own,” he said. “If the people feel it’s important they’ll have to vote to fund it.”

Klose also said removing the expense from the general fund could be important if the road measure forcing the county to expand funding for road construction passes.

“With the uncertainty of the other funding issues, every penny counts for the county,” he said.

Sahr said the office’s duties for operating the 4-H programs are defined by federal law. Providing assistance to farmers, gardeners and homemakers is mandated by state law. Numerous other tasks have been assigned to the county agent by agreements either at the state or local level.

“A lot of people haven’t connected extension to all the things we do,” she said. “We touch a lot of people’s lives with programs like master gardener, parenting newsletters and nutrition education.”

The agency has no firm plans on what would happen if the measure fails.

“I’m not prepared to answer that,” Sahr said. “But our budget is 90 percent people.”

The county agent mill levy is Measure 1 on the county ballot. A yes vote means you are in favor of the increase in the mill rate dedicated to the operation of the county agents’ office. If passed the increase would generate a maximum of about $30,000 per year and cost $2.25 annually to the owner of a $100,000 home and $1.25 annually to the owner of an average quarter-section of land.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at (701) 952-8452 or by e-mail at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, stutsman, extension, ballot, roads, funding, fccnetwork