Molly Hunt, area director for Purdue Extension in East Central Indiana, told the Henry County Council Tuesday that Purdue Extension and 4‑H will execute an updated service contract effective Jan. 2026 and that Henry County is participating in a five‑county pilot to test a new service delivery model.

Hunt said the updated contract aligns contract language with the countys budget labeling (contractual services) and that there is no change to the 2026 cost structure compared with 2025 beyond small normal increases. She said Henry County will participate with Blackford, Jay, Delaware and Wayne counties in evaluating service delivery with consultants and that the goal is to maintain service levels while optimizing efficiencies.

Hunt asked for the councils continued support for Purdue Extension and 4‑H activities. A council member thanked the Extension office and noted the long‑standing local value of Purdue Extension programming.

Why it matters: Purdue Extension provides agricultural, youth and community education programs in the county. The pilot could change how services are delivered across participating counties but will not increase Henry Countys 2026 line item costs, according to the Extension director.

What remains open: The revised service contract will be presented to the county commissioners (and possibly the council) for signature; the pilots final recommendations and any future budget implications will be reported after consultant analysis.