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WSU Extension letter prompts county questions about proposed regionalized director model
Summary
Walla Walla County’s Extension lead told commissioners she had received a letter from Washington State University proposing regionalized Extension directors; she said funding sources, operational details and pilot county composition remain unclear and asked for more time to gather information.
Debbie Moberg, Walla Walla County’s WSU Extension faculty, told the county commissioners on May 19 that Washington State University has circulated a letter proposing regionalized Extension director positions — a structure in which one director would oversee multiple counties — and that she was asked to gather commissioner feedback.
Moberg said she received short notice of the letter and has “more questions than answers” about operational details, funding and who would staff functions presently performed locally. She said the university’s letter suggested WSU would fund the proposed director positions rather than counties, but Moberg cautioned she had not seen a stable funding source and that faculty tenure and the director role expectations could complicate the model.
Moberg described potential models discussed informally: a director over several counties with a separate person to handle county‑level duties such as budgets, accounts receivable and annual reviews. She said that Whitman, Asotin, Garfield and Columbia counties are already understaffed and that piloting a regional director in the Southeast area might make sense — but she asked the board for more time and information before asking the county to endorse participation.
Timing and next steps: Moberg said WSU asked for feedback by May 30; commissioners said that timeline was likely too short to develop a county position. The board asked Moberg to meet with regional faculty (Mark Heitzemann and others), report back on the meeting, and return to the board next week with a draft letter or recommendation for WSU once more details are available. Commissioners also suggested contacting the Washington State Association of Counties (WASAC) for information and coordination.
Ending: The county did not take a position at the meeting. Commissioners asked Moberg to provide an update after her follow‑up conversations and to return with a recommended response to WSU when more specifics are available.
