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Board questions Cooperative Extension and water-wise program funding after staff review
Summary
Supervisors asked for detail on payments to the Cooperative Extension and the county's water-wise program, including a $99,000 water-project line and an $87,000 extension invoice the board said it has affirmed for years.
Supervisors asked staff for more detail on two recurring budget lines: a water-projects allocation tied to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension's water-wise program and a longstanding payment to the county's agricultural Cooperative Extension.
Staff said the water-wise program supports conservation initiatives such as toilet-rebate programs that encourage installation of low-water-use toilets and other water-saving measures. The board was told the water-projects line is shown as $99,000 for fiscal year requests and that, historically, the county has paid an $87,000 invoice for the Cooperative Extension; staff said the extension invoice has been at or near that level for several years and that staff will provide documentation showing what the county receives in return.
Board members noted they have observed program changes over time, including a reduction in some local programming and the consolidation of classes in certain locations. Supervisors asked staff to invite the Cooperative Extension to present an annual report to the board and to provide an itemized invoice showing how extension funds are spent.
Staff said only about $23,000 of the water project allocation has been spent so far this fiscal year and that some measures (toilet rebates, outreach) have been less popular in recent years. The board asked staff to bring back a clear accounting of the water-wise program's activities and the Cooperative Extension's scope of services before finalizing budget decisions.
