County hears multiple board and agency funding requests, including watershed steward, extension and library items

County staff reviewed several noncounty and county-supported agencies and program requests included in the budget packet. Highlights included a half-time watershed steward position proposed through Cooperative Extension, library operating adjustments, Soil Conservation District funding changes and other modest agency requests.

Cooperative Extension representatives explained the watershed-steward coordinator would run a Watershed Stewards Academy, recruit and train volunteers to implement small-scale stormwater practices, and use a tracking tool developed with the university to help the county receive nutrient- and sediment-reduction credit. Extension said the coordinator would enable outreach, grant writing and small-scale practice implementation on private properties; estimated full cost (salary + benefits + minimal support) was presented at about $19,500 for the half-time position plus small additional operating items already shown on subsequent pages.

Library trustees and branch staff thanked commissioners for support and noted the Lexington Park branch's strong usage. Library staff supplied a revised highlights page indicating their net FY15 increase was smaller after reduced health-cost projections.

Soil Conservation and other small agencies requested modest increases tied to state salary-schedule adjustments and benefit-cost changes. Commissioners asked staff to verify COLA/step calculations across state employees and to include the modest funding items in the recommended-public-hearing materials.