Davis County hears Utah State Extension budget request, funding split with USU and program updates

Emma Parkhurst, a representative of the Davis County extension operated through Utah State University, presented the extension’s fiscal request and program update Tuesday during the Davis County Budget Committee’s budget hearing.

Parkhurst said the county contribution being requested for the extension is $293,919, an increase she described as about $6,395 (roughly a 2% increase) over the prior year’s approved funding. “There is a 3% increase… and this is a COLA increase request,” she said, and added a separate 4.88% request was included to adjust a single county-funded staff assistant’s salary after a compensation review.

The request and why it matters

The extension’s funding request covers the county portion of the extension’s operating budget and a share of building operating and maintenance costs at the USU Kaysville facility where Davis County’s extension is housed. Parkhurst explained the office and USU split those facility costs: extension pays 45% of the operating and maintenance billings from USU Kaysville, and the extension budget includes an additional contingency of about 5% (Parkhurst said that contingency translates to roughly $1,600 for unexpected repairs).

Parkhurst…