Cornell Cooperative Extension briefs Madison County supervisors on funding, programs; county leaders pledge support for fair revitalization

Larkin Posidic, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Madison County, briefed the board on CCE’s structure, funding and recent program results and asked supervisors to help recruit board members and volunteers as the association diversifies funding and expands services.

Posidic outlined how CCE is organized under County Law §224 and described it as a “subordinate governmental agency” that operates with local, state and federal support. "We are not technically part of Cornell University," Posidic said, adding that Cornell sets professional standards while local boards hire staff.

Posidic told supervisors that CCE’s annual budget is slightly over $1 million and that county appropriation accounts for about 32% of that total (down from 47% in 2021) as the association works to diversify revenue sources. She said about $331,000 of the county appropriation goes to payroll and benefits for program and administrative staff; New York State provides substantial in‑kind benefits such as state health insurance and retirement for staff.

Program outputs and recent activity: over the past six months CCE ran roughly 50 events (many youth‑focused), handled 57 farm technical assistance inquiries, and completed 1,556 tax returns through its Tax Counseling for the Elderly program, bringing an estimated $1,750,000 in refunds and savings to county residents. Posidic said county appropriation enables access to statewide Cornell Cooperative Extension resources and provides flexibility to respond to emerging needs such as agricultural disease outbreaks.

Supervisors responded with praise and questions about outreach and volunteer recruitment. Supervisor Greg (surname not specified on the public record) called Posidic’s presentation "overwhelming" in the best sense and commended the organization’s professional management. Board members highlighted the value of CCE’s ag economic development work and its regional specialist network.

County fair planning: Melissa Dearing and several supervisors reported on recent meetings with the Madison County Fair board and pledged support to increase countywide participation in the fair. Dearing asked supervisors to identify town representatives willing to serve on the fair board, recruit volunteers and encourage local businesses to participate. She announced the fair dates as July 23–27 and said the fair will feature country artist Daryl Worley as a headliner on July 23, with presale tickets expected.

Supervisors and fair board representatives described volunteer needs that include ticket‑taking, staffing the gate and serving on the fair board; multiple supervisors said they would help by taking shifts or recruiting volunteers. Several supervisors described touring the fairgrounds and said the core volunteer group would welcome more countywide involvement.

Why it matters: CCE provides extension education, technical assistance to farmers and community programs with county and state partners; its work affects local agriculture, youth programming and public services such as tax counseling. Revitalizing the county fair with broader participation could increase tourism, business promotion and youth engagement in agricultural programs.

Ending: Posidic said CCE is recruiting board members and staff (a new local hire starts after Memorial Day) and invited supervisors to refer candidates; the board acknowledged the briefing and moved on to other agenda items.