An Extension staff member told the Dunn County Community Resources and Tourism Committee that the office is moving forward with a request to fill a 0.5 full‑time‑equivalent associate educator position in partnership with the Department of Human Services.

"We are moving forward. Currently, working on the request to fill for that position," the staff member said, adding that the post would continue the playgroup program and that the county or DHS would be billed for the actual costs rather than drawing on county levy funds.

The staff member said the playgroup audience includes parents, grandparents, foster parents and a variety of family structures and that the program partners with birth‑to‑3 and Head Start programs but does not exclude older siblings. "It is an audience of parents that are parents, grandparents, foster parents," the staff member said.

Committee members also heard a proposal to rescope the duties of an existing employee, identified in the meeting as Deanna, to formalize teaching responsibilities that staff said already match her skills. "Deanna already has a lot of really good connections with the community," the staff member said, adding that formalizing teaching duties would better align the position with Deanna’s strengths and could help with retention.

The extension staff described the rescoping as an administrative position change rather than a new position and said the associate educator would be a 0.5 FTE focused on program delivery while the other 0.5 FTE would remain administrative.

Staff framed the changes as part of a broader effort to expand leadership development and community education work after area human resources budgets were reduced. The presentation named leadership training offerings such as "Crucial Conversations" and a personality inventory called "Bridal Colors," which staff use for team building and communication training.

To make program impact more visible to the board, staff said they will add a dashboard to their reports that includes quantitative measures (newsletter reach, website hits, office calls) alongside qualitative examples. The staff member said the dashboard will likely be provided semiannually or quarterly rather than monthly.

The committee also heard acknowledgements for FoodWIse staff and a brief note that some staff transitions and retirements may occur; staff said equipment and curriculum are being dispersed to partner organizations and university programs.

Votes at a glance: At the meeting’s start the committee approved the prior meeting minutes on a motion by Supervisor Barrier, seconded by another supervisor; the chair called for the vote and a voice "Aye" was recorded.

The committee took no formal vote on the associate educator request or the position rescoping during this meeting; staff said they were preparing the request to fill and had met with finance.