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Extension educator asks Bannock County to fund kitchen upgrades, signage and fair expenses
Summary
Nikki Ennis, county extension educator and county extension chair, told commissioners the extension office requests modest budget increases to cover bottled water and hostess supplies, restore travel funding, add signage and upgrade the teaching kitchen (dishwasher and counters); she also sought funds for judges’ travel and premiums tied to increased 4‑H participation.
Nikki Ennis, the county extension educator and county extension chair, presented the extension office’s budget request to the Bannock County Board of Commissioners, outlining several modest increases aimed at keeping programming running and improving facilities.
Ennis said the office wants to “increase our hostess supplies lunch” and cover continuing expenses such as bottled water. She asked the board to restore travel funding “back to what it had been” to reflect rising costs and to help cover expenses for a new educator. Ennis also requested signage for the building and kitchen upgrades — including a dishwasher and expanded countertop and sink areas — to make the space more functional as a teaching kitchen.
On fair expenses, Ennis flagged higher costs for judges’ travel and contracting, saying some livestock judges travel from Wyoming, Montana and Utah and occasionally farther. She noted ribbon and premium costs are rising and that the county’s total premiums will increase because “we have more kids in the program.” Ennis also asked for two new computers for 4‑H administrative staff and said she hoped to buy them from the ag extension budget if possible.
Commissioners and staff discussed coding one‑time operating purchases versus recurring office supplies, and whether some purchases might be handled through maintenance budgets. County staff suggested working with Adam on procurement and with Dan on maintenance coding if the items are purchased elsewhere and moved into the extension budget.
Ennis said a recently purchased truck has helped the program and that, despite recent facility repairs, operations were continuing without major problems. She closed by thanking the commissioners for considering the request.
The commission took no formal vote during the presentation; staff indicated some items might be reallocated or coded differently in the clerk’s recommendation. The hearing recessed for a short break after the presentation.
