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Purdue Extension shifts to regional model; Jefferson County to pay higher contractual share
Summary
Purdue Extension staff told commissioners the statewide move to a regional funding model will preserve local 4-H services but increase county contractual contributions (staff cited a $140,000 tier), prompting questions about where to allocate the new cost in the county budget.
Brett Copeland, the local Purdue Extension educator, briefed the commissioners on a statewide restructuring that moves Extension from county-based operations to a regional model. "Purdue Extension is transforming... from the traditional county based system into a regional based system," Copeland said, and pledged Jefferson County would not lose local 4-H services despite regional consolidation of some program areas.
Copeland provided local metrics to justify continued support: "We have over 458 4 h members in Jefferson County" and said the county's livestock auction generated $511,000 this year. He explained the new regional tiers will increase contractual services across many counties and that Jefferson County currently sits near the bottom of a tier Copeland said could be $140,000 for the region. Commissioners debated funding options including moving the contractual amount to LIT (local income tax) or keeping it in county general; Copeland and commissioners discussed cross-county sharing of staff and program expertise as potential long-term benefits to program reach.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 1095, topfinish SEG 1736
