MOUNT VERNON — “We think 4-H is something really valuable in this county,” said Knox County Commissioner Teresa Bemiller. Commissioners Roger Reed and Allan Stockberger agreed.
The commissioners met Monday morning with Troy Cooper, director of The Ohio State University Extension Knox County, and extension advisory board members Wally Thomen and Jeff Levering to discuss the budget for next year. About two-thirds of extension funding comes from the county and roughly one-third3 comes from the state.
Cooper told the commissioners the advisory committee met recently and developed three scenarios with regard to staffing, listing the positions in order of importance.
Scenario 1 assumed there would be no funding restrictions.
Scenario 2 reflected current funding levels.
Scenario 3 predicted what would happen with additional funding restrictions. In all three of the staffing scenarios presented to the commissioners, the positions of 4-H educator and 4-H program coordinator were at the top of the priority list because approximately 1,200 children and youth participated in 4-H programs this year.