Schoharie County wants to know where the money it sends to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Otsego and Schoharie Counties is going.
More specifically, it wants to know why CCE has proposed changes to its constitution that would mean the services it provides are no longer “pro-rated” depending on how much each of the county contributes.
The Schoharie and Otsego County Extensions were combined in 2011 with each county contributing toward some of the funding, Alicia Terry of the Office of Community Development told supervisors Friday.
Supervisors believe Schoharie County contributes twice as much to CCE as Otsego County and are concerned they’ll be shortchanged under the proposed rewrite.
The county’s 2018 contract with CCE expires Thursday; Administrator Steve Wilson suggested adding a line to the 2019 contract that makes it clear Schoharie County’s contribution stays in Schoharie County.
“We hold the ultimate hammer,” said Fulton Supervisor Phil Skowfoe. “Funding.”