Supervisors restored full finding to Cornell Cooperative Extension Friday in a 1,529-968 vote.
But they’ll be keeping an eye on CCE, and Executive director Liz Callahan promised to do better.
Last Monday’s hearing on the draft $9.78 million budget was recessed until Friday—when supervisors voted unanimously to adopt it for the first time in his 32 years, said County Attorney Mike West.
The only question both days was whether to stick with a $40,000 cut to CCE of Schoharie and Otsego Counties, which had initially been on the cutting floor for some $80,000 less.
Ms. Callahan addressed a number of the issues raised previously in the funding concerns.
While 4-H drew the most supporters, CCE puts $24,500 toward ag development here, Ms. Callahan said.
Eliminating $40,000 would have an impact of close to $75,000 because of how CCE is able to leverage its money, she said.
With the loss, it would be up to her Board of Directors to decide where to make cuts, but “I’m not sure how we’ll do more with $40,000 less,” she said.
Ms. Callahan said she’d been told the CCE cuts came in an effort to more fully fund Schoharie County Ag Specialist Nick Kossmann, but Gilboa Supervisor Alicia Terry, a member of the Ag Committee, said it was never a matter of either/or.
“Both programs were looked at independently,” she said.
Ag Committee chair Wes Laraway of Middleburgh argued any cuts to CCE would be a bad decision for the county’s #1 industry and the one most in need, and made a motion to return it to last year’s $290,000 funding.
Before the vote, Sharon Supervisor Sandy Manko said no matter the outcome, the discussion makes it “loud and clear we’re not 100 percent satisfied,” predicting the same conversation next November unless CCE does a better, more transparent job.
Voting in favor of the full funding were: Mr. Laraway, Steve Weinhofer of Broome, Earl VanWormer of Esperance, Jeff Haslun of Richmondville, Ms. Manko, Phil Skowfoe of Fulton, and Alan Tavenner of Schoharie.
Voting against adding back the $40,000 were: Don Airey of Blenheim, Bill Federice of Conesville, Peggy Hait of Jefferson, John Leavitt of Carlisle, Alex Luniewski of Wright, Earlin Rosa of Seward, Ms. Terry, and Harold Vroman of Summit.
Cobleskill Supervisor Werner Hampel was excused from the meeting.
Mr. VanWormer said he hopes in the future, anyone with concerns over CCE will bring it to the Ag Committee meeting “and not wait until the 11th hour.”
Mr. Luniewski said his calls to CCE for meetings went unanswered by Ms. Callahan’s predecessor and criticized CCE for creating a position identical to Mr. Kossmann’s as soon as Ms. Callahan took over.
“I’m very disappointed at this point,” he said.
Mr. Airey called on CCE to use 2024 to reset its vision for farmers.