It became apparent during the citizen comment period of the McLean County Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon that despite a number of items on the agenda recommending spending millions of dollars be approved, that wasn’t what the crowd was there to hear about. Instead the people were there to see what would happen regarding a $30,000 item on the agenda that represented $270,000 less than what the McLean County Extension office had originally requested in its budget.
The extension office is an extension of the University of Illinois. It is funded by county tax levies and matching state funds. The state matches local funds at 60 cents on the dollar.
Somewhat surprisingly it is long time 4-H supporters that support reducing the levy to the $30,000 level. 4-H programs are typically funded through extension offices.
Thomas Meyer spoke first in support of the reduction saying that a University of Illinois requirement that a bank balance large enough to cover 18 months of funding be retained for emergency purposes is too high. The requirement is the main reason the McLean County Extension Office currently holds a $2.7 million surplus. He says with the surplus, the levy funding isn’t needed.
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The University of Illinois requirement that county extension offices maintain an 18-month reserve for emergencies has been helpful when in past years the state delayed funding payments. However since then the state has been able to pay on time and in fact is catching up on back payments. The extension office fund balance has increased four of the last five years. The annual operation budget for the office is $1.5 million.
Sandy McGhee, a 47 year supporter of extension office programming spoke second saying “I do not fear for the financial stability of the McLean County Extension, nor do I fear for the existing 4-H program. I feel assured that the funds will be available because our extension office reports $2.7 million in hand.” The 4-H program in McLean county will not be harmed this year by a reduction in county board funding,” she said.
Carolyn Hansen, a 66 year veteran working with 4-H and the extension office spoke third adding, “I join others here with you today, with concerns that with a reserve of $2.7 million, that is reason enough to hold the line on the 2023 levy.”
When the item came up on the agenda a motion was made and seconded to approve the $30,000 amount. Val Laymon, a Democrat, made a motion to amend the motion to $200,000 saying that would be a compromise between the $300,000 requested and the $30,000 in the proposed budget. Her motion was seconded by Ryan Lawler, also a Democrat. Laymon argued the $30,000 amount n the budget proposal had sent the message.
During the discussion, Chuck Erickson, a Republican, addressed the media in the room in an attempt to persuade journalists not to write that there would be any cuts in extension office programming saying that to do so would be in error. He stated that with a $2.7 million surplus no cuts would be made.
Finance Committee Chair, Republican Catherine Metsker explained that she along with McLean County Board members Jim Soeldner and Gerald Thompson attended a McLean County Extension Office Council meeting where the $30,000 levy was discussed.
According to Metsker, McLean County Extension Office Director Bobbie Lewis-Sibley said that if the levy was reduced to provide $30,000 with the $2.7 million there should be no cuts at all and if there were cuts it would be out of spite. Metsker stated Lewis-Sibley promised there would be no cuts.
Laymon contended that the gap between the county funding $500,000 a year to $30,000 seems to be inappropriate.
The county funded the extension office at an annual level of $500,000 before it it lowered the amount to $375,000 in 2019.
Metsker said every year for the last 3 years the county has been going over this with the state but that they do not listen to us.
Laymon’s motion to amend was defeated on a party line vote then the original motion was passed unanimously.
Erickson told Cities 92.9 during a break in the meeting that, “There’s a talking point out there that programs are going to be cut.” “There is no reason to be cutting anything. They have got plenty of money. We are just saying in this present budget cycle there is a $2.7 million reserve and we don’t need to go to the tax payer for any more right now. You need to spend some of your reserve now. And it’s not going to jeopardize their programs over there.”
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The extension office finds itself caught between the University of Illinois, McLean County and upset volunteers. Volunteers are discouraged by how the University of Illinois is managing the program currently from the top down and not allowing volunteers to participate in a bottom up management practice as has been more prevalent in the past.
Meyer told us in an interview during the meeting that, “The concerns are that there are a number of volunteers departing the program.” He says one problem is a lack of respect shown to those members. “Volunteers have been labeled as bullies in the program and a number of volunteers have become disenfranchised because of the lack of respect, and we aren’t appreciating the volunteer time. We have people that historically in this county have taken many a week of vacation out at the county fair and it’s unappreciated.” he said.
Hansen quoted facts during her comments saying, “In the last four years a huge number of volunteers have left. From 2018 to 2022 4-H volunteer members dropped from 376 to only 116, This is a loss of 70% of the volunteer force.”
During her comments McGhee used a metaphor of extension programs being a big orange bus where volunteers are the wheels. She said, “Volunteers throughout McLean extension are withdrawing support, citing adverse management decisions and a lack of transparency. Trust in county extension management has eroded due to lack of information and an abundance of misinformation.” According to McGhee, “It is obvious that funding will not be an issue. The issue will be with the big orange bus. It will have no wheels.”
