Extension levy seeks support for 4-H

In a community where agriculture is the leading industry and 4-H programs are often a part of growing up, OSU Extension is asking voters to help support the programming with a levy initiative that will appear on the primary election ballot May 4.

The .45-mill levy will be for five years, and will cost a taxpayer with a property valued at $100,000 an estimated $14.18 a year on real estate taxes, according to Tim Sheeley, president of the OSU Highland County Extension Advisory Committee, and public relations chair for the levy advisory committee.

Rich Graves and Steve Dillon are co-chairs of the extension levy committee, and were appointed by the Highland County commissioners.

Sheeley noted that voters should be aware that the levy would only affect real estate and does not tax earnings or income.

The need for a levy came about, he said, when the commissioners had to cut funding to the program to help balance the county's budget.

"The commissioners allocated $47,000 for our budget for 2010," Sheeley said. "It had been around $190,000, so that wasn't enough to operate the services we had been providing in all four extension programs. OSU says we have to provide those four programs. We can't have just 4-H or just agriculture. We have to have all four."

The four programming areas include agriculture and national resources; family and consumer sciences; community development; and 4-H youth development.

The agriculture and natural resources division on OSU Extension conducts agriculture-based research; has on-site consultation with local farmers; provides information on farm management; provides educational opportunities on safe use of pesticides and natural resource information. The family and consumer science division develops initiatives including parenting classes; helping families manage resources; and providing information on nutrition and health. Community development works on building community assets and capacities; developing partnerships with leadership organizations for training programs; works with businesses to encourage expansion, retention and leadership development; and helping communities identify their assets and capacities for building community well being." 

Community economic development was just cut out of the budget altogether," Sheeley said. They are working on some of the same programs (former Highland County Economic Development Director) Dan Cowdrey was working on to get more jobs in the county."

Seven people currently work in the extension office, and face losing their jobs if the levy does not pass.

According to campaign literature, "Agriculture continues to be the dominant single industry in Highland County. According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture's 2008 Annual Report Highland County is tied for third in the state in number of farms in a county and ranks sixth in acreage in farms. The 2008 Ohio Farm Income Report indicated Highland County's total cash receipts for agricultural commodities surpassing the $84 million mark that year. 

"We get some funds through the state and federal funding," Sheeley said. "Extension is in a county based on how much the county can provide. That is why we are severely cut here, because the county wasn't able to provide as much money as what they used to."

"I think the program people recognize most is the 4-H program," Sheeley said. "All the programs provide services that help the community prosper. Since DHL (left the area), if (the parents of 4-H members) worked at DHL the office can provide the their 4-H books through funds. Extension has helped those families fill out résumé  so they can get back on their feet after that. I think the main thing is the 4-H program and the youth development. The 4-H program we have in this county is one of the best in the state. I never thought I would see a day when we might lose that. I've seen lives turned around so much by 4-H and 4-H programs. They learn to become better citizens, how to start and finish a project, set goals to achieve and see those goals through."

If the levy does not pass in the primary election May 4 then, "We will try to put it on again in November. If it doesn't pass then, as of Dec. 31 there will be no 4-H or Extension program," Sheeley said. "OSU doesn't provide programs to counties that won't provide the money themselves."

Sheeley said that in 2011 "there could still be a fair" even if the Extension office has to close, and the 2010 fair should continue as usual. 

"It will limit how many kids can participate in the fair," if there is no Extension office, Sheeley said. "Counties are not allowed to have 4-H without the existence of OSU Extension - there has to be an Extension educator in the county. Of the 955 kids enrolled on 4-H in 2009 only 221 are old enough to be in FFA (Future Farmers of America). The livestock would really be cut down on the junior fair side of it. We don't have the enrollment figures yet for 2010; the deadline is April 2.

Sheeley said the the type of fair that Highland County residents are used to could change without the existence of 4-H. 

"I think of all the people who go to the fair just because of the kids," he said. "If you pull 700 kids out of the fair, think of all the people who would be going to see those kids and those projects who wouldn't go otherwise. There will be a fair because of the senior fair board, I just don't know how much of the junior fair there will be.

"There is a misconception that extension pays for the fair," Sheeley said. "That is not necessarily the case. I've had people ask me (why Extension can't use) all the money from the fair. That's not how it works. If they want the facts, they need to go the local extension office, or go on the Web site and see how things are structured."

For more information visit www.highland.osu.edu.

For voters or community members who might not be familiar with all the programs and services provided through OSU Extension, a demonstration rally will be held April 16 at 7 p.m. at Southern State Community College's Central Campus in Hillsboro.

"It's free to the public," Sheeley said. "There will be some speakers, the kids will be doing demonstrations and they will showcase the programs through Extension. There will also be a demonstration of the soil and water conservation district to talk about their program. There are lots of programs that people may not know about."

Sheeley said that more than 3,000 students "were affected by programs that 4-H extension put on in the schools in Highland County."