By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — Whether or not Tuscola County’s Michigan State University – Extension (MSU-E) continues will depend on whether voters approve a tax levy of approximately $5 per residence to help fund 4-H programs, agriculture services and nutrition programs.
For two hours during Thursday’s county meeting, Tuscola commissioners listened to pleas from a standing room-only crowd, explaining how important it is to save the 4-H program by continuing funding to MSU-E.
With financial projections showing a shortfall of about $2.4 million between revenue and expenses in five years if cuts aren’t made, commissioners started tak-ing action. Their first proposal was eliminating the $140,000 appropriation from the county’s general fund to MSU-E as well as continuing to study other cuts to be implemented.
Several points about the importance of 4-H were made by audience members. According to 4-H Council President Jackie Garner, the amount the county provides equates to about 33 cents per student when calculated against 8,500 hours volunteers provide to the number of students in the program.
There were 144 buyers at the 4-H animal auctions that generated more than $200,000, and 4-H exhibits help fair participation, explained Garner.
“The weather was good for the fair, and we ended in the black,” Garner said.
Many who spoke regarding the impact of 4-H were educators or former educators, such as Caro Community Schools Superintendent Mike Joslyn; Judy Campbell, who was a teacher and coach for 36 years; and Debbie Rohlfs, who was a teacher for more than 35 years.
“You learn in 4-H what is not taught in schools: life skills,” said Campbell, noting the program gives kids a helping hand to keep on the right path “by giving them a hand up and not knocking them down.”
Rohlfs supported Campbell’s comments.
“I’ve seen 4-H leaders take kids who were starting on the wrong path reel them back. I had kids in class and saw them change from their involvement in 4-H,” said Rohlfs, noting the county spends money on troubled youth in programs to help them.
Joslyn, who has a 13-year-old son in 4-H, recommended the county “eat the cost of the program for a year” to give supporters an opportunity to work on community support for a millage. And, that was the commissioners’ plan. The initial discussion to eliminate MSU-E funding also included going for a millage.
After a brief discussion, commissioners unanimously approved placing a .1 of a mill request to fund MSU-E, which in turn supports 4-H, agriculture and nutrition programs on the March 2016 election ballot, and to continue funding for three months to keep the agency going until the election.
If the millage is approved, the county would continue the funding for the rest of 2016 because tax money wouldn’t be collected until January 2017. And, a portion of funds the millage generates would go toward paying the county the money back it used to support the agency.
However, if the millage fails, all county funding would stop.
It was the consensus of 4-H supporters in the audience to help get the word out about the millage and help garner support.
In the meantime, the county will work on ballot language and the number of years the millage would be requested.