There are changes to come in the Mower County Extension Service.

They're coming soon. For example, this summer, when its most popular program -- 4-H -- unfolds with summertime fairs ending with the state fair.

The anticipated fallout from the state budget deficit and how the Minnesota Legislature's and Gov. Tim Pawlenty's spending reductions will affect counties has county boards worried.

The changes started a year ago.

Jerry Tesmer explained the transition that lies ahead at Tuesday's Mower County Board meeting.

Tesmer, a former full-time Fillmore County Extension educator, joined the Mower County Extension Service staff last summer as a part-time educator, serving the county.

Similarly, Sharon Davis, a Freeborn County Extension Educator, also joined the Mower County staff as a part-time agent last summer.

That was when Ann Walter, a former full-time Mower County Extension educator, became a regional Extension educator.

"The second phase of Extension Service changes is underway," Tesmer told the Mower County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. "Before the summer is out, you'll see more. Many more."

The changes will come after back-to-back meetings on the future of 4-H and the Extension committee's role June 23 and 24 in Austin, Tesmer said.

Sometime in July, the list of 20 new regional Extension Service centers will be announced.

"With only 20 regional centers in the mix and 87 counties, the competition to become a regional center is going to be pretty fierce," interrupted Ray Tucker, 2nd District county commissioner.

By August, those regional centers will be staffed from the ranks of Extension Service personnel currently working at the county offices.

Then, the new regional centers open for business in January 2004.

Mower County wants to host a regional Extension Service center.

Richard P. Cummings, 1st District county commissioner, made the motion to formally apply to have Mower County chosen as the site of a regional center for the Extension Service. David Hillier, 3rd District, seconded it, All five county commissioners voted "Aye."

"I think it's the right thing to do," said Extension educator Davis. "I think it's a good move you're making."

At stake are up to 10 to 15, highly-skilled, highly-paid jobs, including both Extension educators and support staff.

That would be too many for the current basement location in the government center, but Riverland Community College could be the logical choice.

"You're going to have to sell Mower County. You're going to have to stress all the attributes it has and access to technology, because of the regional concept being tried by the Extension Service, is one of those attributes you can sell," Walter advised.

Decisions, decisions

Deciding to apply for consideration to be named a regional center was easy.

Deciding the future of the Extension Service in Mower County will be hard.

Regional centers will serve a multi-county geographic area and be funded with state and federal monies, Tesmer said.

Satellite centers will be located in a specific county where they will have local customized services and programs and be funded by the county.

"For instance," Tesmer explained, "Stearns County is nearly all dairy, so it could have a local customized position that deals with only that."

As counties who choose to fund their own Extension Service offices consider their future, a county such as Olmsted County could focus on urban sprawl into the countryside.

Tesmer predicted, whatever is to come, the Extension committee, will continue to have a role.

Craig Oscarson, county coordinator, warned the Extension Service changes are, at this time, "too vague."

Davis said the county will be empowered to determine what stays and what goes, including the much-respected 4-H programming and services.

"The common thread locally for the Extension Service is the 4-H program and what it offers," Oscarson said.

Oscarson took the scenario of Mower County attempting to salvage its 4-H program a step further.

"If that is the focus we decide to pursue, could Mower County charge a fee for 4-H programming to support a program coordinator or could Mower County charge a fee for the master gardener programming if we wanted to continue that?" he said.

Davis said the state Extension Service committee is undecided about whether or not to charge a state-wide fee to cover such costs and then redistribute the money to the specific

counties.

"One thing they know for certain is that whatever they decide about 4-H programming, it's going to be controversial," Tesmer said.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com