Sponsor: County Manager's Office
Title
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Appointment to the Ramsey County Extension Committee
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Recommendation
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Appoint the following individuals to the Ramsey County Extension Committee for a term beginning May 7, 2024 and ending on December 31, 2027.
• Alyssa Fabia
• Donna McDuffie (incumbent)
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Background and Rationale
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The Minnesota Extension Service is under the auspices of the University of Minnesota. Minnesota statutes sections 38.33 to 38.38 require the county to have an Extension Committee and define County Extension work to include educational programs and services provided by Extension educators in the areas of agriculture, agriculture finance, economic development, nutrition, youth leadership development (including 4-H), leadership, and environment and natural resources.
The statutes also define the composition of the Extension Committee to consist of nine members including two county commissioners, the county auditor or designee, and six members appointed at large by the county board. Appointed members support the Extension Committee programming in three ways: 1) identifying local community needs and Extension resources, 2) providing Extension Committee program support and advocacy, and 3) assisting in the development of an annual Extension Committee budget request.
There are currently two vacancies on the Extension Committee due to term expirations. Recruitment through the county’s open appointment process resulting in two applications. On April 8, 2024, the applications were forwarded to three Ramsey County Board of Commissioners for review. Between April 8, 2024, and May 6, 2024, the three commissioners interviewed the applicants, which gave the commissioners an opportunity to engage with and learn more about the applicants, and final recommendations for a formal appointment was provided afterwards.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
In addition to the usual recruitment for advisory committee vacancies through GovDelivery and word of mouth by Ramsey County Extension Committee members, staff and the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, the vacancies and application were promoted through an email listserv reaching numerous diverse organizations and networks. This extended promotion process is a step towards better outreach to more racially diverse and underrepresented voices that are often missed. Furthermore, the application for these vacancies were updated to focus more on the lived experiences, knowledge, and skills a resident may bring along with an optional section to insert demographic information to ensure the is reaching new and diverse candidates.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Participation by and input from community members appointed to advisory groups helps to shape and improve programs and services for the community, share information and increase the level of understanding through discussion, dialogue, and engagement.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
In 2022, Ramsey County began offering compensation for residents serving on formal advisory boards. Members of the Extension Committee can opt-in for a monthly $25 gift card attendance compensation. Advisory board compensation comes from the Ramsey County Community Engagement Fund.
Last Previous Action
On November 28, 2023, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners appointed Felicia Sherrod to the Ramsey County Extension Committee for a term beginning November 28, 2023 and ending on December 31, 2026 (Resolution B2023-210).
Attachments
1. Ramsey County Extension Committee Roster