BY JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission gave the go-ahead to form a new collaboration between the Ellis and Barton County Extension Districts.

On Monday, the commission approved an operation agreement between the two counties, officially creating Cottonwood Extension District Number 17, pending a vote by the Barton County Commission.

Extension representatives from both have counties have been working for almost two years, said Commission Chairwoman Barb Wasinger.

“It just seems like karma, this is what was supposed to happen,” she said.

Raime Wasinger from the Ellis County Extension District Board told the commission he believes they will be pleased with the direction thde move takes the district.

“Today is the day that I and several others on the Extension board and also our agents have looked forward for some 20-some months,” Wasinger said Monday.

There are currently 16 Extension districts in Kansas, and Wasinger said, after attending a meeting earlier this year where other districts talked about what they are doing, the two Extension districts got an idea of how to move forward.

“The things that they are doing in those districts are tremendous,” Wasinger said. “Once Cottonwood District is up and operational, you too will the experience the district and specialization opportunities available to us, and I will guarantee you, you will not be disappointed in an affirmative vote tonight.”

Under the agreement, the current Extension agents – three in Barton and four in Ellis County – will be housed in their present location.

Ellis County will provide $256,000 for 2017 from the county’s general fund. Beginning in 2018, the Extension district will have an independent taxing authority and the county will no long be required to contribute from the general fund. The agreement establishes a mill levy limit of 1.5 mills.

District Governing Body members are elected by the public in general elections and are accountable to the public for tax policy decisions.

The district will also receive allocation from K-State Research and Extension for the seven total agent positions. In the current fiscal year, the amount is $108,186.

The district still needs to be approved by the Barton County Commission, the Kansas State Extension Director and the Attorney General. If it is approved, the district will officially begin on July 1, 2017.

In other business the commission met in executive session to discuss union negotiations. No action was taken.