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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2-11-2025 NHC Extension Advisory Council Meeting Minutes New Hanover County Advisory Council Meeting Agenda Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 4 pm New Hanover County Center Education Center Attendees: Dietrich Blum, Amber Ellis, LaKeasha Glaspie, Reben Jarrett, Morgan King, Patrick Richie , Lloyd Singleton, Dave Spencer, Bill Walsh, Duane Truscott, Jay Denmark, Jeannie Lennon, Andy Almeter, Megan Boyles, Alex Eaker ● Equal Rights educational video https://evaluation.ces.ncsu.edu/civil-rights/civil-rights-training/ ● Introduction of new Advisory Council members: each new member introduced themselves and gave a little background ○ Duane Truscott - Background includes work as a horticulture agent & maintains trees at UNCW ○ Jeannie Lennon - Has lived in NHC for 25 years and has been familiar with NHC Cooperative Extension & Arboretum during that time ○ Jay Denmark - Developed a fondness for gardening at an early age & became a MG ● Introduction of new staff members ○ Gabriella de Souza - absent due to illness but Lloyd shared update ○ Megan Boyles - Communications Specialist will tell NHCCE story to the community to bring awareness & garner support ● 4-H Agent recruitment update - Elizabeth Stratton left to pursue Masters degree full time. Alex Eaker has stepped up to the position & will post his former position as Program Assistant soon. ● CED replacement job posting update https://extensionhr.ces.ncsu.edu/job-openings/ - Lloyd will retire effective 4/1/2025, the director position should post next week; Lloyd hopes to have a new director in place by April 1, 2025 to allow for a smooth transition. ● NHC budget enhancement requests - Lloyd has submitted two requests to the NHC government for fiscal year 25-26. ○ Ability Garden funding restructure -Therapeutic Horticulture Agent salary support: 50% paid by NCSU, 34% paid by NHC, 16%(~$12k) paid by Ability Garden non-profit; If the 16% is paid by NHC, the Ability Garden can put more funds into existing services for community organizations (e.g. A Safe Place, Sokoto House, JC Roe School, & more) ○ NCSU employee salary supplement for 11 NCSU employees; NCSU does not provide periodic salary increases compared to NHC employees. This creates a salary disparity among Cooperative Extension staff making it difficult to sustain & maintain quality staff. Request for ~$85k to retain staff. Difference in cost of living in urban county (i.e. NHC) compared to a more rural county (i.e. Sampson) is significant. Calculated by comparing NHC CE lowest paid position and NHC pay scale for the same position which was ~$4/hr difference. ● Discussion on how to strategize advocacy for the salary supplement ask - Bill Walsh shared his experience in talking about salary disparities with County Commissioners & advised the budget vote will happen May or June. AC members are welcome to volunteer to advocate for these enhancements to commissioners and/or county manager on behalf of the Extension. ○ Bill Walsh NC CEAC Representative update: Dr Banonno left NCSU late last year, there is a holding pattern while interim directors are in place. First round interviews begin in March, Bill will be a part of the process. Bill encourages AC members to share any thoughts to consider regarding the position with him. ○ Representative Ted Davis agreed to meet with Bill and Lisa Barnes. Lisa is the Chair of the Higher Education Committee which hold the Cooperative Extension funding. ● Advisory Council leadership opportunities ○ New Hanover County: ■ Dietrich Blum - Chair of NHC CEAC, LaKeasha Glaspie - Secretary of NHC CEAC. ■ Vice Chair position has been vacant for some time, Dietrich asks for any volunteers to step into that position or Chair position & he would continue to stay on and suppor t. ■ Dave Spencer volunteers to step into the V Chair position; succession plan is now in place. Dietrich will continue as Chair. ■ Dietrich reminds the AC of the CEAC goals: ● Advocate to community on behalf of the CEAC ● Bring community info to the CEAC ■ The Legislative Advocacy training will take place in the fall or early winter of 2025. ○ State Advisory Council rep for tri-counties - NHC, Brunswick & Pender counties: ■ July will be Bill’s last meeting as NC CEAC representative. The next rep to take the position could likely be someone from NHC CEAC as Pender & Brunswick don’t currently have an active CEAC. ■ Bill also asked to be notified which AC members are assigned to which representatives. He will mention AC members by name to representatives as he transitions out of the position. ● Coop Ext program updates: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y55JCgEW42zXH-mA7xWVmUlvqPeVvSshUOfVQ8DP _tU/edit?usp=sharing ○ Amber Ellis mentions the stormwater study near LCOR Church on Market, PFAS study will begin later in the year. ○ Morgan King met with staff at the Boys & Girls club at Houston Moore, will begin a program there soon. UNCW student, Bella, working with young mothers on nutrition (TIDES) & WIC office is a partner. ○ Alex Eaker started an embryology rotation where 2nd graders all over NHC raise chicken eggs. 4H partners with farm in New Bern, after chicks hatch they go to the farm. Judges are needed for County Activity Day in May, contact Alex for details. ○ Megan Boyles continues the Blooming Now Campaign which tells folks what is blooming at the Arboretum. Promoting Cooperative Extension events, highlight Extension programs that are not open to public and post content to educate the public. ○ Lloyd shares that Heather Kelejian (Therapeutic Horticulture Agent) presented at the state conference recently. Heather has since been asked to help local CEs in five counties with therapeutic hor ticulture programs. Heather also works with Lakeshore Academy using horticulture to heal from trauma. ○ Seed Starting Presentation by Gabriella recently was successful with 280 people on the waitlist; another presentation will be scheduled. ○ Friends School doing a pilot program to germinate seeds ○ 30th Annual Tree Fest was successful ● Dates of interest: ○ NC Rice Festival, March 5-8, 2025, Brunswick County https://www.nor thcarolinaricefestival.org/ ○ Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association Spring Plant Sale, April 10-13 ○ Native Plant Festival, September 17-20 (tentative) ○ Art in the Arboretum, October 10-12, 2025 ● This is Lloyd’s last meeting as CED. Everyone thanked him for his service and leadership. All expressed that he’ll be missed. ● Adjourned at 515 pm Next Advisory Council Meeting scheduled for May 13, 2025, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.