Caledonia Argus

UM-Extension announces location of new centers

Posted: 7/22/03

by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

Beginning in January of 2004, the extension office closest to Houston County will be located in Rochester.

The U of M Extension Service on July 28 announced the locations of 18 regional offices ó part of a revamping of statewide services. Each county was invited to submit a city for consideration, and Houston County had asked for the City of Houston to be considered as a site for a regional office.

Other regional offices will be located in Albert Lea, Andover, Brainerd, Cloquet, Crookston, Farmington, Fergus Falls, Grand Rapids, Hutchinson, Mankato, Marshall, Moorhead, Mora, Morris, Roseau, St. Cloud and Worthington.

ìAfter careful consideration and significant consultation, we picked these communities as sites of regional centers because, across the state, they create network to ensure all Minnesotans have access to the Extension,î said Chuck Casey, extension dean and director.

ìUnfortunately, we can afford a limited number of regional centers,î said Casey in a press release.

Currently, every county in Minnesota has an extension office. Some larger counties have two, said Aimee Viniard-Weidman, extension service spokesperson.

But starting next January, the 18 regional office will replace the more than 87 county extension offices.

Itís estimated thereíll be five to ten positions at every regional office.

The exact locations of the offices have not been determined, said Viniard-Weidman. Those decisions will be made in upcoming months.

Viniard-Weidman explains the reshuffling in terms of tight budgets. For instance, federal extension service funding has been flat for a decade, she said.

The University of Minnesota has taken double digit budget cuts, she explained. Last year, the extension service cut about 43 positions, said Viniard-Weidman.

But some of the cuts were through retirements and other factors, she noted. And there was no reduction of field staff, she explained.

More staff cuts are likely.

One strength of the new extension system is that it affords local counties to select the extension service services from a ìmenuî of service options, and Viniard-Weidman.

Argus managing editor Jane Palen contributed to this report.

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