Jim Wilson: Helping develop skills

You could say Jim Wilson has been molded by extension programs his whole life.

The 54-year-old was raised participating in 4-H in his hometown of Clark, Neb. He continued into the program's collegiate level for several years.

Wilson found the focus of raising and showing animals transformative.

"Part of it is just the standpoint of learning personal responsibility, problem solving, public speaking," Wilson said. "Just a lot of personal development skills one gains through that process."

Now as Area 4-H Youth Extension Educator of the University of Idaho Extension Office in Kootenai County, Wilson gets to see others changed by such programs firsthand.

Many probably know the local U of I Extension Office because it operates 4-H programs in the county. But the office offers a diversity of programs, Wilson said, aimed at improving the environment, the community and individual lives.

The extension's website lists available 4-H and youth programs, as well as family and consumer sciences programs that teach subjects like nutrition, and how to manage conditions like diabetes.

The office also offers a master gardener program, with horticulture workshops and plant clinics. A forestry program trains locals on making area forests more productive, and less vulnerable to fires.

"Extension programs are designed with whatever (the public's) identified needs are, and to improve their quality of life," Wilson explained.

The extension office has been facing changes recently. Kootenai County officially stopped managing aspects of the office last year, making the extension office more autonomous. After long receiving funding from the county, the extension is also evaluating ways to become more self sustaining.

Regardless the operation details, Wilson said, the extension office's mission remains the same:

To support the residents of Kootenai County and the natural resources they depend on.

"Whether through subject matter, through individual, personal skill development, financial planning, that's our goal," Wilson said. "To help them develop those skills that certainly improve themselves and benefit the community."

What is your education and working background?

I received my dual bachelor's degree in agricultural education/animal science and master's degrees in agricultural education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

From 1982-84, I worked as a 4-H Agent in Arapahoe County, Colo.

In November 1984, I began work as a 4-H/Youth Extension Educator here in Kootenai County.

How did you get started with the University of Idaho Extension Office?

As a 10-year 4-H member growing up, and six-year collegiate 4-H member, I gained tremendous benefits and life skills. None of that would have been possible without the dedicated Extension personnel and volunteer leaders.

By committing to a career in Extension, I hopefully can provide tens of thousands of youth and adults opportunities for similar life-changing experiences while working to improve their communities. After two-years in Littleton, Colo. (Denver metro area), I wanted to move to a more rural setting when the Kootenai County position became available.

What kinds of services does the extension office offer?

Our office provides a wide array of unbiased, research-based educational programs and resources addressing family consumer science, forestry, home horticulture and 4-H youth development.

By partnering with neighboring Extension offices, we also can offer programs in commercial horticulture, food preservation, small farms, and water quality.

Why are these programs needed?

That answer likely varies, depending on which of our diverse audiences you ask. The focus for each of our primary program areas is based on identified needs of local citizen advisory groups.

Like what?

For forestry, it might be the need for unbiased, research-based information to help them more effectively manage their timber, while safeguarding our environment.

In family consumer science, it could easily be the assistance provided to low-income families with nutritional and financial education they could otherwise not afford, providing a means to improving self-sufficiency.

How else does the extension help out?

With a rapidly growing population located over the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, one aspect of our home horticulture programs is to provide practical education on fertilization/pesticide management, for homeowners to mitigate impacts on our drinking water.

The 4-H program not only teaches youth essential life-skills through their various projects, youth also develop leadership and citizenship skills which ultimately enable them to become more productive individuals within their communities.

How popular are the programs?

As the programs are based on locally identified needs, they are very popular.

Our programs incorporate a variety of delivery methods from newsletters, publications and individual consultations to small or large group evening workshops, to multi-day conferences. Thus attendance varies widely.

However, throughout a given year, our local extension efforts provide outreach to well over 30,000 individuals.

How is the extension office funded?

Funding for local extension operations is provided through a three-way partnership between: The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture; the state of Idaho, via the University of Idaho; and Kootenai County.

The federal and state contributions provide a vast majority of the salary/benefit costs for faculty and para-professional positions.

The county contribution primarily covers support staff/benefits, office space, travel and operating expenses.

We also are able to obtain a few external grants which enable us to provide additional, specifically targeted educational programs.

How has the extension office changed over the years?

As the needs of our society has changed, so has the extension's approaches in helping to address those needs.

In the past 28 years that I've been here, there have been monumental changes in the use of technology, to not only manage resources but in educational programs and communication with clientele, whether individually or in group settings. With the exponential growth of information, faculty and para-professionals have had to shift from generalists to specialists.

As a result, we share personnel resource expertise across county and state lines much more frequently.

As emerging issues continue to be more complex, we are creating more multiple-disciplinary teams that can provide holistic solutions.

What are your duties at the extension office?

I am responsible for overall office administration and local/area 4-H management functions.

Last September, the county and extension office signed an agreement that the county won't manage the extension office anymore. What does this mean for the extension office?

Prior to that agreement, our secretarial support staff and some of para-professionals were county employees. In addition, the county held their annual extension funding allocation and processed the related expense claims.

Under the new agreement, all local extension personnel are now University of Idaho employees, and the annual county funding allocation and processing of expenses is now handled through the university.

The county continues to provide office space, utilities, janitorial and telecommunications support.

How have things changed for the extension office, since that shift in management?

While some of the financial and personnel management functions related to local extension operations have changed, it is important to note that we have not separated from Kootenai County - they are still an integral partner.

Due to some higher university costs and fees, we had to reduce one secretarial position to half-time, and make minor adjustments to the Master Gardener program coordinator's hours in balancing the budget.

Have any programs changed as a result?

Recognizing that working with citizens to address local needs is our primary focus, we have attempted to minimize those impacts.

We did have to reduce the number of days that the Master Gardener's plant clinic was open from three days a week to two days a week.

At this time it is too early to tell if there may be other program reductions as a result of the decrease in secretarial support.

Are there any other concerns from this shift in management?

A looming concern is that should the state opt to grant salary increases, we would have to cover those increases out of our existing allocation, unless the county chose to provide supplemental funding.

If not, additional personnel and/or program reductions would have to be made.

The county commissioners have prompted the extension office to be more self-sustaining, like possibly charging for its services. Is the extension office pursuing any new measures along those lines?

As part of the three-way (federal, state, county) partnership referenced earlier, there are specific regulations through USDA that narrowly limit what type of user or program fees extension offices can charge.

The reality is that we are precluded from charging fees for a vast majority of expenses covered by our annual county budget allocation.

Over the years, we have already been collecting allowable fees and will continue to evaluate if additional options become available.

There was a scare recently about 4-H going away, if the county cut funding for the extension office. Do you think there is still any reason to fear for 4-H's future, or other extension programs?

While we will have the same board of county commissioners for the next two years that requested the university of Idaho to enter into the new management agreement, and whereas the commissioners ultimately determine the amount of funding that extension will receive, I am hopeful that they will opt to provide at least the same level of financial support in the coming years.

However, as no funding guarantees exist, there is always some level of concern.

If the county were to decide on cutting funding for the extension office, what would happen? Would the extension office try to make up for the funds somehow?

As noted earlier, extension depends on the federal, state and county funding partnership. There are also strict regulations limiting alternative funding options.

Based on previous discussions with upper extension administration, should Kootenai County choose to no longer be a partner by eliminating their contribution, all programs would cease and the extension office would be closed.

A great deal of public value would be lost for an extremely small portion of the overall county budget.

Do you have any big immediate plans for the extension office?

Our current priority, being just over three months into the new arrangements and still discovering additional implications, is to make modifications as needed to most cost-effectively serve our local citizens.

Moving forward, we will continue to explore innovative programming opportunities and inter-agency collaborations.

What do you predict for the extension office's future?

I have an optimistic outlook. I appreciate and respect the challenges our county commissioners have in establishing the annual budget. And while extension is not mandated by state law, I believe that these leaders are well aware of the tremendous benefits that we provide towards improving the overall quality of life for the residents of Kootenai County for a very minimal cost.

From a business perspective, extension provides a good return on investment.

From the humanistic side, as clientele share their experiences throughout the year, I can't help but believe that our county leaders would be moved to continue their support for extension.