November 10, 2014
JOINT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties
United Methodist Church, Rt. 15, Corinth
November 10, 2014 6:00 PM
Present: Richard Neal & wife, Sheila Norman, Rolf & Anne Staples, John Rebar, Donna Coffin, Tish Dutson, Janet Yelch-Weatherbee, Natasha & Dustin Colbry, Della & Mike Gleason, Theresa Tilton, Walter & Janice Boomsma, Hannah Yovino, Ellen & Dusty Fisher, Kate and Lucy Garland
Folks arrived for dinner at 6:00 PM. We had vegetable or meat lasagna, tossed garden salad, garlic bread, apple crisp, coffee and water prepared by ladies from the church. Cost of the dinner was $10 per person. A slide show played during dinner of different events happening throughout Extension over the past year. As we arrived we were given a sheet with acronyms on it. We were instructed to work on it and get as many as we could. Before the meal Donna Coffin went over each one to see how many we could get right.
The annual meeting started at 7:00 PM with Walter Boomsma recognizing the kitchen crew, doing the welcome & doing the Piscataquis county highlights for the past year. Kate Garland did highlights for the Penobscot office. Kate also introduced Hannah Yovino as Penobscots new FoodCorp volunteer.
Walter introduced John Rebar, Director of Cooperative Extension. John spoke about the FY16 budget and how Extension’s cut will be less than expected. The new UMaine President is a strong supporter of Extension. John also spoke on the counties working together and collaborating on projects and our future is the youth of today.
Donna Coffin introduced Natasha and Dustin Colbry from Dover-Foxcroft. Natasha and Dustin gave a lovely presentation of their farm and how they have given up really good paying jobs to make farming a way of life. They have purchased an older farm and are working the land back to being a working farm. They attend farmers markets and sell CSA’s.
At the end was time for questions/answers. The Piscataquis folks were asked to stay to discuss an issue that had come up in their county that needed to be addressed. Penobscot folks were free to leave.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.