Plugged In: For UMaine Extension Staff and Volunteers

ELT Minutes, August 25, 2014

Extension Leadership Team Minutes
August 25, 2014
Orono – 122 Libby Hall

Facilitator: Fran Sulinski

Notes: Lisa Phelps

Present: John Rebar, Fran Sulinski, Dennis Harrington, Jon Prichard, Lisa Phelps

Blueberry Cove 4-H Camp and Learning Center Update
The half marathon was held on Sunday, August 24^th. It was a very successful fundraising event for the camp and learning center. John Rebar and Jon Prichard were very appreciative of the help and support provided by the staff and volunteers to support the event. The event raised close to $17,000 to support scholarships for future campers! Congratulations to everyone who made this event a success. And, big kudos to John Rebar who ran in the half marathon and beat his time from last year and finished first in his age group.

Budget FY16 and Beyond
The ELT is continuing to explore strategic decisions in anticipation of budget cuts in FY2016 and beyond. We do not yet know the amount of our next budget cut. Our planning is being informed by data gathering, discussions, further review of the listening session notes, survey data gathered from staff this past spring, and additional feedback we have received from staff and stakeholders over the past few months. As an ELT we are committed to maintaining a sustainable budget and to informing the organization as the FY 2016 budget reduction process develops. Our goal is to be as transparent as we are able. We also recognize that our budget uncertainty creates stress and concern for many Cooperative Extension Staff and volunteers. We all regret the reality of the situation the University of Maine System faces and share in the frustration that many of the causes for the budget challenges are beyond our control. While that may be true, the ELT is very grateful for everyone’s commitment to doing the best job possible for the people of Maine.

Upcoming Organizational Update
John shared a draft of the latest organizational update and the ELT provided feedback regarding the upcoming presentation.

Announcements:

Announcement Invitation:

The ELT invites you to submit items to be included in the minutes/announcements of the next regularly scheduled ELT meeting.  This is an opportunity to share with the ELT and the rest of the organization any of the following:

• Notable programmatic accomplishments
• Development or fundraising success
• Significant new partnerships and/or opportunities
• Important transitions

Please take the opportunity to share your good works through this avenue.  Keep it brief… approximately two to four sentences would be appreciated. To submit an announcement, please contact your PA or appropriate member of the ELT.

Please remember to visit University of Maine’s news site for additional University of Maine Cooperative Extension highlight.

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ELT Meeting Dates – 2014 – Meetings are from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm – unless otherwise noted