ELT Minutes, March 25, 2015
Extension Leadership Team Minutes
March 25, 2015
Orono – 102B
9:00 – 3:30
Facilitator: Lisa Phelps
Note taker: John Rebar
Updates:
- There is a bill in the legislature to fund the ELLMS collaborative $500,000 for each of two years with $100,000/yr dedicated to Bryant Pond and to Tanglewood.
- Central Maine Power is installing the electrical line at Tanglewood.
- The 4-H Foundation has issued its annual report for 2014. Congratulations to Susan Jennings and the Maine 4-H Foundation.
- The Animal, Plant and Insect Diagnostic Lab is in the planning phase. A design firm has been selected and a construction manager will be sought in the near future. The UMaine Office of Facilities Management and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety have partnered with Extension on this process.
- The Annual Report of Accomplishments to USDA-NIFA will be submitted by theApril 1 deadline. Many thanks to those staff who effectively reported their activities and accomplishments.
Wiring Upgrade for Libby Hall: The hard wiring in Libby Hall is some of the oldest on the Orono campus. An upgrade of the wiring in Libby Hall has commenced and will increase our computing capacity. One element of the plan is to modify the technology closet in 120 (kitchen break room). This modification may bring some costs to Extension but initial communications with Institutional Technology indicates that expenses to Extension will be minimal. That being said, Tanner and Dennis will monitor the situation and provide updates to the ELT in the future.
Meeting with Michele Lodgek: The ELT met with Michele Lodgek to review the Centralized Database Management System (CDMS). Eighty-seven educational events have been posted to the CDMS that involve over 1,100 customers, which resulted in over $94,000 in revenue. Training has been conducted with selected staff who use the system. All public programs (free or fee based) should be using the CDMS. Program staff and clerical support staff need to utilize the CDMS as the portal for customers to use when signing up for events. Registration for events and payment should be required online, with a credit card, debit card or electronic check. Cash and checks should not be accepted, and payment in full should be made prior to events. When customers pay in installments it creates additional work for several Extension employees, which increases the cost of program delivery for our organization. Therefore, those who are currently allowing or encouraging installment payments need to end this practice with their next event or program. Those who pay with a credit card already have the option of paying in installments through their card (the ELT recognizes that this option unfortunately requires interest payments). Anyone with questions should contact Michele or Dennis. The PA’s will follow-up on this issue with the faculty and professional staff they supervise. The ELT recognizes the challenge to some customers by eliminating installment payments and regrets the need to move in this direction.
Food Safety: Jason Bolton and Kathy Savoie are requesting financial support to purchase refrigerator and food thermometers to give to “Cooking for a Crowd” program participants who volunteer to cook at emergency food outlets (food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters) across the state. Demand for this program is increasing statewide. There is a minimal charge for the program to cover the cost of the printed materials. The food thermometers cost approximately $2.00 each and the refrigerator thermometers are $0.40 each. The total requested is $1,500. Any thermometers left over will be retained for future programming. The thermometers will be branded with Cooperative Extension’s name and colors. The ELT approved supporting the cost of this expense.
UMaine 150th: Extension has committed to having a display for the 150th anniversary of UMaine at all of the agricultural fairs in the summer of 2015. This is similar to what was done in 2014 with a display on ticks. The upper administration of UMaine and 150th Committee is delighted with our willingness to have a display at the fairs. Download a PDF of the display. (You may be prompted to login to myUMaine Portal; use your gmail user name and password). The ELT is creating a process to coordinate getting displays to county offices during fair season.
Meeting with Rep. Bruce Poliquin: John and Susan Jennings will meet with Second Congressional District US Representative Bruce Poliquin on April 9th. The ELT suggested topics to be covered with the congressman.
Announcements:
Congratulations to Gary Anderson for being awarded the Dairy Industry Leader award from the Maine Dairy Industry Association during the Maine Dairy Seminar. Gary was recognized for his distinguished career where he has worked in support of the Maine dairy industry and other livestock farmers as well.
The ELT is delighted to announce that former Extension Area Dairy Specialist Glenn Wildes has been named the 2015 Barbara Hikel Award Winner for his service as a retiree volunteer. Glenn has been an outstanding volunteer with the Maine Harvest for Hunger program and other Extension efforts since he retired 25 years ago. The award is made by UMaine President Hunter and will be presented in early June. Sincere thanks to Frank Wertheim who nominated Glenn for this well deserved award.
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.
Search Update:
Community Education Assistant CL2 – Horticulture Coordinator – Cumberland — Offer turned down, revisiting existing pool of applicants
Accounting & Reporting Professional – Orono — Position filled
Program Administrator – Maine Food System, Assoc Ext Prof or Ext Prof — Interviewing
Sustainable Ag Asst Ext Prof & Asst Prof – Presque Isle — Accepting applications
4-H STEM Program Prof (2 positions) – 4-H Learning Ctrs at Tanglewood (Lincolnville) or Bryant Pond — Accepting applications
Administrative Specialist CL2 – Franklin Cty — Pre-advertising/Processing paperwork
4-H Youth Development Professional – 4-H Office Orono — Accepting applications
4-H Youth Development Professional – Kennebec — Accepting applications
Research Associate in Vegetable Production – Highmoor Farm — Pre-advertising/Processing paperwork
Community Education Assistant CL2 – Penobscot County — Pre-advertising/Processing paperwork
Community Education Assistant CL2 – Piscataquis County — Pre-advertising/Processing paperwork
ELT Meeting Dates –2015: Meetings are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
| Dates |
Facilitator |
Notes |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 15 | Rebar | Prichard | Orono – 102B |
| April 28 | Prichard | Harrington | 103 Farm House – Augusta |
| May 20 | Harrington | Sulinski | Orono -102B |
| June 3 | Sulinski | Phelps | Orono – 102B |
| June 29 | Phelps | Rebar | Augusta – 218 Richard Randall Student Center |
| July 29 | Rebar | Prichard | Orono – 102B |
| August 20 | Prichard | Harrington | Orono – 102B |
| September 16 | Harrington | Sulinski | Augusta – TBA |
| October 6 | Sulinski | Phelps | Orono – 102B |
| October 20 | Phelps | Rebar | Orono – 102B |
| November 12 | Rebar | Prichard | Augusta – TBA |
| December 2 | Prichard | Harrington | Orono – 102B |
| December 21 | Harrington | Sulinski | Orono – 102B |