Plugged In: For UMaine Extension Staff and Volunteers

ELT Minutes, January 14, 2013

Extension Leadership Team Minutes

Monday, January 14, 2013

Room 102B Libby Hall

9:00 am to 3:30 pm

Facilitator:    Dennis Harrington

Note taker:    Fran Sulinski

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

Please note: Due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of some agenda items, these ELT minutes do not represent the full content of each meeting.

Fort Kent Office Move:  The Fort Kent Office was relocated to their new space on the outskirts of the UMaine Fort Kent campus. Good luck in your new space!

Change in IRS Mileage:  Change in IRS mileage reimbursement rate. Employee contracts stipulate that the mileage reimbursement rate is based on the state of Maine rate of $0.44/mile. Faculty contracts allow for reimbursement at the higher IRS rate for any miles traveled over 8,000 in a given fiscal year; and Professional contracts allow for reimbursement at the higher IRS rate for any miles traveled over 10,000 in a given fiscal year. As of January 1^st, the IRS rate has changed from $0.555/mile to $0.565. Plugged-In forms have been updated.

USDA/NIFA Combined Federal Report Expectations:  The USDA/NIFA is mandating that each state submit a single Plan of Work (POW) and Annual Report of Accomplishments. Dennis will be meeting with Fred Servello later this month for a preliminary conversation about the mechanics of integrating our POW with the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture Experiment Station. Once the mechanics are explored, we will meet with a broader group to begin planning the level of integration.

4-H Shooting Sports and Firearm Safety:  Firearm safety and control is a topic that is poignantly in the national consciousness and dialogue.  UMaine Cooperative Extension is involved in shooting sports programming with youth at Bryant Pond and at local schools. Youth learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery, and much more. The activities of the program and the support of caring adult leaders provide young people with opportunities to develop life skills, self-worth, and conservation ethics. Scott Olsen at Bryant Pond has taken leadership to guide this program safely and responsibly with input from National 4-H, UMaine Safety and Environmental Management and UMS Legal Counsel. The emphasis in our partnership with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) as we carry out this work, is on safety, responsible use and ownership. Volunteers and club leaders are trained and certified and follow strict protocols when working with club members.

Announcements:

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

• Congratulations to Keri Kaczor, who has been awarded $181,000 from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to continue the coastal monitoring work of the Maine Healthy
  Beaches program.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 ELT Meeting Dates

2012 — 2013

Meetings are from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm – unless otherwise noted

Anyone wishing to participate in an ELT meeting should contact the facilitator for that date.

                  Dates                          Facilitator                       Notes                              Location