Extension Leadership Team Meeting Minutes December 19, 2018

January 8, 2019 ELT Minutes

Extension Leadership Team Meeting
December 19, 2018
UMA Randall Center, Room 218

Facilitator: Jon Prichard
Notetaker: Dennis Harrington

Independent Funding Proposal

The ELT reviewed the format for submitting one-time funding proposals to the ELT. The new format will be posted on Plugged-In.

One-time Funding Proposal

Developed December 19, 2018

The Extension Leadership Team will consider one-time funding proposals from individuals or teams in support of your work related to UMaine Extension’s mission and/or the organization, (although the preferred channel for funding new program initiatives is through program-generated revenue).

Proposals should be made for unique, one-time efforts or needs, and should not be developed as a new source of continuous funding or for institutionalizing a program. Proposals are appropriate for educational programs and needs that cannot be funded from the county budget or any other sources.

Independent proposals from a team should be developed and approved by the team. Independent proposals from individuals should be developed with the involvement of your supervisor.

Proposals should be submitted to the appropriate supervisor, who will present the request to the Extension Leadership Team and notify the proposer as to the outcome.

The following information should be provided on all proposals:

  1. Date of submission to supervisor
  2. Starting and ending dates
  3. Title & description of request
  4. Description of issue in terms of clientele, and how the need was determined.
  5. Objectives — expected results in specific, measurable terms and their relationship to UMaine Extension’s mission
  6. Partners/collaborators
  7. Budget – document funding needs by PeopleSoft account code
  8. Work to be cancelled or deferred in favor of this request
  9. POW reporting responsibility (if relevant)
  10. Evaluation plan for this effort (if relevant)
  11. Any other relevant information

Extension Participation in UMaine Strategic Plan

Cooperative Extension will be asked to provide input regarding the UMaine Strategic Plan specifically on the value statements. The ELT is exploring ways to get feedback from staff and potentially stakeholders.

Organizational Meeting November 13-14

All staff are asked to hold the dates of November 13-14, 2019 for an Extension organizational meeting in Orono.  Fran will be convening a planning committee.

Congratulations

Congratulations to PI Ellen Mallory who has been awarded $46,662 from USDA NESARE for the continuation of her “Strengthen Soil Security in Maine” project. This project continues to conduct soil health professional development opportunities for farmers in New England. Project learning outcomes include: economics of soil health strategies, crop rotation strategies, cover crop species traits and uses, reduced tillage strategies, equipment, and soil health for high tunnels and urban agriculture.

Congratulations to PI Richard Brzozowski who has been awarded $15,000 by the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety for his “Determining the Occupational Health & Safety Needs of Farmers 60 Years and Older” project. This research project aims to determine the age-related problems experienced by farmers who want to continue farming careers; what home-grown solution farmers have developed to remediate problems; what needs are unmet; and what type of relief assistance, interventions, and collaborations would best serve this farmer population.

Congratulations to PI Griffin Dill and Co-PI James Dwyer who have been awarded $99,571 by the State of Maine Specialty Crop Block Grant program for their “Maine Potato Integrated Pest Management 2019” project. This funding supports the ongoing work to help ensure adequate response to pest-related hazards confronting potato growers. The program will provide support through field monitoring, disease forecasting, and distribution of educational materials.

Congratulations to PI Lakesh Sharma and Co-PI Sukhwinder Bali who have been awarded $70,539 by the State of Maine Specialty Crop Block Grant program for their “Development of sulfur recommendations for potatoes and grains” project. The objective of this study is to create and provide robust Sulfur recommendations for potato and grain growers in the State of Maine.  One expected outcome is the preparation of a mobile application that can be used by growers to access the required sulfur rate for their field based on maximum yield potential, soil type, and the closest weather station.

Congratulations to PI Ryder Scott who has been awarded $5,000 by the Betterment Fund for his continued participation in the “Maine West” initiative. Maine West is a partnership of local and regional organizations dedicated to addressing systemic rural challenges and enhancing community well‐being in western Maine through increased collaboration across the economic, education, health and conservation sectors. This new initiative grows directly from the successful collaboration among conservation and community organizations to advance land conservation and related development efforts across the Maine‐New Hampshire border through the Mahoosuc Initiative.

Search Updates

Dean of Extension – Dr. Hannah Carter hired
Extension Crops Entomology Specialist –  Interviewing
Assistant Director – Tanglewood – Interviewing
4-H CEA – Lisbon Falls – Advertising
EFNEP CEA (Washington & Somerset) – Rita Stephenson – hired (Washington County)
Parent Educational Professional (Knox & Sagadahoc) – Offer pending for one position
Assistant Director Bryant Pond – Jeffrey Colpitts hired
Administrative Specialist CL3 Andro/Sag – Offer pending
Temp CEA CL2 – Maine 4-H Community Central – Advertising

2019 ELT Meeting Dates

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

Dates Facilitator Notes Location
January 7 Harrington Brzozowski Augusta: Farmhouse 11
January 25 Brzozowski Sulinski Orono: 102B Libby Hall
February 15 Sulinski Phelps Orono: 102B Libby Hall
March 13 Phelps Prichard Augusta: Farmhouse 11
April 12 Prichard Harrington Orono: 102B Libby Hall
May 2 Harrington Brzozowski Orono: 102B Libby Hall