The Athens County Commissioners are considering allocating an extra $20,000 to hire a full-time agricultural educator through the Ohio State University Extension, the commissioners said Tuesday.
The educator, filling a vacancy, would assist with agricultural and economic development in the county by helping farmers apply for grants and finding information relevant to agriculture.
Commissioner Lenny Eliason said the commissioners will approach the county budget commission to ensure funds are available before making any final decision to hire anyone.
The county currently allocates $49,500 for two educators, but one spot is vacant. The other one is for Brittany Pangburn, a full-time educator who specializes in 4-H. Pangburn makes $27,500 from the county.
Commissioner Chris Chmiel said a full time educator who can help with agriculture in general could also help handle more diverse needs of the county’s economic development. Chmiel said he wants to hire this person on a full time basis.
“The workload of this county, for a part time person, in my opinion, is a bit too much,” he said.
Pangburn agreed, saying that county residents would use a full time educator more if he or she were always available.
“When the previous full-time educator was here, the phone was ringing off the hook,” Pangburn said. “I think if we had a person who was here all the time, the calls would go up.”
Before he would make a decision, Eliason said he wanted more concrete evidence that paying extra money is worth the service, which Commissioner Charlie Adkins echoed.
“I don’t like to spend money and not know what I’m getting for the taxpayers of this county,” Adkins said.
Beverly Kelbaugh, regional director of OSU’s Southeast Region Extension office, also said she thought a full time educator would benefit the county, but she said it’s more important for the commissioners to do what they think is best.
“As commissioners, you need to make sure you choose the best for your county,” she said.
Kelbaugh said there is someone in Hocking County who is interested in being Athens County’s full time educator, if the commissioners choose to hire someone, but declined to give a name.
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