Today we received this welcome message from Teresal Olczyk, one of our Extension Agents with whom we’ve worked closely for many years.
Yes, we are back in business thanks to you and many other supporters. We were restored at about 84% thanks to the hard work of all community and many organizations.
The County Commission restored our county general revenue funding at about 84% ($887,000) of our adjusted submitted budget request. As Extension general revenue funding was eliminated in the Mayor’s proposed budget, along with many other agencies and services we would have not been here as of October 1st otherwise. We are back in business thanks to the hard work and determination of a team of 4-H leaders and members conducted during the past several weeks, the agriculture community spearheaded by Farm Bureau and the Council of Presidents of the Ag. organizations, Master Gardeners, various volunteers and advisory committee members, and individual clientele that were upset with the thought of our not being here to provide the services to the residents of this community.
Many people contacted commissioners personally, wrote letters, faxes, e-mails, included information on the Extension budget crisis on their websites and blogs and attended the budget meetings.
The realization of having a reduced budget means we still have impacts to our budget and operations. We will lose three vacant agriculture agent positions, and sadly we are also having to eliminate one county funded agent position to meet our budgeted amount.
Teresa Olczyk
Extension Agent IV
Commercial Ag./Ornamentals
UF IFAS, Miami-Dade County Extension
