BOE Reduces 4-H Funding

The Stephens County Board of Education votes to reduce its level of funding for the Stephens County 4-H program.

Thursday, the Board voted 4-3 to reduce the level of funding for the 4-H program and staff from just under $20,000 a year to about $6,000 a year.

Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey had recommended to the board to give 90-day notice to terminate the school system’s contract for the 4-H program and eliminate the funding.

He said it is just one cost-cutting measure that the school system is having to look at.

“This is part of our overall reduction in operational costs to get into a financial situation where we can be solvent,” said Dorsey.

Stephens County Extension Agent Forrest Connelly asked the board to, instead of cutting all funding, fund about $6,000 and allow him to seek the rest of the funding elsewhere.

Board members Jeff Webb, Jim Bellamy, Jim Ledford, and Rodney Moore, Jr. all voted for the motion to fund the approximately $6,000.

Meanwhile, board members Tony Crunkleton, David Fricks, and Dr. Elizabeth Pinkerton voted against it.