Stephens Co. Commission Approves Extra 4-H Funding

Stephens County Commissioners approve additional funding to help support the county’s 4-H program.

Tuesday, the county commission heard from Stephens County Extension Agent Forrest Connelly, who was requesting the county contribute an extra $2,700 annually to the funding it already contributes towards 4-H.

This request came after the Stephens County Board of Education voted last month to cut its 4-H funding level by about $14,000 a year as a budget-reduction measure.

The county’s 4-H program is funded through a partnership between the county government, the school system, and the University of Georgia.

Connelly told the board that if they chipped in an extra $2,700 starting in July, he felt he could make up the rest of the funding gap left by the school board cut through additional funding from the University of Georgia.

However, Connelly said that if he could not make up the funding, a task that would be difficult without additional county support, that would endanger the 4-H program.

“Without your help, it is going to be awful hard,” said Connelly about maintaining the program.

For the remainder of this fiscal year, Connelly said he can find money elsewhere in the budget to make up the funding gap, but would need the extra funding starting in July.

County Commissioner Dean Scarborough asked Connelly if he had considered a reduction in hours for the 4-H position or cuts elsewhere to make up the difference.

Connelly said he looked at that, but did not feel it was feasible.

Noting that other departments in the county have had to do more with less, Scarborough said he cannot support the additional funding request.

“You are coming to us for 2016 money that we do not even go look at our budget until May, which is kind of hard,” said Scarborough. “I know our administrator is already about talking about further employee cuts that she is going to propose to us. I cannot see us committing extra dollars when we have already let some of our employees go and we have got more to let go.”

The other four county commissioners supported giving 4-H the additional funding.

County Commission Chair Dennis Bell said he grew up in programs like 4-H and FFA and considers them very valuable.

“I got a lot of valuable information and lessons taught to me that I am using still today,” said Bell. “I thank God we had it back then to where I can use it today. Our children need this program that is in the school system. This is something that does not need to be cut out of our school system.”

County commissioners voted 4 to 1 to fund Connelly’s request with Scarborough voting “no.”