IRON MOUNTAIN — Three new members of the Dickinson County Board voted Monday to remove funding for Michigan State University-Extension from the county’s 2025 budget.

The $81,000 allocation, which allows for a full-time 4-H program coordinator, had been approved by the former county board after a late December budget hearing.

Newly elected Board Chairman Dan Harrington proposed the elimination, citing voter rejection of proposed MSU millages in May 2015 and again in August 2016.

The vote was 3-1, with longtime incumbent Commissioner Joe Stevens casting the dissenting vote. Commissioner Kevin Sullivan, newly elected, abstained.

Stevens explained that the county the past two years has funded an Extension office with proceeds from adult-use marijuana state tax distributions. He guessed that proceeds were about $130,000 annually.

Dickinson County’s marijuana tax share in 2024 was $177,259, up from $103,682 in 2023.

“4-H is probably one of the best ways to spend money that you can find in a county,” Stevens said.

New commissioners Victoria Jakel and Peter Swanson joined Harrington in voting to end Extension funding. Both, however, said they were open to hearing more from Paul Putnam, Extension district director for the central and western U.P., who attended Monday’s meeting.

Putnam said he hoped the board’s decision can be reversed, and asked for “an opportunity to have a dialog” about Extension services in Dickinson County.

Back in 2014, the county had provided $71,000 to help support Extension services. Two years later, commissioners ended funding after the millage defeats. There was no subsequent funding through 2021.

In 2022, the county approved $25,000 in 4-H funding before reaching agreement to have a full-time position in 2023 with $75,000 of county support. The 2024 allocation was also $75,000.

In addition to funding a full-time 4-H coordinator with an office at Bay College’s Iron Mountain campus, the county’s allocation expanded offerings from regional educators in other areas such as agriculture, health and nutrition, natural resources, community and family. Jessica Ice holds the 4-H coordinator position, while community educator Libby Hansen began working in Dickinson and Iron counties in May on nutrition initiatives.

With MSU funding on the new board’s agenda — potentially overriding the previous board’s approval — a number of citizens attended Monday’s meeting to speak in support of 4-H. The Proud Equestrians Program, a therapeutic horseback riding program for people with disabilities, especially drew praise from parents, participants and volunteers.

Harrington offered that all programs needn’t necessarily be eliminated by the end of county MSU funding, but no particulars were discussed. Programs similar to 4-H might continue through other entities, he said.