IRON MOUNTAIN — The relationship between Dickinson County and Michigan State University Extension remains uncertain after the county board’s Jan. 13 vote to remove $81,000 in Extension funding from the 2025 budget.

Paul Putnam, Extension district director for the central and western Upper Peninsula, addressed the board during a finance meeting Monday, seeking further talks. Putnam noted he had earlier sent emails to commissioners to provide information on the Extension’s budget and services, including its 4-H youth program.

Commissioner Joe Stevens, the only board member to vote in favor of Extension funding, said the board should meet with Putnam. Commissioner Kevin Sullivan, who abstained from the Jan. 13 vote, said he’d talked with Putnam individually and appreciated getting more information.

There was no comment during the board’s discretionary time from the three board members who enacted the funding cut — Chairman Dan Harrington and commissioners Victoria Jakel and Peter Swanson.

Stevens is the only returning board member. The others were newly elected in November and seated Jan. 1.

It was Harrington who proposed the funding elimination, citing voter rejection of proposed MSU millages in May 2015 and August 2016. The Jan. 13 vote came after a number of citizens spoke in support of 4-H, particularly the Proud Equestrians Program for people with disabilities.

On Monday, Putnam emphasized that 4-H is a part of MSU. “There are no 4-H positions independent of MSU,” he said. “4-H is a huge part of the (county) fair and the community.”

Dickinson County’s $81,000 allocation for MSU was approved in December during 2025 budget planning. State and federal funding is the Extension’s main support, but counties help pay for programming to fit specific needs.

Dickinson County ended Extension funding after the millage defeats nearly a decade ago but resumed it in 2022 and provided $75,000 in both 2023 and 2024. The money comes from the county’s share of adult-use marijuana state tax distributions, which totaled $177,259 in 2024.

Besides paying for a full-time 4-H coordinator with an office at Bay College’s Iron Mountain campus, the Extension funding has expanded offerings from regional educators in other areas such as agriculture, health and nutrition, natural resources, community and family. Jessica Ice is the current 4-H coordinator, while community educator Libby Hansen began working on nutrition initiatives in Dickinson and Iron counties in May.

During citizens’ time Monday, Tina Pirlot of Vulcan encouraged the board to revisit the funding decision. MSU has historically provided many important services, including “tools for entrepreneurship,” she said.

In other action, the county board:

— Approved filling one courthouse vacancy but rejected another. The board unanimously backed hiring a full-time mail clerk in the county clerk’s office, at an introductory wage of $18.33 per hour and an annual cost of $47,000 to $69,000, depending on the level of health benefits. Rejected in a 3-2 vote was a civil clerk position in the district court office, which would carry a similar cost.

The board heard Jan. 13 from District Court Judge Julie LaCost and Michelle Polzien, magistrate/court administrator, on the need to fill the civil clerk vacancy to provide consistent service and staffing. On Monday, only Stevens and Sullivan voted in favor of filling the position, which was rejected by the previous board in a unanimous Dec. 26 vote. Stevens acknowledged changing his mind, saying he didn’t think it would be fair to the public or the other court employees to leave the job unfilled.

The mail clerk position has been posted on the county website at www.dickinsoncountymi.gov.

— Adopted a resolution saluting Connie Chica, 41st Circuit Court administrator, recognizing her “tremendous community service.” Chica is retiring after 29 years of courthouse employment.

— Voted 4-1 against Harrington’s motion to change the current policy of allowing up to five minutes of input from individual citizens at the both the start and end of county meetings. Harrington proposed three minutes during the first citizens’ time and one minute during the second. In seeking support, he noted phone numbers for board members are listed on the county website.

Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.