Contact Us

University of Illinois Extension serving Henry, Mercer, Rock Island and Stark Counties

Main Office (Rock Island County)
321 W 2nd Avenue
Milan, IL 61264
Phone: 309-756-9978
FAX: 309-756-9987
Email:uie-hmrs@illinois.edu
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Branch Office (Henry-Stark County)
26234 Black Hawk Road
Galva, IL 61434
Phone: 309-853-1533
FAX: 309-853-1634
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8am to 4:30pm (Closed from 12 - 1 pm)

Branch Office (Mercer County)
2106 SE Third Street
Aledo, IL 61231
Phone: 309-582-5106
FAX: 309-582-7338
Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 8am to 4:30pm (Closed from 12 - 1 pm)

Extension Meetings

Unit 7 Extension Council Minutes from January 17, 2012

January 17, 2012 (6:00 PM)

Unit 7 Extension Council Minutes Form

The regular meeting of the Unit 7 (Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, & Stark Counties) Extension Council was called to order by Gary Goodwin on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at 6:00 p.m., at the Black Hawk East Community Education Center, Kewanee, in Room 102.

Those in attendance were:

  • Jake Anderson
  • Barbara Chiles
  • Terri Davies
  • Gary Goodwin
  • David Harris
  • Sherry Holmstrom
  • Jim King
  • Kim Sheese
  • Gary Smith
  • Alice Webster

Others attending were:

  • Tony Franklin
  • Jenny Garner
  • Liz Haynes
  • Janice McCoy
  • Martha Smith

Guests:

  • Bob Mueller
  • Virgil Mayberry
  • Shane Holmstrom

Public Comments:

n/a

Minutes: The minutes of the last meeting were approved as read with a motion made by Alice Webster and a second by Gary Smith.

Fiscal Reports:

  • We are operating under budget – normally would be at 50% of budget by this point in the fiscal year but the Income is at 30% and Expenses are at 26%.
  • Reviewed In/Out accounts for Rock Island, Mercer, and Henry-Stark.
  • Reviewed Income and Expense Analysis report.
  • The financial reports were approved with a motion by David Harris and second by Jake Anderson.

Council Member Reports & Comments

David Harris commended the group on the activities and the emails informing us of the activities and the great quality of the activities. Jim King concurred – also Jake Anderson is disappointed that the Emerald Ash Borer program is no longer funded.

Virgil Mayberry commented on juvenile detention board and showed kids how to grow pumpkins organized from the master gardeners; would be great if we could do a program with them.

Staff Reports:

Concern voiced regarding announcements for activities. We want to use the whole new unit name rather than drawing out one county over another to make everyone feel included in the activities. Henry/Mercer/Rock Island/Stark is the official ordering.

Individual Staff reports were given by:

Jenny Garner on Fast Pitch Competition for retail and non-retail and students who have a business idea they want to "pitch," Big Island/Mirror Lake Visioning Screening, area housing authorities partnering with Extension to address generational poverty, and completing the survey instrument for the WVIK opinion research study.

Cheryl Geitner on presentation to Milan Rotary Club, serving on Students Involved in Technology Conference Committee, assisted with Mercer County and RI County open houses, and participated in the Kewanee Drug Free Communities grant laws and policies sub-group regarding alcohol and tobacco compliance checks.

Elizabeth Hayes on assessment of impairments of the Rock River Trail, Project Smart Bus Literacy, exploration of a Land Conservancy and Forestry Management planning for Rock Island County Forest Preserve.

Janice McCoy on Child Care Career Fair, Finding Your Get Up and Go, Walk in My Shoes aging awareness. Blues, Blahs and Bouncing Back Coping with Sad Times, and Caregiving Relationships.

Martha Smith on Emerald Ash Borer Management workshops, Christmas tree holiday tree farm tours, holiday decoration safety program, working with Monarch Teachers Network and partnering with Quad City Botanical Center, and Illinois Arborist Association is trying to form a chapter in the QC area where Martha will attend and work with this group.

Other Reports & Announcements:

  • Rebecca Ebert started on January 4 as 4-H Program Coordinator at Henry-Stark.
  • Cassy Casas started in Rock Island County as the Extension Coordinator for 4-H for military families.

Old Business:

  • Martha Smith – teleconference regarding environment purpose to help make people aware; Gary Goodwin said teleconference worked great – highly recommended.
  • Janice McCoy – hasn't met with her group yet but will have something by March.
  • Jenny Garner – hasn't met with her group yet but will have something by March.
  • Jim King – will be meeting with State advisory meeting and he will report the success of teleconferencing. Jim goes February 20 to Champaign for the meeting.

New Business:

Council Recruitment - Brought Bob Mueller – as a guest to possibly join council – he is also a member of the county board

Next Meeting Date (March 20 conflicts with Election Day); council chose to keep it on March 20.

Just In Time Parenting & Parenting 24/7 – Janice McCoy

Online resources for families –Parenting 24/7 parents need information that is convenient and readily available – they use the internet everyday – online programs are effective and efficient. It can complement a real time meeting too. 79,000 hits per month 600,000 page views. People find it helpful and useful; 57% find it useful and better than other resources. Just in time parenting = age paced newsletter – get newsletter for each age range – in the last couple of years – Extension professionals use the most current information and is now available online as an e-newsletter – delivered via email and based on more than 20 years in the print version. Parents rate them more useful than any other information because it provides them with only the data they need at the time they need it.

Consideration of a 4-H Youth Development – Metro Educator

New position – only a few in the state. 11 in the State – places with populations over 100,000 – the money comes from the USDA Ag money – none comes out of our Trust fund. It focuses on gardening, science literacy, and youth civic engagement – like kids putting together bike routes – or skateboard parks. Job description in packet. We are above and beyond the recommended capacity for the youth that we are reaching. David Harris commented on the 8 metro areas and Rock Island is missing – comments were in favor of pursuing this. They will need to figure out where to house the person. Gary Goodwin asked if we get the grant the State 4-H Office does the training for this person. A motion was made by Jim King; seconded by Jake Anderson; moved to support this project. Motion carried.

Questions covered on the Pitch with a fast pitch – networking project – series of dates discussed. They are competing for prizes – Midwest Property Intellectual Property Consulting.

Next meeting scheduled (date, time, and location): March 20, 2012, 6 p.m., at the Mercer County Extension Office

Adjournment:

There being no further business to come before the meeting, a motion was made by Jake Anderson with a second by David Harris that the meeting be adjourned. Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at: 7:45pm.