John Lawrence’s message from May 15, 2018
In ISU Extension and Outreach, we believe in people and their right to make their own decisions, and we believe that education is the key to helping people help themselves. Some of us believe these things because we are extension professionals; however, our county extension council members are believers too. 2018 is an extension council election year, so we are looking for a few more people in every county who are willing to commit to these beliefs.
Each county extension district will elect five council members in November, and each person will serve a four-year term. If a council has appointed someone to complete the unexpired term of a council member, then that position also will be up for election this year. Did you know?
- As required by Iowa law, each council will be appointing a nominating committee. These folks will be seeking candidates who have the talent, skills and energy to help determine how ISU Extension and Outreach can make a difference in their county.
- Potential candidates should reflect their county’s population. They shouldn’t all be from the same town, and they should have diverse backgrounds and interests. That way they’ll be better able to connect Iowa State resources with everyone in the county, including under-represented groups and organizations.
- Whenever possible, committees should nominate enough candidates to ensure that voters have a choice, which this year means nominating five or more candidates.
All of us can help these county nominating committees find good candidates. Think about people you know and work with in your communities. What could they bring to the table as county extension council members? Show them this new video, direct them to this webpage with more information and encourage them to contact their county extension office.
More notes
- Iowa’s history is on the move again. The Iowa History 101 mobile museum is continuing its 99 county tour in 2018. Several stops this year are in partnership with ISU Extension and Outreach county offices. Last year the history-filled Winnebago visited 36 counties. The State Historical Society of Iowa plans to visit all 99 counties with the mobile museum by the end of 2019.
- On May 14, I hosted a webinar regarding 4-H’s LGBTQ Guidance update. In case you missed it or want to review, here’s the link to the archived webinar: https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/pvnvgbcb3c46/
— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach